What does "notifications silenced" mean in Messages?

Test8989 wrote:

Apple please fix this, both my wife and I have this issue. She uses a 13 Pro max and I use a 12 Pro. I work in the information security world and she is a freelance writer… I’m telling you this to inform you both of us know how technology “works” and this is broke. Conversations are silenced for no rhyme or reason. This is broke.

Please fix!

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Same issue here. Wife's contact in messages shows with the "silenced" message but its off on all of her devices. She doesn't appear that way to anyone else. I turned off the "Share focus" with myself and everyone as a whole and it still shows.

This has to be a bug because note in the original post that the messages are not through iMessage but rather SMS which should not share information like that.

All possible items have been turned off, so has sharing and my friend is STILL seeing a notice that I have notifications silenced. I DO NOT HAVE THEM SILENCED!!! This can really cause major issues if not resolved. Think of people with child custody matters, or family emergencies....children that aren't with them and need to reach mom or dad. This needs fixed ASAP!!!

I’ve been trying to figure it out for days and I finally got it. Settings > Messages > “Allow Messages to Access” and make sure “Focus” is clicked.

I had tried all the other tips people used to fix that same issue and it never fixed it. This finally did.

Thank you for the advice. I realized I had silence on my watch and iPads and it was causing this (I believe) on everything. Weird kinks w this one. Wish they’d drop it. Too confusing when people have multiple devices and don’t want all devices going off. Thank you!

Same issues. All started when I upgraded. I have spent 4 hours with Tech Support, not they want to replace my phone because even tech support cannot figure out how to stop these messages. I have every notification setting off, I have deleted every focus it allows you to delete and turned off every other.

I even have Amber Alert Notifications turned off. Everything is turned off on all of my devices. Now I have a fifth appointment at an apple store, two hours away, to start the process of getting a new phone.

I know others who got a new phone and have the same issues.

According to apple support, they do not have a solution, other than trying to reset you phone back to factory settings and replacing the phone with another brand new one.

Worst app ever

i have all of the Focus toggles to “off” and sharing off too. Try this…go to the message that someone has sent that receives the message that you are silenced. Press the arrow (>) next to their name. Scroll down and toggle off “Share Focus Status”. That should fix your problem.

I have all of the Focus toggles to “off” and sharing off too. Try this…go to the message that someone has sent that receives the message that you are silenced. Press the arrow (>) next to their name. Scroll down and toggle off “Share Focus Status”. That should fix your problem.

I have tried EVERY suggestion listed in this thread. NOTHING works! This is definitely a failing on the part of Apple and needs to be addressed ASAP! The whole “Focus” thing is very confusing and completely unnecessary. It’s a bug. Not a feature.

I agree, a very, very poor design. After literally hours trying to figure this out, what worked for me was going into focus, and with it off, tap on allowed notifications. Then select apps that you want notifications like - Messages....this worked for me and now my wife doesn't think I'm trying to ignore her :)

I have deleted all my focuses, disabled focus, turned off share focus across devices, and rebooted my phone several times and still have friends texting me saying I have notifications silenced. You can’t delete DND but I have that turned off and even added messages and phone to allowed apps.

I know you can turn off sharing focus with specific recipients but shouldn’t the Focus setting cover that across all contacts? I have a call scheduled with Apple tomorrow but if anyone has any any insight or next steps I can try please let me know. I hope Apple pushes an update to fix this issue as it seems pretty big.

You have to turn ON “Shared across devices” and ON “Focus Status”, then turn On And off that focus while your friend is online. I think if you deleted that focus, your friend somehow missed that “OFF” status broadcast somehow, they will be stuck in that state forever.

An Apple rep just helped me resolve this issue. I had to go to Privacy > Focus> and turn the Messages on, off, on, and off again. I had Messages off to begin with but this somehow removed that “Notifications are silenced” message from others phones.

Unfortunately, the rep. didn’t quite understand what was happening over the phone so am going to bring it to an Apple Store at some point this.

Thank you to all who replied to my thread, I tried those options but unfortunately am still having contacts who are saying my messages are silenced.

Below you’ll find the Settings I have set up. Please note I’ve toggled each on/off several times after doing so as well. That being said, you’ll see the screenshot with a contact I was messaging has my “focus shared with them” and says they see “I have messages silenced”. I’m confused for two reasons 1. I never selected share focus with that contact 2. Even if I did I don’t have DND turned on so why would they see the notification?