Push notifications are messages that apps send to your phone or computer without you opening the app first
A push notification is a short message that appears on your device — usually as a popup, banner, or badge on an app icon — sent by an app or website even when you are not actively using it. The app does not need you to open it to deliver the message. Instead, the notification travels from the app's servers to your device through a delivery system that runs in the background.
You have seen push notifications if you have ever gotten a message that says "You have 3 new emails" without opening your email app, or a news alert about breaking news without visiting a news website. On your phone, these typically appear at the top of the screen or in your notification center. On a computer, they often pop up in the corner of your screen.
Push notifications are different from text messages or emails because they do not use your phone's cellular network or email system. They use a separate channel that the app maintains with its servers, which is why they can arrive instantly and why you can receive them even on Wi-Fi without a phone signal.
Key Takeaways
- Push notifications are messages sent by apps to your device without you opening the app, and they arrive through a separate delivery system that runs in the background.
- Apps use push notifications to alert you about new messages, updates, reminders, sales, or other events the app thinks you should know about immediately.
- You can control which apps send you notifications and how they appear by changing settings in your phone or computer's notification center.
- Push notifications can track when you open them and how you respond, which is why some apps send many of them — they want to know what gets your attention.
Why apps send push notifications
Apps send push notifications for several reasons, and understanding the reason helps you decide whether to allow them. Some notifications are genuinely useful: a calendar app reminding you of an appointment, a banking app alerting you to a large transaction, or a messaging app telling you someone has written to you.
Other notifications are designed to bring you back into the app. A social media app might notify you that someone liked your post, or a shopping app might tell you that an item you viewed is now on sale. These notifications are useful to you, but they also benefit the app — each time you open it in response to a notification, the app can show you ads or collect data about what you do next.
Some apps send notifications because they are configured to do so by default, not because the message is important to you. A news app might send you a notification every time a new article is published, or a game might remind you daily that you have not played yet. These are often called engagement notifications because their main purpose is to keep you engaged with the app, not to deliver information you asked for.
How push notifications work technically
When you install an app and allow it to send notifications, the app registers with a notification delivery service. On iPhones, this service is called Apple Push Notification Service (APNs). On Android phones, it is Google Cloud Messaging or Firebase Cloud Messaging. On computers, the system varies by operating system.
The app's servers send a message to this delivery service, which then sends it to your device. Your device receives the message and displays it according to your notification settings. This all happens without the app running on your device — the delivery service handles the routing.
This system is why push notifications can arrive so quickly and why they work even when you have not opened the app in weeks. The connection between the app's servers and the delivery service is always active, waiting for new messages to send.
What data push notifications can collect
When you receive a push notification, the app can see whether you opened it. If you tap the notification, the app knows you tapped it and when. Some apps also track whether you dismissed the notification without opening it, or whether you ignored it entirely. This data helps the app understand which types of messages get your attention.
Apps use this information to decide what to send you next. If you consistently open notifications about sales but ignore notifications about new features, the app will send you more sales notifications. If you never open notifications from a particular app, the app might stop sending them or change the type of message it sends.
The notification itself does not contain tracking code — the tracking happens on the app's servers when your device reports back whether you opened the notification. This is why privacy-focused apps are often more cautious about sending notifications: they want to collect less data about your behavior.
How to control push notifications on your phone
On an iPhone, go to Settings, then Notifications. You will see a list of every app that has permission to send notifications. Tap any app to see its notification settings. You can turn notifications off entirely, choose whether they appear as banners or alerts, decide whether they show a badge on the app icon, and control whether they make a sound.
On an Android phone, go to Settings, then Apps and Notifications. Tap Notifications, then App Notifications. You will see a list of apps. Tap any app to control its notification settings. You can turn notifications off, choose the notification level (silent, low, medium, or high), and control whether they appear on your lock screen.
You can also control notifications from within the app itself. Many apps have a Settings or Preferences section where you can choose which types of notifications to receive — for example, turning off sale alerts but keeping order updates. App-level controls are often more detailed than system-level controls, so check both places if you want fine-grained control.
The difference between notifications and other alerts
Push notifications are distinct from text messages, emails, and in-app messages. A text message uses your cellular network or data plan and appears in your Messages app. An email uses your email service and appears in your email app. A push notification uses the app's own delivery system and can appear anywhere on your device, even on your lock screen.
An in-app message is different again — it only appears when you have the app open. You might see a banner or popup inside the app telling you about a new feature or a special offer. This message does not arrive through the push notification system and does not appear when the app is closed.
Some apps use all of these methods. A banking app might send you a push notification about a large transaction, an email receipt, and an in-app message about a new feature. Each method reaches you in a different way and at a different time.
Why some apps send many notifications
Apps that send frequent notifications are often trying to maximize engagement — the number of times you open the app. Each notification is an opportunity to pull you back in. If even a small percentage of users open the notification, the app considers it successful.
This is why you might get notifications from a shopping app every time a new item arrives in a category you browsed, or from a social media app every time someone you follow posts something. The app is not trying to be helpful; it is trying to be hard to ignore.
You can reduce notification fatigue by turning off notifications from apps you do not use frequently, or by using the app's settings to receive only the types of notifications that matter to you. Most apps allow you to customize notification frequency, so you do not have to choose between no notifications and constant notifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can apps send notifications if I have not given them permission?
No. On both iPhone and Android, an app must ask your permission before it can send push notifications. You can deny permission when you first install the app, or revoke it later in your phone's settings. However, some apps will ask for permission repeatedly or at unexpected times, hoping you will eventually say yes.
Do push notifications use my data plan?
Push notifications use very little data — typically just a few kilobytes per notification. They work over Wi-Fi or cellular data, so they do not require a phone signal. If you are on a limited data plan, notifications are not a concern, but if you want to minimize data use, turning off notifications from apps you do not need will help slightly.
Why do some notifications appear on my lock screen?
Your phone's notification settings control whether notifications appear on your lock screen, in your notification center, or both. On iPhone, this is the "Show on Lock Screen" toggle in the app's notification settings. On Android, this is the "Show notifications on lock screen" option. You can change this per app if you want some notifications visible without unlocking your phone and others hidden.
Can I get notifications from a website without installing an app?
Yes. Websites can send push notifications through your web browser if you give permission. When you visit a website, it may ask "Allow notifications?" If you say yes, that website can send you notifications even when you are not on the website. You can manage these in your browser settings under Notifications or Site Settings.
What happens to notifications if my phone is off?
Push notifications are held by the delivery service (Apple or Google) until your phone turns back on. Once your phone reconnects to the internet, it receives the notifications that arrived while it was off. Very old notifications may be discarded after a certain time, but most notifications will arrive within a few minutes of your phone turning back on.