Change Focus settings on Mac
On your Mac, use Focus settings to set up a Focus that can minimise distractions by pausing and silencing all notifications or allowing notifications only from certain people or apps. Learn how to set up a Focus.
To change these settings, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Focus in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Focus settings
Option | Description |
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Focus list | The list shows each Focus you add or create on your Mac and on your other Apple devices (if you turn on “Share across devices”). The Do Not Disturb Focus is always available. Click a Focus to change its settings or to remove it. See Focus details, below. |
Add Focus | Create a new Focus.
After you create a new Focus, you can specify settings for it. See Focus details, below. |
Share across devices | Keep your Focus settings up to date across your Apple devices where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account. |
Focus status | Let contacts who send you a message know that you have silenced notifications. If something’s important, they can choose to notify you anyway. To share your status, click “Focus status”, turn on “Share Focus status”, then turn on each Focus you want to share your status from. If you don’t want to share your status, click “Focus status”, then turn off “Share Focus status”. |
Focus details
Option | Description |
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focus name | Click the icon next to the name of the Focus to change the name, colour or icon of the selected Focus. If you select a provided Focus (such as Reading or Work), you can only change its colour and icon. To restore the default colour and icon for a provided Focus, click . If you select the Do Not Disturb Focus, you can’t change its name, colour or icon. |
Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing | Turn Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing on or off. See Summarise notifications and reduce interruptions with Apple Intelligence. This option is available if you have a Mac with M1 or later and Apple Intelligence is turned on. |
Allowed People | Allow notifications from selected people. |
Allowed Apps | Allow notifications from selected apps. |
Set a Schedule | Automatically turn on a Focus at a set time or location, or while using a certain app. |
Focus Filters | Customise how Calendar, Mail, Messages or Safari behave when this Focus is on. |
Delete Focus | Remove a Focus. A custom Focus is deleted. A provided Focus, such as Reading or Mindfulness, is removed from the list but is still available to add again later. |