Mode "Do not disturb"** (DND, Do Not Disturb) on Android often becomes a headache for gamers. You launch PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty: Mobile, and the notification sound suddenly disappears - or worse: the game stops vibrating during critical events. The reason usually lies in the automatic mode rules that Android applies to “resource-intensive” applications. In this article, we'll look at how completely disable Do Not Disturb for games or set up exceptions so as not to miss important game notifications.

The problem is complicated by the fact that smartphone manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi, Honor, Realme) modify the standard DND to suit their shells (One UI, MIUI, MagicOS). Therefore, there is no universal solution - you will have to deal with the settings of a specific model. We have collected current methods for Android 12–14including hidden developer options and workarounds for stubborn devices.

Why Do Not Disturb turns on automatically in games

Android analyzes application activity and can force DND to be activated in three cases:

  • 🎮 Game Mode (Game Mode) - many shells (for example, MIUI or ColorOS) automatically turn on “Do Not Disturb” when starting games, so as not to “distract” the user. The paradox: this interferes with the gameplay!
  • 🔋 Battery optimization —the system can limit the background activity of games if they consume a lot of energy. As a result, notifications about the start of a match or messages from the community disappear.
  • ⏰ DND schedule —if you once configured the mode to automatically turn on at a time (for example, at night), the game may fall under this rule.

On Samsung Galaxy s One UI 5/6 there is a separate function Game notificationsthat conflicts with DND. And on Xiaomi the problem is often related to Crazy mode (Ultra Game Mode, which blocks all interrupts. Next, we'll figure out how to fix this.

📊 What brand of your smartphone?
Samsung
Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco
Honor/Huawei
Realme/Oppo
Other

Method 1: Disable "Do Not Disturb" for a specific games

The safest method is to add the game to DND exceptions. This will allow you to receive notifications only from selected applications without disabling the mode completely.

Instructions for pure Android (Pixel, Motorola, Nokia):

  1. Open Settings → Sound and vibration → Not disturb.
  2. Tap on Applications (or Exceptions → Applications).
  3. Select Add application and mark the desired game (for example, Free Fire or Brawl Stars).
  4. Set the switch to Allow sounds and vibration.

For Samsung One UI the path is different:

Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb → Exceptions → Applications

Here you can choose which sounds to allow: Notification sounds, Media sounds or Vibration. For games, it is important to enable all three items.

DND settings open|Game added to exceptions|Notification sounds allowed|Vibration allowed|Checked on a test notifications-->

Method 2: Completely disabling "Do Not Disturb" for games via Game Mode

If your smartphone has Game Mode (for example, Game Turbo on Xiaomi or Game Launcher on Samsung), the problem may lie in its settings. These modes often Forcibly activate DNDignore system exceptions.

For Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco (MIUI 13–14):

  1. Start the game and swipe down on the screen to open the panel Game Turbo.
  2. Tap on the ⚙️ icon (Settings) → Do not disturb.
  3. Disable the option Automatically turn on when starting the game.
  4. Go back to the main settings and check that Notification blocking is turned off.

On Honor/Huawei (MagicOS/EMUI):

  • 🔧 Open Settings → Game Center → Notification settings.
  • 🔕 Disable Do not disturb in games and Notification blocking.
  • 🎯 Add a game in White list (if there is such an option).
⚠️ Attention: On some devices Honor game mode can be called GPU Turbo or Huawei GameSuite. If you don’t find any settings, check the section Additional functions in the main settings.

Method 3: Setting up schedules and automatic DND rules

Android may include “Do not disturb” according to a schedule (for example, at night) or under certain conditions (Wi-Fi connection, geolocation). If the game starts at this time, notifications will be blocked.

How to check and disable automatic rules:

  1. Go to Settings → Sound → Do Not Disturb → Schedule.
  2. See if the rules are active type:
    • 🕒 By time (for example, from 22:00 to 7:00)
    • 📡 By event (connection to charging, Wi-Fi)
    • 📍 By location (home, work)
  • Disable unnecessary rules or set up exceptions for games.

    • On Samsung additional rules may be hidden in Settings → Device care → Modes and routines. Remove or edit routines that affect notifications.

    Manufacturer Path to DND settings Features
    Google Pixel Settings → Sound → Do not disturb Pure Android, no game mode
    Samsung (One UI) Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb There are separate settings for Game notifications
    Xiaomi (MIUI) Settings → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb Conflicts with Game Turbo i Crazy mode
    Honor/Huawei (MagicOS) Settings → Sound → Do Not Disturb The game mode is called Huawei GameSuite
    Realme/Oppo (ColorOS) Settings → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb There is an option Game space with separate rules
    💡

    If after disabling DND notifications still do not arrive, check the settings of the game itself. For example, in PUBG Mobile you need to go to Settings → General → Notifications and enable the option Show notifications on the lock screen.

    Method 4: Using the mode developer (for experienced)

    If standard methods do not help, you can use hidden Android settings. This method is suitable for users who are ready to experiment.

    Steps:

    1. Activate developer mode:
      • Go to Settings → About phone.
      • Tap 7 times on Build number (or MIUI Version on Xiaomi).
  • Go back to Settings and open a new section For developers.
  • Find the option USB Debugging and enable it (optional, but may be required for some commands).
  • Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to disable DND for games: 
    adb shell settings put global zen_mode 0

    This command completely disables "Do not disturb". replace 0 to 1.

    • ⚠️ Attention: ADB commands affect system settings. Incorrect use can lead to failures. Before experiments, create a backup copy of your data via Settings → System → Backup.
    What to do if ADB does not recognize the device?

    Make sure that:

    1. Developer mode and USB debugging are enabled.

    2. Drivers for your smartphone are installed (download from the manufacturer’s website).

    3. The original USB cable is used (not all cables support data transfer).

    4. The option is enabled in the developer settings Allow USB debugging (safe mode).

    Method 5: Workarounds for stubborn devices

    If none of the methods worked, try alternative solutions:

    • 🔔 Notifications via instant messengers: Some games (for example, Clash of Clans) duplicate notifications in Telegram or Discord. Set up a bot or channel for important notifications.
    • 📱 Second device: Use an old smartphone or tablet specifically for games where DND is disabled at the system level.
    • 🔄 Reset notification settings: Go to Settings → Applications → [Game] → Notifications and reset the settings to factory settings.
    • 🛠️ Third-party applications: Utilities like MacroDroid or Tasker can automatically disable DND when starting the game. Requires setup.

    For Samsung there is one more trick: add the game to Game panel (swipe menu during the game), then disable Game optimization in its settings. This sometimes removes DND restrictions.

    Common problems and their solutions

    Even after disabling DND, users are faced with nuances. Let's look at typical scenarios:

    • 🔇 There is sound in the game, but there are no notifications:

      Check the notification settings specific game in Settings → Applications → [Game] → Notifications. They may be disabled separately from DND.

    • 🔄 DND turns on itself after reboot:

      This is a sign of a failure settings. Try resetting the settings Do not disturb via Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset notification settings.

    • 🎵 The music plays in the game, but there are no notification sounds:

      In the DND settings, check if Media sounds or System soundsare disabled. They can be blocked separately.

    ⚠️ Attention: On some devices Realme and Oppo there is a function Deep Optimization (Deep optimization) which can reset DND settings. Disable it in Settings → Advanced → Battery optimization.
    💡

    If the problem persists after all the manipulations, check whether notifications are blocked antivirus (for example, Avast or 360 Security). Add the game to your antivirus exceptions.

    Is it possible to disable Do Not Disturb for just one game without affecting other applications?

    Yes, this is possible through DND exceptions (see Method 1). On Samsung i Xiaomi there are also options to configure notifications separately for each game in game mode.

    After updating Android, Do Not Disturb is enabled again in games. What to do?

    Updates often reset settings. Check:

    1. Have new rules appeared in Settings → Sound → Do not disturb → Schedule.
    2. Have the game mode settings changed (for example, Game Turbo to Xiaomi).
    3. Not required Is it possible to re-add the game to DND exceptions.

    If the problem persists, try resetting notification settings (see section "Common problems").

    On my Honor there is no "Do not disturb" option in game mode. Where to look?

    On devices Honor with MagicOS DND settings for games may be hidden in:

    • Settings → Game Center → Notification settings (disable Block notifications).
    • Settings → Applications → [Game] → Notifications (enable all options).
    • Settings → Sound → Do Not Disturb → Exceptions (add the game manually).

    If all else fails, update the firmware via Settings → Update Software —in new versions MagicOS DND bugs are often fixed.

    How to check if Do Not Disturb is turned on right during the game?

    There are two ways:

    1. Pull the notification panel down - if there is a 🔔 icon with a crossed out bell in the status bar, DND is active.
    2. Press and hold the button Volume down —on some devices a pop-up window will appear with the current sound mode.

    On Samsung you can add a widget Sound mode to the main screen for quick control.

    Will the game consume more battery if you turn off Do Not Disturb for it?

    No, disabling DND does not affect battery consumption. The problem can only occur if you manually disable battery optimization for the game (in Settings → Applications → [Game] → Battery). In this case, the game will be able to run in the background without restrictions, which will increase power consumption.