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ben_intell
User level: Level 1 (25 points)

Focus mode not filtering notifications from unallowed apps on iOS 27

Hi everyone,

Since updating to iOS 27, I’ve noticed that notification filtering no longer seems to follow my Focus mode settings.


I only allow a handful of apps in this Focus mode, and Time Sensitive notifications are disabled.


So far, I’ve tested with two different apps, one of them being WhatsApp. At first, I assumed it was an app-specific bug, but the behavior is the same across both apps.


Certain notifications are still being delivered and displayed in both Notification Center and on the Lock Screen, even though those apps are not included in my allowed list.


Has anyone else experienced this issue since updating to iOS 27?

Posted on Sep 25, 2026 1:30 PM

2 replies

ben_intell Author
User level: Level 1 (25 points)

Sep 25, 2026 1:57 PM in response to WheelieNick

I’ve done some additional testing with the Focus mode I originally created. I went into the notification settings, enabled Hide Notification Badges, and set Silence Notifications to Always.


After making those changes, notifications no longer appear on the Lock Screen, but they still show up in Notification Center.


I then created a brand-new Focus mode with exactly the same settings, and with that one, the notifications are completely blocked, which is the behavior I would expect.


I’ll try to record a video in a few hours so I can show exactly what’s happening and demonstrate the issue more clearly.


So my question is: why doesn’t the original Focus mode behave the same way if both are configured identically?


WheelieNick
User level: Level 9 (74,110 points)

Sep 25, 2026 1:39 PM in response to ben_intell

I don't recognize this issue, but please try this Ensure the Focus mode hasn't accidentally flipped its filtering behavior:


  1. Under Settings > Focus > [Your Focus Mode] > Apps, check the top section.
  2. Ensure it is explicitly set to Allow Notifications From (with your chosen apps selected) rather than Silence Notifications From, which would block only your listed apps and let everything else through. 

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256365026