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Apple Improves Focus Modes With Filters, Linked Lock Screens, and Set Up Enhancements

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Apple unveiled a host of improvements to Focus modes at WWDC this week, including set up suggestions, linked custom Lock Screens and watch faces, Focus filters, and more.

ios-16-focus-lock-screen.jpg

Focus modes were introduced with iOS 15 last year and have been expanded and refined in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS Ventura. Accompanying the redesigned customizable Lock Screen in iOS 16, each Focus mode now has a linked Lock Screen. In addition to all of the pre-existing ways to activate a Focus mode, such as in Control Center or via automations, iPhone users can swipe between Lock Screens to enable a corresponding Focus. Users can also directly tie an Apple Watch face to a specific Focus.

One of the biggest additions to Focuses in iOS 16 is Focus filters. Focus filters allow users to set boundaries within apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, and Safari to only display relevant content, such as a particular Tab Group in Safari, set of calendars in the Calendar app, or email accounts in Mail. With a new Focus filter API, developers can build this functionality into their apps and change content based on a user's current Focus.

ios-16-focus-filters.jpg

The process of setting up Focus modes has also been improved with a personalized setup experience for each option. Now, iOS suggests a relevant set of Home Screens and Lock Screens for each Focus mode with relevant apps, wallpapers, and widgets. There are also more configurable options inside Focus modes, with a new ability to silence notifications from apps and people, effectively adding the ability to exclude notifications rather than only include as is the case in iOS 15.

iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and macOS Ventura are currently undergoing beta testing to give Apple time to perfect the updates and address any bugs, as well as allow developers to prepare their apps. Beta versions of the updates are currently available to developers with compatible devices now and a public beta will become available in July.

Article Link: Apple Improves Focus Modes With Filters, Linked Lock Screens, and Set Up Enhancements
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/06/07/apple-improves-focus-modes/
Let me select which focus the button selects by default. I never use DND, but use Sleep daily. I have to go to the submenu every single time. And sometimes I accidentally activate DND instead. Annoying.
 
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Apple listened to feedback. There now seems to be an option to 'silence notifications from...' in addition to 'allow notifications from...'

This is much more convenient. Now I can create a 'Personal' focus mode which allows notifications from all apps except Teams, Outlook and others which I only use for work.
 
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Dumb without AOD. Why waste power constantly turning on the entire screen to see notifications.
 
What I would really like is a "blacklist" so that I can easily mute all my work apps after hours and on weekends. Slack lets you do it natively, but Gmail doesn't. Would just be cleaner to set it at the OS level.

[edit: I now see from @Saturnine's comment above that they're doing this now. Great addition!]
 
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Saturnine said:
Apple listened to feedback. There now seems to be an option to 'silence notifications from...' in addition to 'allow notifications from...'

This is much more convenient. Now I can create a 'Personal' focus mode which allows notifications from all apps except Teams, Outlook and others which I only use for work.
Click to expand...

Yes exactly, how crazy is it they didn’t do this to begin with, since it’s a far shorter list and much more relevant and foolproof than trying to guess every app I may need a notification from.
 
contacos said:
Can you finally share your actual Focus status? I guess not, that would make too much sense.

There is a difference between „Sleeping“ and thus, not responding at all and „Working“ which may simple cause a delay in replies
Click to expand...
Honestly, that's a good thing. People really should stop expecting instant or asap replies. It's a huge burden on our mental health.

Anyway I'm super excited for the ability to disable mail accounts in the evening/weekends. I've been wanting this for years now (I even sent in multiple feature request for this, so they finally listened :) ). I'm even considering joining the public beta just for this feature.
 
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Ever since this came out last year I’ve wanted a way to mute my work email after hours but keep getting alerts from my personal email. This sounds awesome if it works that way.
 
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15+ years ago my Nokia had profiles, that easily switched between silent, regular, discreet (1 beep ring), etc. It has taken this long for Apple to introduce something similar?

10 years ago other smartphones had location aware profiles. Turn on Wifi and ringer at home. Turn off etc at work. Do these focus "profiles" auto switch based on location?
 
Is there a focus mode like the old do not disturb?
I want to just have the notification be silent and not light up the phone but still be on the Lock Screen when I tap it.
it’s one feature they got rid of when they released focus mode i think last year.
 
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If you need to use this convoluted filter functionality on a phone, you're either doing life wrong or are the most (self) important person on Earth.
 
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x-evil-x said:
Is there a focus mode like the old do not disturb?
I want to just have the notification be silent and not light up the phone but still be on the Lock Screen when I tap it.
it’s one feature they got rid of when they released focus mode i think last year.
Click to expand...
Yeah my phone pretty much always stays on DND now, so hopefully these “profiles” are a better way.
 
I still haven't taken the time to setup focus modes with different home screens and watch faces or whatever other stuff you can have set automatically and I probably should. I just have a sleep one that turns on at night that set itself up automatically. I need to figure out how to do this stuff.
 
x-evil-x said:
Is there a focus mode like the old do not disturb?
I want to just have the notification be silent and not light up the phone but still be on the Lock Screen when I tap it.
it’s one feature they got rid of when they released focus mode i think last year.
Click to expand...

I hope so.

RIP to the legacy DND
 
I wish they would make it so you can use focus mode with dual sims.

i.e focus personal mode would turn off your work line or just silence it.
 
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What I really want to see is an integration of screen time into focus modes: When in work focus, some apps should be completely blocked, others should be just muted and the ones I rely on should have notifications. When in private-device mode, private apps should be available, when in private calm mode, basically everything should be blocked, both private and work-related apps…
 
Attirex said:
If you need to use this convoluted filter functionality on a phone, you're either doing life wrong or are the most (self) important person on Earth.
Click to expand...

I use it on my iPad to turn off notifications and present a custom homescreen when I am using it to teach in class. This way, my screen isn’t interrupted my incoming email / telegram notifications, students aren’t distracted by my media consumption page, and I have the apps I typically use in class at my fingertips.

So far haven’t found a way to make it work on my iPhone though, but I am thinking along the like of custom homescreens for differing use cases.

Still tinkering.
 
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