How to use Focus on a Mac: Do Not Disturb and beyond

Focus is macOS’s smarter Do Not Disturb: it silences notifications except from the people and apps you allow.

Turn one on

Click Control Centre in the menu bar, then Focus, and pick Do Not Disturb or another Focus. Choose how long it lasts: for an hour, until this evening, or until you turn it off.

Set one up

In System Settings → Focus, pick a Focus or add one, then:

• Allowed People and Allowed Apps: who and what still gets through.
• Set a Schedule: turn it on automatically, for example during work hours.
• Focus filters: limit what some apps show, such as one Mail account.

Share across devices

Turn on Share across devices in System Settings → Focus and a Focus you start on your Mac also starts on your iPhone and iPad, and the other way round.

See which Focus is on

macOS shows a Focus icon in the menu bar. NotchMind, which I make, can also show a small icon in the notch while a Focus is on and tell you when it turns off. With Full Disk Access it shows the Focus’s real name and icon. See Focus in the notch.