What Is Focus Status on an iPhone and How Do You Use It?

If you live on your iPhone, there are likely times when you would rather not be disturbed. Focus is a feature that can do that, and your Focus Status lets others know you are unavailable. We’re going to talk about what types of features you can expect from Focus and how to deal with Focus Status settings.

What Is Focus Status on an iPhone?

Focus Status is a setting under the Focus app on an iPhone. It refers to a state given to people who try to contact you when Focus mode is on. It’s tied directly to apps that have permissions on your phone, including your contacts list.

When you activate Focus on an iPhone, you’ll have to choose a state. Focus Status shares that state with apps that can be distracting, allowing you to focus on other activities instead of your phone. It’s much more helpful than turning off individual app notifications. It also lets you stay in the loop while cutting out unnecessary distractions during the day.

How to Use Focus on an iPhone

Focus is effortless to use, although it can take some time to set up if you have a lot of contacts or apps that send notifications.

1. Open Settings

Turn on your iPhone and go to the Settings menu. Scroll through the options until you see a section labeled Focus, and tap it to proceed.

2. Choose a Status

From the Focus menu, you’ll see preset statuses for Work, Personal, Sleep, and Do Not Disturb. Alternatively, you can tap the + symbol and set a custom focus to suit your needs.

3. Customize Focus

The first time you choose an option or set a custom status, you’ll need to customize that Focus. Choose any people or applications you want to use for the Focus, set a schedule, and you’re good to go.

You can access and adjust your settings for any Focus by selecting any Focus Profile from the menu. This is also where you can turn on syncing, which allows you to share Focus settings across any applicable Apple products. Right below the Share Across All Devices section is where you’ll find the options for Focus Status.

Focus Status Settings

While there aren’t many settings to deal with in the Focus Status section, it’s where you will find the most important switch. To turn on Focus Status, flip the Share Focus Status toggle to on at the top of the screen. Below that is where you can control which profiles can share your silenced status. Each profile has a toggle, whether it’s a preset option or a custom Focus profile you have created for yourself.

The Wrap-Up

Now that you know what Focus Status means on your iPhone, you may want to consider firing up the Focus app the next time you feel distracted. It’s just one of Apple’s many intuitive iPhone apps and it’s something that can help you stay on track whether you’re focused on a video game, work, or you need to catch up on some sleep.