How to Turn Off iPhone Alerts Instantly During Game Sessions

A lot of people with iPhones have gaming as their main source of relaxation and in most cases, the notifications coming from messaging and work apps mostly intrude on such short rests. The Apple iOS ecosystem still does not silence every notification automatically when a game opens, so people are resorting to the Focus mode and the Shortcuts app to enjoy uninterrupted gaming.

Games like puzzles and timers may not be very demanding in terms of concentration but getting alerts from Slack, Messages, and other apps can easily break your focus. Apple introduced a game mode in the earlier versions of iOS but the feature was more about performance such as brightness and volume control rather than blocking notifications.

Users who want uninterrupted gaming are required to come up with their own systems in iOS 26. Most of the time this will start with a custom Focus setting and a shortcut that activates it whenever a game launches.

The Focus feature has been in the iPhone since 2021 and it came with different modes for work, personal time, and other routines that can be customized. Among Apple’s presets is a dedicated gaming option, which is customizable further to include the silencing of specific apps.

The easiest way to create a new Focus is through Control Center. By swiping down from the upper-right corner, a Focus menu with the “Plus” option for adding a mode appears. The Settings also provide the same route.

After selecting the Gaming preset, iOS gives more control. Users can have a wireless controller connected automatically, schedule gaming hours, or customize their lock and home screens. But for people who just want to stop alerts, the main action is to open the Apps filter and block notifications from apps they select.

Focus Mode is still operated manually from Control Center, but Shortcuts brings in automation. A user-defined shortcut is capable of turning on the Gaming Focus the moment a particular app is launched.

Within Shortcuts, when the “Plus” button is tapped, automation is initiated. App selection—say a casual puzzle or a mind-bloggling game—triggers the action. Then the shortcut is to be guided to turn on the Gaming Focus at the time of the game and to turn it off when the session is over. “Event Ends” usually takes care of this automatically when the app is closed.

Later on, users can add a widget to their home screen for easy access to their gaming shortcuts, thus facilitating the application of Focus rules for the gaming session already.

The technique is not automatic like those of some Android gaming modes, but the collusion of Focus Mode and Shortcuts gives iPhone users an efficient way to silence the unnecessary notifications during the game. For most, this manual configuration has turned out to be a viable solution for getting a few minutes of uninterrupted playtime during the hectic day.