Sleep Focus doesn't work properly.
The screen will dim and show the alarm, but it won't turn on sleep focus automatically which makes the phone keep pushing notification. It really influenced my sleep.
I would like to attach an video of it but there's only options for pictures, so I can only attach some screenshots.
[Edited by Moderator]
iPhone 16, iOS 26
I had to do a DFU restore on my iPhone to get it to fix. (Warning, this does reset your phone, make an iCloud backup. And ensure that you know your iCloud credentials. Your eSIM data is safe though)
Use a computer and go on ipsw.me and find your phone model. Download the iOS 26.5 ipsw (or whatever version is the newest).
Once the file is downloaded, plug your iPhone into your computer. If you’re on a windows computer, make sure to download the Apple Devices App. Look up how to enter dfu mode.
You should get a pop up from Finder if you’re on a Mac, or a pop up in Apple Devices if you’re on Windows. There should also be a Restore button. If on Mac, hold down the Option key while you press the Restore button, on Windows, hold down the Shift key while pressing the Restore button. It will allow you to select the file you downloaded.
The iPhone will then be fully reset. Once it’s done, you need to sign into the same Apple ID that you had before. You can then restore from your iCloud backup and everything should work again.
Tap into "Full Schedule and Options."
Once that page is open, make sure "Sleep Schedule " and "Use Schedule for Sleep Focus" are enabled.
Also, do you own an Apple Watch?
If you schedule overlapping Focus modes on your iPhone—meaning two or more are set to activate during the same time period—only one Focus will actually turn on. iOS does not allow multiple Focus modes to run simultaneously. Instead, the system prioritizes and enables just one of them, while the others remain inactive. This ensures clarity and prevents conflicting rules or notifications from being applied at the same time.
Hello. Do you have sleep? Focus automatically turn on, please set a bedtime and a wake up time in the Health app and optionally turn on an alarm. At your bedtime, the focus will automatically turn on.
I hope this helps
I did, that's why my phone screen dimmed and there was a clock alarm on my lock screen when wind down time. It just didn't turn on sleep focus automatically.
Anyway, I'm gonna test it one more time tonight.
[Edited by Moderator]
I deleted every focus mode and created a new sleep focus. But it still didn't start automatically.
You can tell it from my picture, none of focus modes are turned on by the system. I think that's the latest iOS version's issue, it totally worked fine before the update. And I never changed my sleep focus settings.
iOS 26. Unfortunately, I have it installed on all my devices so I can’t try it out like you with older versions. However, I’ve a difference compared to your experience: in my case all the focus modes work but the sleep focus..
I used another iPhone with iOS 18 and it can turn on sleep focus successfully.
same relating problem since months here: I’ve deleted all the schedule of all the others focus, I deleted completely the sleep focus but it still isn’t turning on automatically
@R1TO
May I ask the iOS version of your phone?
I turned on my old phone with iOS 18.7.9, then it could turn on sleep focus and synced to my other apple devices. I assumed this is the iOS 26 issue.
@R1TO
Well, I guess all we can do is to hope they fix bugs in next update. iOS26 got so many bugs, don't even mention the hotspot indicator problem. It's been existing for a long time.
Both options are on and I don't have an Apple Watch.
It's just the iOS 26 issue, I will wait for the iOS 27 to fix it.
@Meyerslmm Yes, I do. It worked fine and stopped working someday. I didn’t touch nothing.
Sleep Focus does not turn on automatically
