Where to find notification settings on your phone

Android stores notification controls in two places: inside individual apps, and in a master settings panel. The fastest route depends on whether you want to silence one app or dozens at once. Most people find what they need in Settings > Apps & notifications, though the exact path varies slightly by phone maker — Samsung calls it "Apps", Motorola calls it "Applications".

Open Settings on your home screen or by swiping down from the top and tapping the gear icon. Look for "Apps" or "Apps & notifications" in the main menu. Tap it, then look for "Notifications" or "App notifications" as a separate option. If you see a list of your installed apps instead, tap "Notifications" at the top of that list or look for a three-dot menu.

Key Takeaways

  • You can turn off notifications for a single app by opening Settings, finding that app in the Apps list, and toggling off "Show notifications".
  • Android lets you silence notifications by category — for example, you can allow calls and texts but block everything else — through Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb.
  • Notifications from the lock screen can be hidden separately from notifications in the notification panel, so you may need to adjust both if you want them completely silent.
  • Some phones let you schedule Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at certain times, which is useful for work hours or sleep.

Turning off notifications for one app

If you only want to silence a specific app — say, a game or a work email client — the quickest path is through that app's own settings. Open Settings, tap Apps or Apps & notifications, then scroll to find the app you want to mute. Tap the app name, then look for "Notifications" or "Show notifications" and toggle it off.

Some apps give you finer control than just on or off. After you tap the app name, you may see options like "Allow notifications", "Show on lock screen", "Sound", and "Vibration". You can turn off the notification badge (the red dot with a number) separately from the sound, or allow notifications but hide them from your lock screen. Experiment with these toggles to get the behavior you want.

If an app does not appear in your Apps list, it may be a system app that came with your phone. System apps sometimes hide from the main list. Try searching for the app name in the Settings search bar at the top — type the app name and tap it when it appears, then look for notification controls.

Using Do Not Disturb to silence everything at once

Do Not Disturb is a master switch that silences most notifications while letting through calls and texts from people you choose. Open Settings, search for "Do Not Disturb" or "Notifications", and tap "Do Not Disturb" or "Interruptions". You will see options to allow calls, texts, or alarms even when Do Not Disturb is on.

By default, Do Not Disturb blocks everything except calls and texts from your contacts. You can change this to allow only alarms, or only calls, or nothing at all. Tap "Allow calls from" or "Allow messages from" to set which people can reach you. Some phones let you create a "priority list" of contacts who can always get through.

To turn Do Not Disturb on right now, swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the full quick settings panel. Look for "Do Not Disturb" or "DND" and tap it. It will stay on until you turn it off manually, or until a scheduled time you set ends.

Scheduling Do Not Disturb for specific times

Most Android phones let you set Do Not Disturb to turn on and off automatically — for example, every weeknight from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., or during work hours. Open Settings, find Do Not Disturb, and look for "Schedules" or "Turn on as scheduled". Tap it and create a new schedule by setting a start time and end time.

You can create multiple schedules for different days. Some phones let you name them — "Sleep", "Work", "Gym" — so you remember what each one is for. Once a schedule is set, Do Not Disturb will activate automatically at the start time and turn off at the end time, even if you forget to do it manually.

Hiding notifications from your lock screen

You can turn off notifications entirely, or you can let them come through but hide them from your lock screen so they do not show when your phone is locked. This is useful if you want to see notifications when you unlock your phone, but do not want them visible to someone looking over your shoulder.

Open Settings > Apps & notifications, find the app you want to adjust, and tap it. Look for "Show on lock screen" or "Lock screen notifications" and toggle it off. The app will still send you notifications, but they will only appear in your notification panel after you unlock your phone.

Some phones have a separate master setting for this. Search Settings for "Lock screen" and look for "Notifications" or "Show notifications on lock screen". Turning this off hides all notifications from the lock screen at once, though individual apps may override this setting.

Dealing with notifications that keep coming back

Some apps re-enable notifications after you turn them off, especially if the app updates. If you find notifications returning, open the app itself and look for notification settings inside the app. Many apps have their own notification toggles separate from Android's system settings. Turn off notifications there as well.

If an app keeps turning notifications back on no matter what you do, check whether the app has a "battery optimization" or "power management" setting that forces notifications. Some apps claim they need notifications to work properly, but this is rarely true — most apps work fine with notifications off.

As a last resort, you can uninstall the app or disable it if it came with your phone. To disable a system app, open Settings > Apps, find the app, tap it, and look for "Disable" or "Turn off". This removes it from your home screen and stops it from running in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off notifications stop the app from working?

No. Notifications are just messages the app sends you — they do not affect whether the app runs or does its job. Your email will still arrive, your messages will still sync, and your calendar will still track events. You just will not be alerted when they happen.

Can I turn off notifications for just one contact?

It depends on the app. Text message apps like Google Messages let you mute conversations with specific people — open the conversation, tap the three-dot menu, and look for "Mute" or "Notifications". Email apps usually let you mute senders or folders. Social media apps rarely offer this level of control.

Why do I still see notifications after I turned them off?

Some apps have notification settings in two places: in Android Settings and inside the app itself. Check both. Also, if you turned off notifications in Android Settings but the app still has notifications enabled in its own settings, the app's setting may override yours. Turn off notifications in both places.

Does Do Not Disturb use more battery?

No. Do Not Disturb just tells Android not to show notifications — it does not make your phone work harder. In fact, fewer notifications might save a tiny amount of battery because your screen will not light up as often.

Can I set different notification rules for work and home?

Yes, if your phone supports multiple profiles or if you use a work profile. Some Android phones let you create a "Work" profile that has separate apps and settings. You can also create multiple Do Not Disturb schedules for different times and places, though they will apply to your whole phone, not just work apps.