How to use Focus and Do Not Disturb on a Mac to stop interruptions

Focus silences notifications while you work, present or sleep. How to turn it on, choose who gets through, schedule it, and keep pop ups out of screen shares.

Guide · Updated 22 October 2026

How do I turn on Do Not Disturb on a Mac?

Click Control Center in the menu bar, click Focus, then Do Not Disturb. Notifications are held silently until you turn it off. Keyboard Shortcuts has Turn Do Not Disturb on/off if you want a key for it.

How do I let some people through?

Open System Settings, Focus, and click a Focus. Choose the people and apps allowed to notify you while it is on. Everyone else waits until it ends.

How do I schedule a Focus?

In the same place, add a schedule: a time of day, a place, or when a certain app opens. A Work Focus that starts at nine without you touching anything is the one that actually gets used.

How do I stop notifications during a screen share?

Open System Settings, Notifications, and turn off allowing notifications when mirroring or sharing the display. Banners stay hidden whenever your screen is shared or mirrored, without needing a Focus.

Why did Focus turn on by itself?

With Share across devices on, a Focus turned on on your iPhone also turns on on your Mac. Turn it off in Focus settings to keep them separate.

Pair it with a calm screen: a deep work layout. Clear what piled up: clear all notifications.

Checked on 22 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1) running macOS 27.0.1: Turn Do Not Disturb on/off, Share across devices and the screen sharing notification setting were read from System Settings.

Questions

How do I turn on Do Not Disturb on a Mac?

Click Control Center, then Focus, then Do Not Disturb.

How do I stop notifications when sharing my screen on Mac?

In System Settings, Notifications, turn off notifications when mirroring or sharing the display.

Why does Focus turn on on my Mac when I use it on iPhone?

Share across devices is on in Focus settings.

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