Stop Apple Watch iPhone Mirroring for DND & Airplane Mode

This guide shows you how to stop your Apple Watch from mirroring your iPhone’s Do Not Disturb and Airplane Mode settings. By default, the watch follows the phone’s Focus modes and connectivity toggles, but you can break that link so each device acts independently. You’ll need your iPhone and Apple Watch nearby, both charged, and the Watch app installed on the phone.

What You’ll Need

• iPhone with the Watch app (iOS 15 or later recommended)
• Apple Watch paired to that iPhone
• Both devices charged and within Bluetooth range

Step-by-Step

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap the Watch icon on your home screen. This is the same app you used to set up the watch.
2. Tap the “My Watch” tab at the bottom-left of the screen. If you don’t see it, make sure you’re not in the “Face Gallery” tab.
3. Scroll down and tap “Focus”. This option is usually near the middle of the list, between “Notifications” and “Emergency SOS”.
4. Tap “Mirror my iPhone”. You’ll see a toggle switch. This controls whether the watch copies your iPhone’s Focus status (which includes Do Not Disturb, Sleep, Personal, and any custom Focus modes).
5. Turn off the “Mirror my iPhone” toggle. When it’s off, the watch will no longer automatically match your iPhone’s Focus state. You can still set a Focus mode directly on the watch by swiping up to Control Center, tapping the Focus icon, and choosing one.
6. Go back to the main “My Watch” screen. Tap the back arrow in the top-left corner.
7. Scroll down and tap “General”. It’s usually near the bottom of the list, just above “Software Update”.
8. Tap “Airplane Mode”. This screen shows a single toggle labeled “Mirror iPhone”.
9. Turn off “Mirror iPhone”. With this off, turning on Airplane Mode on your iPhone will not automatically enable it on the Apple Watch. You’ll need to toggle Airplane Mode on each device separately (swipe up on the watch face for Control Center, then tap the airplane icon).
10. Test the change. Put your iPhone in Do Not Disturb (via Control Center) and check if the watch shows the crescent moon icon. Then toggle Airplane Mode on the phone and see if the watch’s Control Center shows the airplane. If neither appears, the mirroring is off.

Common Mistakes

• Turning off the wrong toggle: The “Mirror my iPhone” under Focus and the “Mirror iPhone” under Airplane Mode are two separate settings. Make sure you’ve disabled both if you want full independence.
• Checking the watch’s Control Center instead of the phone: The watch’s Control Center shows its own status. If mirroring is off, the watch will not show the phone’s icon, but it might show its own if you’ve set it manually.
• Assuming the watch reboots automatically: These changes take effect immediately, but if you’re having trouble, a restart of both devices can help.
• Forgetting that Focus modes are per-device: Even with mirroring off, if you set a Focus on the watch itself, it will stay on until you turn it off on the watch.

Tips

• Use a custom Focus mode: If you want to allow calls from certain people while blocking others, set up a custom Focus on the iPhone and then choose it manually on the watch when needed.
• Quick toggle on the watch: Swipe up from the watch face to open Control Center. Tap the Focus icon (crescent moon) to select a Focus mode, or tap the airplane icon to toggle Airplane Mode directly on the watch.
• Schedule Focus modes: You can schedule a Focus on the iPhone, but if mirroring is off, the watch won’t follow that schedule. You’ll need to set the schedule on the watch itself (Settings > Focus) for it to apply there.
• Check watchOS version: These steps apply to watchOS 15 and later. If you have an older version, the menu names might be slightly different (e.g., “Do Not Disturb” instead of “Focus”).
• Reboot after changing settings: If you notice the watch still mirrors after a few minutes, restart both devices to clear any glitches.

Troubleshooting

If the watch still mirrors after turning off the toggles:

1. Make sure you’re looking at the correct settings. Go back to the Watch app > My Watch > Focus and verify “Mirror my iPhone” is off. Then check General > Airplane Mode and verify “Mirror iPhone” is off.
2. Restart your Apple Watch: press and hold the side button until you see the power-off slider, then drag it. Turn it back on by pressing the side button again.
3. Restart your iPhone: press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then drag it. Turn it back on.
4. If the issue persists, unpair and re-pair the watch. This is a last resort, as it will restore the watch from a backup, but it often fixes sync issues. Open the Watch app > All Watches > (i) next to your watch > Unpair Apple Watch. Then pair again as a new watch or restore from a backup.
5. Check if a Focus mode is active on the watch itself. Even with mirroring off, if you previously set a Focus on the watch, it will stay on. Swipe up to Control Center and tap the Focus icon to turn it off.

If Airplane Mode still turns on together:

1. Verify the “Mirror iPhone” toggle under General > Airplane Mode is off.
2. Turn off Airplane Mode on both devices, then toggle it on only on the iPhone. The watch should not show the airplane icon.
3. If it still mirrors, try toggling the setting off and on again, then restart both devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Apple Watch still show Do Not Disturb even after I turned off mirroring?

You may have turned on a Focus mode directly on the watch. Swipe up to Control Center, tap the Focus icon, and choose “Off” to clear it.

If I turn off mirroring, can I still control Focus from my iPhone?

No. With mirroring off, the watch won’t respond to changes you make on the iPhone. You’ll need to set Focus modes on the watch itself.

Will turning off mirroring affect my notifications?

No. Mirroring only affects the Focus status and Airplane Mode toggle. Notifications are controlled separately in the Watch app under Notifications.

Does this also stop Sleep mode mirroring?

Yes. Sleep is a Focus mode, so turning off “Mirror my iPhone” under Focus stops the watch from following your iPhone’s Sleep schedule. You can set a separate Sleep schedule on the watch if needed.

Can I set a different Focus mode on the watch than on the phone?

Yes, once mirroring is off. For example, you can have Do Not Disturb on the iPhone and Personal on the watch. Just set each independently.

What if I want to temporarily re-enable mirroring?

Just go back to the Watch app and turn both toggles back on. It takes effect immediately.

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