How to get ahold of someone whose iPhone is on Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb mode has been standard on smartphones for a long time, and it’s excellent for keeping distractions at bay. It’s a great feature, but people avoid using it for fear of missing important calls and messages from certain people. Not to worry!

Here’s how to get around that so you can use Do Not Disturb without worry.

First, a refresher

Do Not Disturb mode does just that — it silences calls, alerts and notifications while your phone is locked (check out the Notification Center to see what you missed). You can set it up during work or when you need a break.

But what if someone you care about is trying to get through? That’s what exceptions are for. We’ll show you how to set up Do Not Disturb precisely how you want it.

Let these people through

Here’s how to let select people’s messages come through when using Do Not Disturb mode:

  • Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb.
  • Tap People and make sure Allow Notifications From is checked.
  • Tap Add People and choose from your list of contacts.
  • Tap Done when you’re finished.

What about phone calls? There’s a separate setting for that:

  • Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb.
  • Tap People, then tap the option next to Allow Calls From (the default is Contact Only)
  • Choose Allowed People Only to let the people you added in the steps above ring your phone.

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