Set Up and Use Focus Modes on Mac and iPad

Questions

• How do I create a custom Focus mode on my Mac?
• How do I set up a Study Focus on my iPad?
• What Focus modes should I create?
• Can I have different Focus modes for studying, sleeping, and socializing?
• How do I automatically silence my Mac or iPad during class?
• How do I set up a Focus tied to my class schedule?
• How do I stop my iPad from buzzing during lectures?
• How do I let specific people reach me while a Focus is on?
• How do I allow calls from my family or coach during class?
• How do I make sure emergencies still get through when my notifications are silenced?
• How do I switch between Focus modes on macOS?
• How do I schedule a Focus to turn on and off by itself?

Environment

These instructions apply to Bowdoin-issued MacBook Pro computers running macOS Sequoia (15.x) or macOS Tahoe (26.x) and Bowdoin-issued iPads running the current version of iPadOS. Focus modes sync across all Apple devices signed in with the same Apple ID, so a Focus you create on one device appears on the others automatically when Share Across Devices is turned on (the default).

Resolution

A Focus mode is a profile for a part of your day. Each one controls which people can reach you, which apps can send notifications, and (on iPad) which Home Screen pages appear. Apple provides several built-in Focus modes (Do Not Disturb, Sleep, Personal, Work), and you can create custom ones to match your routine.

Bowdoin recommends starting with three or four modes that match how your day is structured. Common choices for students include:

• Class - schedule-driven and nearly silent. It turns on by itself during your class times. A full walkthrough is in the "Example: a Class Focus tied to your schedule" sections below.
• Study - you turn it on when you sit down to work. It blocks the social and entertainment apps you already know pull at your attention while keeping academic tools available.
• Sleep - tied to your sleep schedule rather than your willpower. Sleep Focus has its own setup because it connects to a bedtime and wake schedule. See Set Up Sleep Focus on Mac and iPad in the Related Articles section.
• Social - friends and messages come through, coursework notifications stay quiet during your free time.

You do not need to build all of these at once. Start with one or two that match your most important routines (Class and Sleep are good first choices) and add more as you find the need.

Create a custom Focus on Mac

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu or the Dock.
2. Select Focus in the sidebar.
3. Click the + (plus) button at the bottom of the Focus list.
4. Choose a built-in template that fits (such as Reading or Fitness), or select Custom to start from scratch.
5. Name the Focus (for example, Study or Class), pick a color and icon that make it easy to identify, then click Next.
6. Click Customize Focus to open the detail screen, where you set who and what can reach you and when the Focus turns on.

Choose who and what can reach you on Mac

Each Focus has its own separate allowlist for people and apps. Contacts and apps on the list can still reach you while the Focus is active. Everyone and everything else is silenced.

1. In the Focus detail screen, under Allow Notifications, click People.
2. Click the + (plus) button to add contacts who should be able to reach you during this Focus, such as family members, a roommate, a coach, or an academic advisor.
3. Click Allow Calls From to let a broader group call through without adding each person individually:
   • Everyone - all phone calls ring through.
   • Allowed People Only - only the contacts you added above.
   • Favorites - anyone in your Favorites list.
   • Contacts Only - anyone in your Contacts app, which filters out unknown numbers.
4. Turn on Allow Repeated Calls so a second call from the same person within three minutes rings through. This is a safety net for urgent situations.
5. Click Apps under Allow Notifications, then click the + (plus) button to add apps that should still notify you. For a Study Focus, you might allow Calendar, Reminders, and Microsoft Teams.
6. Turn on Time Sensitive Notifications to allow alerts that apps have flagged as urgent (such as a security alert or a delivery status) even from apps not on your allowlist.
7. Under Focus Filters (optional), you can set app-specific behavior, such as showing only your school calendar in Calendar or a specific inbox in Mail while the Focus is on.

Schedule a Focus or turn it on manually on Mac

A Focus can turn on by itself on a schedule, at a location, or when you open a specific app.

1. In the Focus detail screen, scroll to Set a Schedule.
2. Click Add Schedule and choose the trigger type:
   • Time - set a start time, end time, and days of the week.
   • Location - activate when you arrive at or leave a specific place.
   • App - activate when you open a particular app (for example, turn on Study Focus when you open Pages).
3. Click Done.

To turn a Focus on or off manually, click the Control Center icon in the menu bar (the two toggle switches), click Focus, and select the one you want.

Example: a Class Focus tied to your schedule (Mac)

A Class Focus silences notifications during your class periods and turns on and off automatically for the rest of the semester. Create a Focus named Class using the steps above, then add one schedule for each class meeting time:

1. In the Class Focus detail screen, scroll to Set a Schedule and click Add Schedule, then select Time.
2. Set the From time to a few minutes before class starts (for example, 9:55 AM for a 10:00 AM class).
3. Set the To time to when the class ends.
4. Under Repeat, select only the days that class meets (for example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
5. Click Done.
6. Repeat for each class that meets at a different time or on different days. A Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00 AM class and a Tuesday/Thursday 1:00 PM class each need their own schedule entry.

Create a custom Focus on iPad

1. Open Settings on the iPad Home Screen.
2. Tap Focus.
3. Tap the + (plus) button in the upper-right corner.
4. Choose a template or tap Custom.
5. Name the Focus, pick a color and icon, then tap Next.
6. Tap Customize Focus to open the detail screen.

Choose who and what can reach you on iPad

1. In the Focus detail screen, under Allow Notifications, tap People.
2. Tap the + (plus) button to add contacts who should be able to reach you.
3. Tap Calls From to choose which group can call through (Everyone, Allowed People Only, Favorites, or Contacts Only).
4. Turn on Allow Repeated Calls so a second call from the same person within three minutes rings through.
5. Tap Apps under Allow Notifications, tap the + (plus) button, and select the apps that should still notify you during the Focus.
6. Turn on Time Sensitive Notifications to allow urgent alerts from all apps, even those not on the allowlist.

Schedule a Focus or turn it on manually on iPad

1. In the Focus detail screen, scroll to Set a Schedule.
2. Tap Add Schedule and choose Time, Location, or App as the trigger.
3. Set the details for the trigger you chose, then tap Done.

To turn a Focus on or off manually, swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen to open Control Center, tap Focus, and tap the Focus you want. Tap it again to turn it off.

Show different Home Screen pages for each Focus (iPad)

On iPad, each Focus can display a different set of Home Screen pages, so you can put academic apps front and center during Study mode and hide them during Social mode.

1. In the Focus detail screen, tap Home Screen.
2. Turn on Custom Pages.
3. Select the pages that should appear while the Focus is active. Pages you do not select are hidden.
4. Tap Done.

For help arranging your pages so academic and social apps are separated first, see Organize Your Home Screen on iPad in the Related Articles section.

Example: a Class Focus tied to your schedule (iPad)

1. Create a Focus named Class using the steps above.
2. In its detail screen, scroll to Set a Schedule, tap Add Schedule, then tap Time.
3. Set the From time to a few minutes before class starts and the To time to when class ends.
4. Under Repeat, select the days that class meets, then tap Done.
5. Repeat for each class on a different schedule.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

• Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
• Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
• In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
• Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

• Apple: Set up a Focus on Mac
• Apple: Set up a Focus on iPad
• Bowdoin IT: Digital Agency