How to Turn Off Do Not Disturb While Driving on an iPhone

by

Apple’s Do Not Disturb While Driving feature is designed to keep you safe on the road by silencing notifications automatically. While it’s helpful when driving, there are times when you may want to turn it off, for example, if you’re a passenger, using a GPS app, or simply don’t need the feature.

This guide will show you how to turn off Do Not Disturb While Driving on your iPhone, both manually and automatically.

Why Turn Off Do Not Disturb While Driving?

  • Receive important messages or calls without delay.

  • Use apps freely while not driving.

  • Avoid accidentally missing notifications while riding as a passenger.

  • Customize notification settings according to your needs.

Step 1: Turn Off Do Not Disturb While Driving via Settings

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

  2. Scroll down and tap Focus (or Do Not Disturb in older iOS versions).

  3. Tap Driving under the list of Focus modes.

  4. Toggle Activate Automatically off if you want to stop automatic activation.

  5. Alternatively, toggle the Driving switch off to disable it entirely.

✅ Notifications will now appear normally when your iPhone thinks you’re driving.

Step 2: Turn Off Do Not Disturb While Driving from Control Center

You can also quickly disable the feature without opening Settings:

  1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.

  2. Look for the Focus/Do Not Disturb icon (crescent moon).

  3. Tap it and select Driving.

  4. Toggle it off.

This is useful for temporary disabling while on a trip.

Step 3: Change How Do Not Disturb While Driving Activates

iPhone allows you to control when it activates automatically:

  1. Go to Settings → Focus → Driving.

  2. Tap Activate.

  3. Choose one of the options:

    • Automatically: iPhone detects motion and activates DND.

    • When Connected to Car Bluetooth: Only activates when connected to your car.

    • Manually: Only turns on when you enable it yourself from Control Center.

Choosing Manually is the best way to prevent accidental activation.

Step 4: Customize Auto-Replies

If you turn off automatic activation but still want some protection, you can customize auto-replies:

  1. Go to Settings → Focus → Driving → Auto-Reply.

  2. Choose who receives automatic messages while driving:

    • No One

    • Recents

    • Favorites

    • All Contacts

This helps maintain safety while still controlling who gets notified.

Tips for Managing Do Not Disturb While Driving

  • Keep it on while driving alone to stay safe.

  • Use CarPlay or Bluetooth settings to control automatic activation.

  • Check iOS updates regularly for improved Focus mode features.

  • Use Control Center shortcuts for quick manual toggling.

FAQs About Do Not Disturb While Driving

Q1: Will turning off Do Not Disturb While Driving affect my iPhone permanently?
No. You can turn it on again anytime via Settings or Control Center.

Q2: Can I allow calls from certain contacts while driving?
Yes. Go to Settings → Focus → Driving → People to allow calls from Favorites or specific contacts.

Q3: Does this feature work on all iPhones?
Do Not Disturb While Driving is available on iPhones running iOS 11 or later.

Q4: Can I disable it only when using GPS apps?
Yes. Choosing Activate Manually allows you to use GPS without activating DND.

Conclusion

Turning off Do Not Disturb While Driving on an iPhone is simple and flexible. Whether you want to disable it completely, control automatic activation, or customize notifications, the iPhone allows full control over this safety feature.

By following the steps above, you can receive notifications freely while maintaining safety when needed.

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment