Limit interruptions with Modes & Do Not Disturb on Android

Use Modes including Do Not Disturb to silence your phone and to manage when and how you want to be notified. Once you’ve set up Do Not Disturb or other modes, you can access them by swiping down from the top of your screen in Quick Settings.

Important: Some of these steps work only on Android 9.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.

Quickly turn interruptions off or back on

To turn Do Not Disturb on or off, swipe down from the top of your screen. Then tap Do Not Disturb .

Tip: If you have a Smart Display or speaker with the Google Assistant, you can ask it to silence your phone. Learn how to limit interruptions with Google Assistant.

Set up Do Not Disturb & other custom notification modes

Important: When you’ve set up “Do Not Disturb” or other custom notification modes, like Bedtime mode or Driving mode, you can turn them on or off. From the top of the screen, swipe down to “Quick Settings.”

Do Not Disturb mode

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Modes Do Not Disturb Turn on now.

Tip: To manage when and how you want to be notified, you can edit the Notification filters.

Bedtime mode

1. Open your device’s Settings app.
2. Tap Modes Bedtime Set up Bedtime.
   • To edit the default schedule, under “When to turn on automatically,” turn on Bedtime routine to set a start time and end time.
   • Under “Set up a Bedtime mode,” you can:
     • Set a custom schedule.
     • Tap Use a schedule.
     • Tap Turn on while charging.

3. Tap Done.
4. You’ll be asked to allow access to your app usage and sensor data. Tap Allow or Don’t allow.

Tip: To manage when and how you want to be notified, you can edit the Notification filters.

Driving mode

1. Open your device’s Settings app.
2. Tap Modes Driving Set up Driving.
3. Under “When to turn on automatically,” tap While driving.

Tip: To manage when and how you want to be notified, you can edit the Notification filters.

Create custom mode

1. Open your device’s Settings app.

2. Tap Modes Create your own mode .
3. Enter mode name.
4. Choose an icon.
5. Tap Done.
   • You can also customize additional settings such as time range notification filters and display settings.

Tip: To manage when and how you want to be notified, you can edit the Notification filters.

Change your interruption settings

Set what to block or who can interrupt you

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Modes select a mode.
3. Under “Notification filters,” choose what to block or allow.
   • People: Block or allow calls, messages, or conversations.
     • To let a call through if the same person calls twice in 15 minutes, turn on Allow repeat callers.
   • Apps: Choose which apps can send you notifications.
   • Alarms & other interruptions: Block or allow alarms, media, touch sounds, reminders, or calendar events.

Tip: With any settings, critical notifications show. For example, you can't block system security notifications.

Set how long Do Not Disturb lasts

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Modes Do Not Disturb Duration for Quick Settings.
3. When you turn on Do Not Disturb, choose how long you want it to stay on.
   • Until you turn it off
   • A certain time, like For 2 hours or For 15 minutes
   • Ask every time

4. Tap OK.

Choose settings for hidden notifications

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Modes select a mode More settings Display settings Display options for filtered notifications.
3. Choose what to block or allow.

At certain times

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Sound & vibration  Do Not Disturb Turn on automatically. If you find "Do Not Disturb preferences" instead, you're using an older Android version. Try these steps for Android 8.1 and below.
3. Tap a rule. Or, to make your own rule, tap Add rule  Time.
4. Edit your rule's name, status, and alarm override.
5. At the top, check that your rule is turned on.

Tip: To delete a rule, tap Delete .

If you're using Android 8.1 & below

Pick which interruptions to allow

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

Option 1: Total silence

1. Swipe down from the top of your screen with 2 fingers.
2. Under Do not disturb  or your current option, tap the Down arrow .
3. Turn on Do not disturb.
4. Tap Total silence.
5. Pick how long you want this setting to last.
6. Tap Done. You'll see Total silence . In "Total silence:"
   • Your alarms won't make noise.
   • Your device won't vibrate or make sounds when you get a call, message, or notification.
   • You won't hear sounds from music, videos, games, or other media.
   • During a phone call, you'll still be able to hear the other person.

Option 2: Alarms only

Important: This won't mute sounds from music, videos, games, or other media.

1. Swipe down from the top of your screen with 2 fingers.
2. Under Do not disturb  or your current option, tap the Down arrow .
3. Turn on Do not disturb.
4. Tap Alarms only.
5. Pick how long you want this setting to last.
6. Tap Done. You'll see Alarms only .

Option 3: Priority notifications only

Important: This won't mute sounds from music, videos, games, or other media.

1. Pick which notifications are a priority.
   1. Open your phone's Settings app.
   2. Tap Sound  Do Not Disturb preferences  Priority only allows.
   3. Set your priorities.
2. Turn on "Priority only."
   1. Swipe down from the top of your screen with 2 fingers.
   2. Under Do not disturb  or your current option, tap the Down arrow .
   3. Turn on Do not disturb.
   4. Pick Priority only.
   5. Choose how long you want this setting to last.
   6. Tap Done. You'll see Priority only .

Automatically block interruptions

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

Option 1: Silence sounds during certain times

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Sound  Do Not Disturb preferences.
3. Under "Automatic rules," tap a rule, like Weeknight. Or, to make your own rule, tap Add more  Time rule.
4. Edit your rule.
5. At the top, check that your rule is turned on.

Option 2: Silence sounds during events & meetings

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Sound  Do Not Disturb preferences.
3. Under "Automatic rules:"
   • To edit the default rule, tap Event.
   • To make your own rule, tap Add more  Event rule.
4. Edit your rule.
5. At the top, check that your rule is turned on.

Option 3: Block visual disturbances

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Sound  Do Not Disturb preferences  Block visual disturbances.
3. To prevent notifications from:
   • Showing over your screen while you're doing something else, turn on Block when screen is on.
   • Turning on the screen or pulsing the light, turn on Block when screen is off.

Turn interruptions back on

Important: Settings can vary by phone. For more info, contact your device manufacturer.

Turn off Do Not Disturb

You can either: 

• Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap your current option: Alarms only , Priority only , or Total silence .
• Press the volume down button and tap Turn off now.

Override Do Not Disturb for certain apps

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Apps & notifications.
3. Tap the app. If you don't see it, tap See all apps or App info, and then tap the app.
4. Tap App notifications.
5. Turn on Override Do Not Disturb. If you don't see "Override Do Not Disturb," tap Additional settings in the app  Notifications, then turn on Override Do Not Disturb.

Related resources

• Change volume, sound & vibrate settings
• Control your notifications
• Find your chats and messages quickly