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Focus Automation Not Working

I have Work Focus setup to turn on automatically when I arrive to my work location. It never turns on automatically even though it’s setup correctly.

Posted on Oct 5, 2021 9:30 AM

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Posted on Oct 16, 2021 1:22 PM

Despite Apple not being helpful at all this thread and contacting apple support, I have figured out what oddly no one from apple support could tell me. For those having the same issue please make sure you have looked into this:


Had to turn on a setting under


privacy/location/system services/location-based alerts — it must be turned On in order for the location feature automation to work with your Focus DND setup.


you’re welcome apple. SMH.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 16, 2021 1:22 PM in response to barberlives123

Despite Apple not being helpful at all this thread and contacting apple support, I have figured out what oddly no one from apple support could tell me. For those having the same issue please make sure you have looked into this:


Had to turn on a setting under


privacy/location/system services/location-based alerts — it must be turned On in order for the location feature automation to work with your Focus DND setup.


you’re welcome apple. SMH.

Oct 6, 2021 10:04 AM in response to Daneka50

Hello there Daneka50,



Thanks for posting here on the Apple Support Communities! This is a place where other Apple users can submit questions or respond to others to help lend a hand. Let's take a closer look as we do our best to provide some additional insight.


We understand a location based Focus is not working on your iPhone. To get started, is this something you just set up using the Focus Settings in the Settings app, or did you actually create a shortcut/automation for this function in the Shortcuts application? Shortcuts User Guide


In the meantime, does this work if you test it in a different location instead? If you're using the Shortcuts app, does other shortcuts still work?


The reason we ask is there are an infinite amount of ways a specific function can be achieved using various options in the Shortcuts app. In some cases, you may just need to experiment to test similar functions in different ways.



We hope this helps get you pointed in the right direction.


Take care.

Oct 6, 2021 10:16 AM in response to mario49

I am not using shortcuts. Didn’t realize it was a thing. I’ve only gone through settings to set up the Work Focus mode. It doesn’t work. The location is based on addresses associated with my contact info such as my work address. Though I arrive (and leave) the address, I have to manually turn on Focus for Work even though automation in that section is setup to activate at that location. If you’re saying that I should use shortcuts instead my question to that is what’s the point?

Oct 6, 2021 10:49 AM in response to Daneka50

Hello Daneka50,



We just wanted to double check, as the same functionality can be achieved with either app. If you're just using the Focus Settings, we can focus our troubleshooting there.


To get started, please test using Focus with a different location to see if the same thing happens as mentioned before. That can tell us if the issue is location specific, or affecting the entire Focus feature.



Take care.

Focus Automation Not Working

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