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On Android phones that use the current Modes interface, open Settings > Modes > Do Not Disturb. In Notification filters > People, choose which callers may interrupt you. Then open Settings > Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb > Turn on automatically, add or edit a Time rule, set its days and hours, and confirm that the rule is enabled.
Android menus are not identical on every manufacturer’s phone. Google’s own warning is that “Settings can vary by phone.” If you see Do Not Disturb preferences rather than Modes, use the older instructions in this guide instead.
What you can configure
Do Not Disturb (DND) is a built-in Android control for deciding when interruptions are muted and which exceptions are still allowed. You do not need to install an additional app or buy an accessory for this setup. For this task, there are three separate decisions:
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- Schedule: choose the recurring period when DND should switch on automatically.
- Selected people: use the mode’s People notification filter to allow calls from chosen contacts or block calls during DND.
- Repeat callers: optionally let a second call from the same person through when that person calls twice within 15 minutes. This is an exception separate from your selected-people list.
Do not confuse permission to interrupt with what happens to notifications that are filtered. Android provides separate display controls for filtered notifications, so muting interruption sounds and hiding visual notifications are distinct choices.
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Identify the instructions that fit your phone
| What you see | Use this route | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Modes and Do Not Disturb | Current Android setup | Google’s newer interface; some steps are documented for Android 14 and newer. |
| A Pixel phone or Pixel Tablet | Settings > Modes > Do Not Disturb, then the selected mode’s Notification filters | Some Pixel instructions require Android 11 or newer. |
| Do Not Disturb preferences | Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb preferences > Automatic rules | This is the documented route for Android 8.1 and earlier. |
Manufacturers can rename, move, or omit controls. A Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi, or other Android phone may not show the exact labels used in Google’s general help. If a path is missing, search your Settings app for Do Not Disturb, automatic rules, or Modes rather than assuming the feature is unavailable.
Check your Android version first
The same phone family can have different screens after a system update, so identify whether you are following the current or legacy route before changing anything. If the phone shows Modes, start there. If it opens a page called Do Not Disturb preferences, use the older route. Google notes that some current instructions only work on Android 14 and up, while Pixel Help identifies some Pixel steps as requiring Android 11 or newer.
Write down the exact mode and rule you edit. A time rule attached to one mode will not automatically change the People filter in another mode. This simple check prevents a common mistake: configuring permitted callers on one screen while the schedule activates a different DND configuration.
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1. Open the Do Not Disturb mode
- Open the phone’s Settings app.
- Tap Modes.
- Tap Do Not Disturb.
This opens the mode’s settings. The mode controls which notifications can interrupt you and when automatic rules can activate it.
2. Choose who may call during DND
- Inside Do Not Disturb, open Notification filters.
- Tap People.
- Use the call controls to choose whether calls are blocked or allowed while this mode is active.
- Select the people or caller category you want to be able to interrupt you, then leave the mode settings.
The People filter is the correct place for a standing caller policy. If a particular person must always be able to call during your scheduled DND period, include that person through this filter rather than relying on the repeat-caller option.
Review the choices shown on your phone carefully. The People area can include separate controls for calls, messages, and conversations. Allowing calls from a person does not necessarily allow every message or conversation notification from that person to interrupt you.
3. Add a recurring time rule
- Open Settings.
- Go to Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb.
- Tap Turn on automatically.
- Tap an existing rule to edit it, or add a new Time rule.
- Set the start time, end time, and recurring days offered by your phone.
- Save the rule and verify that its switch or status is turned on.
Google documents the mode setup under Settings > Modes while documenting scheduled rules under Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb > Turn on automatically. Those labels can coexist on the same phone, but your manufacturer may place the automatic rule elsewhere.
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Do not stop after entering the hours. A saved rule can still be disabled. Reopen Turn on automatically, select the rule, and confirm that its enabled state is on. Also check every recurring day you intend to include; an otherwise correct time rule will not activate on an unchecked day.
4. Decide whether repeat callers may interrupt
In the Do Not Disturb people or calls settings, find Allow repeat callers and turn it on only if you want this additional exception. Google defines it as allowing a call when the same person calls twice within 15 minutes. It does not add that person to your selected list and does not allow every caller through.
“To let a call through if the same person calls twice in 15 minutes, turn on Allow repeat callers.” — Google Android Help
Selected people versus repeat callers
| Setting | Who can interrupt | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| People filter | The people or caller category you explicitly allow | For a predictable list, such as family or an on-call colleague |
| Allow repeat callers | Any same person who calls twice within 15 minutes | For a second-chance rule when urgency matters more than a fixed list |
These controls can be used together, but they solve different problems. The People filter is persistent for the selected DND mode. Repeat callers is a time-based exception and can let through someone who is not on your list. If your requirement is “only these selected people,” leave repeat callers off and verify the call allowance under People.
Set up selected callers on a Pixel
Google’s Pixel instructions use the current Modes layout on Pixel phones and Pixel Tablets. The path is:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Modes, then Do Not Disturb.
- Open the selected mode’s Notification filters.
- Under People, configure who can interrupt with calls, messages, or conversations.
- Return to the mode settings and review Allow repeat callers separately if you want the 15-minute second-call exception.
Some Pixel steps are limited to Android 11 and newer. The wording and available choices can still vary by Pixel model and installed Android version, so use the labels visible on your device.
Schedule the Pixel mode
To make DND recurring, use the automatic-rule controls exposed by your Pixel’s Do Not Disturb settings. Look for Turn on automatically, choose or create a Time rule, configure its schedule, and check that the rule is enabled. If you cannot find that label, search Settings for “Do Not Disturb” and open the result that leads to automatic rules.
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Use the legacy route on Android 8.1 and earlier
Older Android versions do not use the current Modes terminology. If your phone shows Do Not Disturb preferences, follow this route instead:
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- Tap Automatic rules.
- Edit an existing rule such as Weeknight, or add a Time rule.
- Set the days and times for the recurring quiet period.
- Make sure the rule is enabled before leaving the screen.
For caller exceptions on this older interface, use Priority only allows to choose which priority notifications may interrupt. Do not expect the modern People filter or Modes labels to appear on Android 8.1 and earlier.
Why the old and new instructions differ
Android changed both the names and the organization of DND controls. The older interface centers on Do Not Disturb preferences, automatic rules, and priority notifications. The newer interface groups interruption choices into Modes and notification filters. These are not interchangeable screen paths; follow the one your phone actually displays.
Build a reliable caller policy
Allow specific people
Use the People filter when your requirement is “these chosen people may call during my scheduled quiet hours.” Review the call allowance inside the same Do Not Disturb mode that your time rule activates. A caller permitted in a different mode will not necessarily be permitted in this one.
After saving, check the list again rather than assuming a contact was included. On some phones the filter offers a caller category instead of a manually named list; choose the category that matches your goal and confirm that the call option, not just a message option, is selected.
Allow repeat callers instead
Use Allow repeat callers when urgency matters more than a fixed contact list. The documented trigger is two calls from the same person within 15 minutes. Because it is time-based, it can let through someone who is not on your selected-people list. It is an optional exception, not a replacement for configuring People.
Keep messages and calls separate
On current Android and Pixel interfaces, the People filter can cover calls, messages, or conversations. Review each category independently. Allowing a person’s calls does not automatically mean every notification from that person must interrupt you, especially if your phone presents separate controls for messages and conversations.
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Control what filtered notifications look and sound like
Allowing or blocking an interruption answers who may break through DND. It does not by itself determine whether blocked notifications remain visible on the lock screen, status area, or notification shade. Android exposes separate display settings for filtered notifications.
- If you want a quiet phone but still want to review alerts later, mute interruption sounds while leaving filtered notifications visible.
- If you do not want visual distractions during the scheduled period, use the display controls to hide filtered notifications where your phone provides that choice.
- Check both sound and visual settings after changing the People filter; they govern different parts of the experience.
This distinction explains why a notification can remain visible even though the phone made no sound, or why a caller is permitted while unrelated alerts are still hidden. Treat interruption permission and notification appearance as two separate configuration tasks.
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Verify that the schedule works
- Reopen Turn on automatically and confirm the intended Time rule is present.
- Check that the rule’s enabled switch or status is on.
- Confirm the phone’s clock, day, and time zone are correct, because the rule follows the device’s time.
- Open the Do Not Disturb mode’s Notification filters > People and verify the intended caller allowance.
- If you enabled Allow repeat callers, remember that the second call must come from the same person within the documented 15-minute window.
- At the scheduled start, check the status area or quick settings to confirm that Do Not Disturb activated.
Avoid testing only by calling from a permitted number: that confirms the exception, not whether the schedule activated. Check the mode status as well. If you need to test repeat callers, use the same caller for both attempts and keep the attempts within the 15-minute window.
Troubleshoot common problems
The menu labels do not match
Search Settings for Do Not Disturb, automatic rules, or Modes. If the result opens a different screen, follow that phone’s terminology. Google explicitly cautions that settings vary by phone. For manufacturer-specific behavior, consult the device maker’s support documentation.
The scheduled rule never turns on
- Open the rule again and verify that it is enabled.
- Check that the start and end times are not reversed and that the current day is included.
- Confirm that you edited the rule attached to Do Not Disturb rather than another mode.
- If your phone has both a Modes page and a Sound & vibration page, check the automatic rule in the latter as Google’s documented path specifies.
- Check the device’s date, clock, and time-zone settings if activation appears to occur at the wrong time.
A selected caller is still blocked
- Return to the active mode’s Notification filters > People settings.
- Confirm that calls, not only messages or conversations, are allowed.
- Make sure the time rule is activating the same Do Not Disturb mode whose People filter you edited.
- Do not rely on Allow repeat callers unless the caller has made two calls within 15 minutes.
Filtered alerts are still visible
This may be expected. Blocking interruption sounds and hiding visual notifications are separate controls. Open the filtered-notification display settings and choose whether those alerts should remain visible for later review.
You are using an older phone
If you see Do Not Disturb preferences, stop looking for Modes. On Android 8.1 and earlier, use Sound > Do Not Disturb preferences > Automatic rules and configure caller priority through Priority only allows.
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A practical setup example
Suppose you want the phone quiet every weekday night but still want calls from selected family members. On a current Android phone, open Modes > Do Not Disturb, configure those people under Notification filters > People, then create a weekday Time rule under Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb > Turn on automatically. Enable the rule and leave Allow repeat callers off if you do not want unknown or unlisted callers to bypass the list.
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If instead you want any urgent caller to get a second chance, keep the selected-people settings you need and turn on Allow repeat callers. The second call exception is limited to the same caller within 15 minutes; it is not a general emergency bypass.
Before you finish
- Confirm you used the interface that matches your Android version: Modes for newer phones or Do Not Disturb preferences for Android 8.1 and earlier.
- Confirm the People filter is edited inside the same DND mode activated by your time rule.
- Decide explicitly whether repeat callers should be enabled; do not treat it as part of the selected-people list.
- Review filtered-notification display settings if you need both silence and a clean screen.
- Test the mode status and one permitted caller after saving.
What to remember
- Use Modes > Do Not Disturb and its Notification filters > People section on current interfaces.
- Create recurring activation under Turn on automatically with a Time rule, then verify that the rule is enabled.
- Treat Allow repeat callers as a separate, optional 15-minute exception.
- Use Do Not Disturb preferences > Automatic rules and Priority only allows on Android 8.1 and earlier.
- Sound interruption and notification visibility are separate settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I allow calls from only certain people during Do Not Disturb?
Yes. Open the active mode’s Notification filters > People settings and configure the call allowance for the people or caller category your phone offers. Make sure you edit the same Do Not Disturb mode that the schedule activates.
How do I make Do Not Disturb turn on every night?
Open Settings > Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb > Turn on automatically, add or edit a Time rule, choose the recurring days and hours, save it, and verify that the rule is enabled. Menu names can differ by manufacturer.
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It permits a call when the same person calls twice within 15 minutes. It is separate from the People list and can allow someone who is not selected. Leave it off if only listed callers should get through.
Why can I see a filtered notification even though DND is on?
Interruption and visibility are separate controls. DND can mute sounds while leaving filtered notifications visible. Open the filtered-notification display settings to decide whether those alerts remain on screen.
My phone does not have a Modes menu. What should I do?
Search Settings for Do Not Disturb or automatic rules. If the phone shows Do Not Disturb preferences, use Sound > Do Not Disturb preferences > Automatic rules. Google says settings vary by phone.
How are Pixel instructions different?
Pixel phones and tablets use Settings > Modes > Do Not Disturb, then the mode’s Notification filters > People controls. Some Pixel steps require Android 11 or newer, so the exact choices depend on the installed version.
What is the older Android 8.1 method for caller exceptions?
Use the legacy DND preferences and configure Priority only allows. The modern Modes and People labels should not be expected on Android 8.1 and earlier.
Why did my selected caller remain blocked?
Check that calls are allowed under the active mode’s People filter, not only messages or conversations. Then confirm the enabled time rule activates that same mode. Repeat callers works only after two calls from the same person within 15 minutes.
The Bottom Line
Set the recurring period under Turn on automatically with a Time rule, then use the active mode’s Notification filters > People settings to allow chosen callers. Keep Allow repeat callers separate, verify the rule is enabled, and use the legacy Do Not Disturb preferences route on Android 8.1 and earlier.
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