Focus not allowing Do Not Disturb to work properly

I just had a boyfriend harassing me and wouldnt stop calling literally repeatedly for an hour while I was trying to drive…I turned on do not disturb, deleted him from my allowed list, and it still went thru. Then I added the “phone app” and it STILL went through….I dont understand why A company with a reputation like Apple would have a mindless fuction like “Focus”…not only does it sound insulting - like we need a phone to focus - but its programmed thru every part of the freaking phone…I was late to work twice in the last 1.5 years like an hour or more late because Focus was applied to my alarm and took over my snooze button…this still terrifies me and I had to buy an actual physical alarm to get over that fear as Im a nurse and I cant be that late to work in the ER!


[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Jan 31, 2026 5:33 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 31, 2026 10:39 PM

Do Not Disturb or any Focus mode will not stop harassment calls from a boyfriend. These features only silence notifications; they do not block the caller.


To stop the calls, you must block his number. Even then, he may still be able to leave voicemails. The next step is to remove his number from your contactsand enable call screening / silence unknown callers.


If the harassment continues despite these measures, the issue is no longer technical. An iPhone cannot be blamed for human behavior. At that point, the correct course of action is to contact local law enforcement to address and prevent the harassment.


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 31, 2026 10:39 PM in response to jena151

Do Not Disturb or any Focus mode will not stop harassment calls from a boyfriend. These features only silence notifications; they do not block the caller.


To stop the calls, you must block his number. Even then, he may still be able to leave voicemails. The next step is to remove his number from your contactsand enable call screening / silence unknown callers.


If the harassment continues despite these measures, the issue is no longer technical. An iPhone cannot be blamed for human behavior. At that point, the correct course of action is to contact local law enforcement to address and prevent the harassment.


Jan 31, 2026 10:40 PM in response to jena151

jena151 wrote:

but its programmed thru every part of the freaking phone…

If you feel an unauthorized person/app is remotely using, controlling or monitoring your device, then that is possible only if you have done one or more of the following Don'ts...


  1. Don't hand over an iPhone to kids or to a stranger without Enabling Guided Access
  2. Don't share Apple IDs
  3. Don't Jailbreak
  4. Don't share sensitive information pertaining to your device
  5. Don't give in to Phishing
  6. Don't plug in your device in Airports and Public places through third-party cables and trust the device. Beware of Juice Jacking. (Especially in India)
  7. Don't leave your iPhone unlocked and unattended in public places like offices, schools, malls, etc.


If one of the above is true then quickly change the Apple ID Password and Return iPhone settings to their defaults.


  1. Immediately change your Apple ID password
    1. Go to Settings → [your name] → Sign-In & Security → Change Password.
    2. This signs out anyone using your account.
  2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (if not already): Same menu → Two-Factor Authentication → Turn On.
  3. Check for any unknown devices linked to your account:
    1. Settings → [your name] → Devices.:
    2. If you see anything you don’t recognize, tap it → Remove from Account.
  4. Check for unknown profiles or device management:
    1. Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.
    2. If you see a profile you didn’t install, tap it → Remove Profile.
  5. Check Accessibility & Screen Sharing settings
    1. Settings → Accessibility → Switch Control, Voice Control, or Remote Control — turn off anything you didn’t set up.
    2. Settings → General → AirPlay & Handoff → make sure AirPlay is set to Ask or Never Automatically.
  6. Sign out of iCloud everywhere and reset
    1. Go to Settings → [your name] → Sign Out (you’ll need your password).
    2. Then back up your photos to iCloud or your computer.
    3. Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.:
    4. Set it up as a New iPhone (not from a backup), so nothing suspicious is restored.
  7. Update iOS: Always keep the latest iOS version for security fixes.


If a person has ever had your passcode, they could’ve installed something quietly — so the full erase and setting up as new is the safest option. How to factory reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch



Focus not allowing Do Not Disturb to work properly

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