Instructions are for iOS 16. There are variations for older versions.
Go to Settings/Focus/Do Not Disturb.
- Tap Set a Schedule
- Tap Add Schedule
- Enter the time on and time off, and days it should be used
- You can add more than one schedule, either for a different time range or time ranges that are different on different days
- Tap Allow Notifications
- Tap Allow Notifications From
- Do not select any people
- This essentially enables “Allow Notifications From NO ONE” because no one is listed
- Tap Apps
- Tap Allow Notifications From
- Do not add any apps
- Tap Allow Calls From and choose either a group of contacts or Favorites
- Put the people you want to be able to call you in Favorites (Settings/Phone)
- Turn off Allow Repeated Calls
If you don’t want all Favorites to be able to call you, go to the Contacts app, tap Lists, Add List, and add a list such as VIP. Go back to All Contacts. Tap on each contact you want to be able to call you and add it to VIP. Then go back to Focus/DND and choose VIP.
For earlier versions there is a VIP category already that you can choose for who can call you.
There are other parameters you can set also that you can explore when you have time.