How to use Do Not Disturb on Google Pixel phones

Your smartphone can be a huge distraction. Do Not Disturb mode can help you focus when it matters most. Turning Do Not Disturb mode on will mute the sound, stop vibrations, and hide visual distractions like notifications. If you don’t know how to take advantage of the feature, we’ll show you how to use Do Not Disturb on Google Pixel phones.

By the way, we also have a list of all the Pixel-exclusive features, in case you need to learn how to better take advantage of your Google smartphone.

Editor’s note: These instructions were formulated using a Google Pixel 7 running Android 13. Keep in mind some settings and menus will be different depending on your device model and software version.

Turn on Do Not Disturb mode in the Settings

All Pixel users can turn on Do Not Disturb straight from the Settings app. Let’s show you how.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into Notifications.
3. Scroll down to the General section and select Do Not Disturb.
4. Tap on Turn on now.

Use the Quick Settings

Of course, the Quick Settings toggles are always in the notification area, and the mode can be turned on/off from there.

1. Swipe your finger down to see your notification area.
2. Swipe down again to expand your Quick Settings.
3. Find the toggle that reads Do Not Disturb.
4. Tap on it to turn it on.
5. If you can’t see it, tap on the Pencil icon.
6. Find the Do Not Disturb button, press and hold on to it, and drag it closer to the top.
7. Hit the Back button.
8. Now the Do Not Disturb Quick Setting should show up.

Flip to Shhh

Flip to Shh is a very neat feature introduced with the Pixel 3 series, and it’s available in Pixel 2 phones or newer. The feature’s name is pretty self-explanatory. When active, this feature turns on Do Not Disturb on Google Pixel devices when you flip them face down.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into Digital Wellbeing & parental controls.
3. Scroll down and find the Reduce interruptions section.
4. Tap on Flip to Shhh.
5. Toggle Use flip to Shhh on.

Just squeeze the phone!

There was a very interesting feature in Pixel 2-4 devices called Active Edge. It was initially intended to activate Google Now (now Google Feed) or silence incoming calls. All you had to do was squeeze the sides of the phone, and any incoming call would be quickly silenced.

How to activate Active Edge:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into System.
3. Tap on Gestures.
4. Hit Active Edge.
5. You can now pick which actions you want Active Edge to perform. You can Squeeze for your Assistant, Open Assistant when screen is off, or Squeeze to silence phone.

Note: These specific steps were formulated using a Google Pixel 3. 

There were ways to remap the squeeze action to take other actions, but it’s a bit more complex and requires some tinkering. Learn more about it here.

How to manage Do Not Disturb settings on the Pixel phone

Using Do Not Disturb on Pixel phones isn’t as simple as turning the feature on and off. There are some things you can modify to improve. You can make exceptions for specific contacts and applications to go through when Do Not Disturb mode is on, for example. It’s also possible to set timers, arrange schedules, and modify notification options.

How to access the options:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into Notifications.
3. Scroll down to the General section and select Do Not Disturb.
4. You’ll find a section labeled What can interrupt Do Not Disturb. Go into People, Apps, or Alarms & other interruptions to select your preferences.
5. The General section allows you to manage Schedules, Duration for Quick Settings, or Display options for hidden notifications.

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