If you’ve ever missed an important call or message because your iPhone automatically enabled Do Not Disturb While Driving, you’re not alone. This feature is designed to keep you safe by silencing notifications when your iPhone detects that you’re driving — but it can sometimes turn on at inconvenient times.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to turn off Do Not Disturb While Driving on an iPhone, including manual and automatic methods, plus how to customize it for your needs.
🚗 What Is “Do Not Disturb While Driving”?
Do Not Disturb While Driving (DNDWD) is an iPhone feature introduced by Apple to minimize distractions while you’re behind the wheel.
When it’s active, your iPhone automatically:
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Silences incoming calls and notifications.
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Sends automatic replies to texts.
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Limits distractions so you can focus on driving.
While useful, it can sometimes switch on when you’re a passenger or using Bluetooth devices — which is why learning to turn it off is important.
🔹 Method 1: Turn Off Do Not Disturb While Driving from Control Center
The quickest way to disable this feature is through your iPhone’s Control Center.
Follow these steps:
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Unlock your iPhone.
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Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center.
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Look for the Focus icon (a crescent moon symbol).
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Tap the “Driving” focus option (it might say Driving or show a car icon).
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Tap it again to turn it off.
✅ Once it’s off, you’ll start receiving calls, texts, and notifications as normal.
🔹 Method 2: Turn Off Automatically Activated “Driving” Mode in Settings
If your iPhone automatically turns on the Driving Focus, you can change that behavior permanently.
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Go to Settings → Focus → Driving.
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Tap “While Driving” under Turn On Automatically.
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Select “Manually” or “When Connected to Car Bluetooth.”
Choosing Manually means your iPhone will no longer enable Do Not Disturb While Driving automatically — you’ll have full control.
🔹 Method 3: Turn Off “Driving Focus” via Siri
If your hands are busy, you can disable it using Siri:
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Activate Siri by saying “Hey Siri.”
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Say: “Turn off Do Not Disturb While Driving.”
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Siri will confirm and disable the feature instantly.
This method is great for quick adjustments while you’re not driving.
🔹 Method 4: Disable Driving Focus from Lock Screen
When the feature activates, you’ll usually see a “Driving Focus” banner on your Lock Screen.
To turn it off right there:
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Tap the Driving Focus banner.
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Select “Turn Off Driving” or “Turn Off Until Tomorrow.”
This is handy if the feature turns on while you’re a passenger or using public transport.
🔹 Method 5: Remove “Driving” from Focus Options
If you never use this feature at all, you can remove it completely from Focus settings:
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Open Settings → Focus.
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Tap Driving.
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Scroll down and tap Delete Focus.
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Confirm your choice.
Now, your iPhone won’t enter Driving mode again until you manually recreate it.
🔹 Method 6: Turn Off Auto Replies for Driving Mode
If you still want Driving Focus on but don’t want auto replies to go out, here’s how:
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Go to Settings → Focus → Driving.
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Scroll to “Auto Reply.”
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Tap Auto Reply To → No One.
This ensures that even if Driving Focus turns on, your iPhone won’t send “I’m driving” messages automatically.
🔹 Method 7: Adjust CarPlay or Bluetooth Settings
If your iPhone connects to your car’s Bluetooth system, it might trigger Driving mode automatically. To fix this:
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Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
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Find your car’s Bluetooth name and tap the (i) icon next to it.
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Tap Forget This Device (if you want to completely remove it) or adjust Focus settings to stop auto-activation.
Alternatively, you can go to Settings → Focus → Driving → While Driving, then select Manually to stop it from activating via Bluetooth.
💡 Bonus: Customize When Do Not Disturb While Driving Activates
Apple gives you three main options for activating this feature:
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Automatically: Uses motion detection and network activity to detect driving.
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When Connected to Car Bluetooth: Activates only when your iPhone is connected to your car’s system.
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Manually: Activates only when you turn it on yourself.
For full control, always choose Manually to avoid unwanted activations.
⚙️ How to Check If “Do Not Disturb While Driving” Is Active
You can easily identify when the Driving Focus is enabled:
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A car icon appears in the status bar or Lock Screen.
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The Focus icon in Control Center will show “Driving.”
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Messages and calls won’t appear until you turn it off.
🧠 FAQs About Do Not Disturb While Driving
Q1. Why does my iPhone keep turning on Driving Focus automatically?
It’s likely set to “Automatically” or “When Connected to Car Bluetooth.” Change it to Manual under Settings → Focus → Driving.
Q2. Will turning off Driving Focus affect my other Focus modes?
No, it only disables the “Driving” mode — other Focus types like Sleep or Work remain unchanged.
Q3. Can I still use maps or navigation when Driving Focus is on?
Yes. Apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps still work normally even when notifications are muted.
Q4. Can I temporarily turn off Driving Focus?
Yes. From the Lock Screen or Control Center, choose “Turn Off Until Tomorrow” or manually toggle it off.
🏁 Final Thoughts
The Do Not Disturb While Driving feature is an excellent safety tool, but it’s not always needed — especially if you’re not behind the wheel.
By following the steps in this guide, you can easily turn off or customize Do Not Disturb While Driving on your iPhone, giving you full control over your calls and notifications.
Enjoy a smoother, interruption-free experience that fits your lifestyle — whether you’re driving, riding, or relaxing at home.