Focus Mode in iOS 17.2 will not add any guilty pleasures to your Listening History in Apple Music

It’s no coincidence that the more Tom Waits songs you listen to, the more recommendations you receive from Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Van Morrison in your music streaming service of choice – that’s how history works listening and algorithms.

Now, if you want to take a slight detour to Eric Clapton and listen to Cardi B for a change, you can do so – best of all, without royally ruining your “normal” playlists and suggestions.

In iOS 17.2, which is now available to developers in beta, there is a new focus filter that allows users to turn off Apple Music listening history only when in a specific focus mode is activated (via 9to5Mac). Of course, you can turn your listening history off or on in general whenever you want, but this new filter is actually very convenient.

So, let’s repeat: your listening history is enabled, but when Focus mode is also enabled, the songs you listen to will not be added to your history and therefore will not appear in your recommended playlist. Think of this new feature as an incognito tab.

This could be a godsend for parents who play children’s music to their kids but don’t want to find their own playlists filled with “If You’re Happy and You Know It” in fifteen cover variations.

The feature also works when you want to listen to something specific without your friends knowing. Instead of having to turn off listening history completely, you can simply put it on hold temporarily with a Focus mode.