Apple recently released iOS 6 which brought a slew of new features to your iDevices. One of the most useful of those features that many may not be aware of is the Do Not Disturb feature.
When Apple released iOS 5 last year it brought the much requested feature of notifications. It was quickly realized that those notifications coming in during the middle of the night or during a lecture or movie could be quite bothersome. Apple introduced with 6.0 the Do Not Disturb feature that helps keep annoying notifications and callers from bothering you when you don't want to be bothered.
The feature is easily accessible.
- To activate, tap the Settings app.
- Tap the toggle next to Do Not Disturb
When activated a "crescent moon" icon will appear on the status bar at the top next to the time. Now your phone will still receive data, notifications, and calls but it won't disrupt you. Just turn the toggle switch off and you're back to getting alerted to everything.
Scheduling Do Not Disturb during a particular time frame.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap the Notifications tab. (Below the Do Not Disturb switch)
- Click the Do Not Disturb tab (Located at the top of the screen)
Within this screen you can schedule Do Not Disturb to be activated during a certain time frame, like when you're sleeping. Apple has taken the liberty of adding another feature within the scheduling screen that allows calls from everyone, no one, or just those in your favorites to come through while on Do Not Disturb. Also, if someone not on your favorites calls you twice within three minutes, they can get through to you as well. This is known as the Repeated Calls feature on the scheduling screen. A feature that can be turned on and off by moving the toggle.
How many times have you gone to the movies, or sat through a lecture and had your phone on vibrate interrupting you? The split second your attention is diverted can mean you miss a plot line change or a key piece of knowledge. Before Do Not Disturb, we had the option of putting the phone on Airplane Mode which stops all data and radio waves from reaching your iPhone. Not very good if you need to have someone call you in case of an emergency-- like your babysitter or a loved one who is sick. Putting the phone on Do Not Disturb keeps your focus on what you're involved with. It grabs your attention only if you chose to allow it.
So go ahead and relax at night now, knowing that your phone isn't going to go off at 3 am and wake you by simply using Do Not Disturb.
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