How to stop calls and notifications interrupting your games

The simplest way to stop calls and notifications interrupting your games is to turn on Do Not Disturb before you play. It silences sounds, vibrations and pop-up banners, while still letting you allow alarms or important contacts through. To block notifications while gaming without remembering every time, you can set it to switch on automatically when a game opens.

Why interruptions matter so much

A banner sliding over the top of the screen can cover your map or your aim. An incoming call can take over the screen entirely. Even a vibration at the wrong moment can make you miss a shot. In ranked matches, a single interruption can cost a round, and it feels exactly like lag.

What Do Not Disturb does

Do Not Disturb is an Android feature that silences calls, notifications and alerts until you turn it off or until a set time. Depending on how you set it up, it can:

• Stop sounds and vibrations from notifications.
• Hide pop-up banners, also called heads-up notifications.
• Silence incoming calls, or allow calls only from certain people.
• Still let alarms and timers ring.

Notifications are not lost. They wait quietly in the notification shade until you look.

How to turn on Do Not Disturb quickly

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Look for the Do Not Disturb tile. On some phones it is on the second page of tiles. On recent Android versions it may sit inside a Modes tile.
3. Tap it to turn it on.
4. Tap and hold the tile to open its settings.

If you cannot find it, open Settings and search for "Do Not Disturb".

How to block notifications while gaming but keep what matters

You may not want to miss everything. Do Not Disturb has exceptions you can set:

1. People. Allow calls or messages from starred contacts or favourites only.
2. Repeat callers. Many phones can let a second call from the same number within a few minutes ring through, which is useful for emergencies.
3. Apps. Allow notifications from one or two apps you trust, such as a family messaging group.
4. Alarms. Keep alarms on so you do not miss something important.

Set these once and they apply every time you switch the mode on.

Silence one app instead of everything

If one app keeps interrupting you, you can quiet it permanently:

1. Long-press one of its notifications.
2. Choose to make it silent, or open its notification settings.
3. Turn off pop-up or "pop on screen" alerts for that type of notification.

On most phones you can also go to Settings, open Apps, choose the app, and adjust its notifications there.

The game's own notifications

Some games send their own notifications, like event reminders or energy refills. These are handled the same way. Long-press the notification, or open the game's notification settings, and turn off the ones you do not want.

Automatic options

Turning Do Not Disturb on by hand is the simplest way to block notifications while gaming, but it is easy to forget, and even easier to forget to turn off afterwards. Better options include:

• A schedule. Set Do Not Disturb to turn on at the times you usually play.
• A built-in game launcher or dashboard. Many phones include one that can block notifications during play.
• An app that detects games. Some apps switch Do Not Disturb on when a game opens and off when you leave.

We explain these in how to set up an automatic game mode on Android.

Other interruptions to watch for

• Auto-brightness. Not a notification, but it can dim the screen mid-match.
• Low-battery warnings. Charge before long sessions so the warning does not pop up.
• Accidental gestures. Swiping from the edge during intense moments can open other screens. Some game launchers can block these.
• System updates. Make sure big updates are not set to install during your usual play times.

These all belong in a short routine before you play, such as our two-minute pre-game checklist.

Gaming mode or just Do Not Disturb?

Do Not Disturb is one part of a gaming mode. A full gaming mode often adds a brightness lock and volume settings, all switched on together. If you want to understand the difference between this and the apps that promise "boosts", read game booster vs gaming mode.

How CyberBoost handles interruptions

If you want to block notifications while gaming without thinking about it, CyberBoost has game modes that switch on real Do Not Disturb, along with a brightness lock and media volume. With Auto Game Mode on, interruptions are muted as soon as a game starts and come back once you close it. You can also use its Quick Settings tile, or assign a mode to each game so the right settings apply when you launch from CyberBoost.

Frequently asked questions

Will Do Not Disturb block alarms?

Not by default on most phones. You can choose whether alarms ring through in the Do Not Disturb settings.

Can people still reach me in an emergency?

Yes, if you allow starred contacts or repeat callers. Set these exceptions before you rely on Do Not Disturb.

Do I miss notifications with Do Not Disturb on?

No. They are delivered silently and wait in the notification shade until you check.

Why do some notifications still appear during games?

Apps you have allowed as exceptions, alarms and some system alerts can still come through. Check the exceptions list in Do Not Disturb settings.