iPhone badges are the small red circles with numbers that appear on app icons to show you have unread messages, notifications, or updates waiting
A badge is a small red circle, usually with a white number inside, that sits in the top-right corner of an app icon on your home screen or in your app library. The number tells you how many unread items are waiting in that app — unread emails in Mail, unread messages in Messages, pending updates in the App Store, or friend requests in social apps. Some badges show just a red dot with no number, which means something needs your attention but the app doesn't count the items.
Badges exist to catch your eye at a glance. Instead of opening every app to check for new content, you can see from your home screen which apps have something waiting. You can turn badges on or off for individual apps, or silence them entirely if they distract you.
Key Takeaways
- Badges are small red circles with numbers that show unread messages, notifications, or pending updates on app icons.
- You can turn badges on or off for each app separately in Settings under Notifications.
- A red dot without a number means the app has something to show you, but the app doesn't track a count.
- Clearing the unread items in an app usually makes the badge disappear automatically.
Where badges appear on your iPhone
Badges show up in three places: on your home screen app icons, on your app library icons, and sometimes on the Settings icon itself. The home screen is where you see them most often — a small red circle in the corner of the Mail, Messages, or App Store icon. If you organize apps into folders, the folder icon will show a badge if any app inside has unread items.
The App Store badge appears when updates are waiting for your apps. The Settings badge usually means your iPhone has a system update ready to download. Some apps, like social networks or messaging platforms, badge constantly as new content arrives.
How to turn badges on or off for individual apps
Open Settings and tap Notifications. Scroll down and find the app you want to change. Tap it, then look for the option labeled "Badge App Icon" or "Badges". Toggle it on to see badges, or off to hide them. You can do this for every app on your phone separately — turn on badges for Mail but off for social media, for example.
If you turn off badges for an app, you will still get notifications if that app is set to send them. Badges and notifications are separate settings. You might turn off the badge but keep sound or banner notifications, or vice versa.
How to clear badges
Most badges disappear automatically when you open the app and read or clear the unread items. Open Mail and read your unread emails, and the Mail badge vanishes. Open Messages and view your unread texts, and that badge goes away. For the App Store, open it and install or update the apps waiting, and the badge clears.
Some apps let you clear badges without reading everything. In Mail, you can swipe left on an email and tap Mark as Read without opening it. In Messages, you can do the same with text threads. Check the app's settings or swipe options to see if you can mark items as read in bulk.
Why some apps show a dot instead of a number
A red dot with no number means the app has something to show you, but it does not count individual items the way Mail counts emails. Apps like Reminders, Find My, or Health might show a dot to mean "check this app," but they do not track how many unread items exist. Some apps let you choose between a numbered badge and a dot badge in their notification settings.
If you see a dot on an app you rarely use, open it once to see what it wants. It might be a reminder you set, a health milestone, or a location alert. After you acknowledge it, the dot usually clears.
Badges on the lock screen and notification center
Starting with iOS 16, some badges also appear on your lock screen. If you customize your lock screen to show app shortcuts, those shortcuts can display badges too. You can tap a lock screen badge to jump straight into that app's unread content.
Your notification center (swipe down from the top) shows notifications separately from badges. A notification is a message or alert that pops up or appears in the center; a badge is the persistent number on the icon. You can have notifications turned on but badges off, or the other way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a badge on an app I never use?
The app is trying to get your attention about something — an update waiting, a message received, or a reminder set. Open the app once to see what it wants, then decide if you want to keep notifications on. If you do not use the app, you can turn off its badges in Settings under Notifications.
Can I remove the badge without reading the messages?
Some apps let you mark items as read without opening them. In Mail and Messages, swipe left on an item and tap Mark as Read. Other apps may not offer this option. If you want the badge gone but do not want to read the content, turning off badges in Settings is your only choice.
Why does the Settings badge keep coming back?
Settings shows a badge when your iPhone has a system update waiting. The badge returns because the update is still there. Go to Settings, tap General, then Software Update to see what is waiting. You can install it now or set it to install overnight.
Do badges use battery or slow down my phone?
No. Badges are just visual indicators that apps display. Turning them on or off has no effect on battery life or performance. The notifications themselves — the sounds, vibrations, and alerts — use more power than the badge icon does.
Can I customize the color or style of badges?
No. iPhone badges are always red circles with white numbers or dots. You cannot change their color, size, or appearance. You can only turn them on or off for each app.