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Tech Bits: Get More Work Done with Your Phone's Focus Features

It’s easy to get sidetracked by social media, text messages and email notifications when trying to get work done. Be more productive and keep distractions to a minimum using your phone’s focus features!

Apple iOS

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iPhone users running iOS 15 can use Focus to allow notifications from selected contacts and applications to match productivity goals, customize Focus preferences for different activities such as Work, Driving and Sleep, or create custom Focus activities.

Setting up Focus

1.    Go to Settings and tap Focus. Select an option from the list of Focus activities.
 
2.    Select contacts that you want to receive notifications from while in the selected Focus activity. Click Allow. Next, choose the apps that you will allow notifications from, like Microsoft Teams and Outlook. When finished, tap Done.
 
3.    Once you determine notification preferences, you can tap the Focus that you’ve set up and set a schedule or automation. You can also turn on Focus at any time using the slider at the top of the page.
 
4.    If you want to create a custom Focus activity, click the + in the top right corner of the menu and follow the prompts to customize.

Android

​​​​​​​Android users can use Focus Mode to temporarily silence notifications while working. Using Focus Mode, Android users can allow notifications for selected apps while pausing notifications from all other apps. Focus Mode availability may vary between Android devices and OS versions. The instructions below are for the Samsung Galaxy Flip3 phone running Android 12.

Setting up Focus Mode

1.    Go to Settings and tap Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls. Scroll down. Under Ways to Disconnect, select a Focus Mode. You can choose a preset mode or create a custom Focus Mode by tapping +.
 
2.    Select the apps that you want to allow notifications from during the selected Focus Mode.
 
3.    Under Duration, set the time limit for your Focus Mode session.
 
4.    Click Start.

Questions?

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