Where to find notification settings on your iPhone
Notifications on iPhone are controlled through the Settings app, not through individual apps themselves. Open Settings, then tap Notifications. From there, you'll see a list of every app installed on your phone, and you can turn notifications on or off for each one separately.
The order of apps in this list depends on how you sort them. By default, iPhone shows apps that currently have notifications enabled at the top, followed by apps with notifications off. You can also sort alphabetically by tapping the menu icon in the top right corner of the Notifications screen.
Key Takeaways
- Notifications are managed centrally in Settings > Notifications, not within individual apps.
- You can turn notifications on or off for each app separately, and customize how each app sends them to you.
- Sound, badges (the red numbers on app icons), and banners can each be controlled independently for the same app.
- Focus modes let you silence notifications from specific apps during certain times or activities without permanently turning them off.
- If an app doesn't appear in your Notifications list, it either doesn't support notifications or you've already hidden it from the list.
Turning notifications on for a specific app
Open Settings, go to Notifications, and find the app you want to enable notifications for. Tap the app name. At the top of the screen, you'll see a toggle labeled "Allow Notifications" — make sure it's switched on (the toggle will be green).
Once you've turned on "Allow Notifications," the rest of the options on that screen become active. These include choices about how the notification appears: as a banner at the top of your screen, as a list in your notification center, or silently (badge only). You can also choose whether the app can make a sound or vibrate when a notification arrives.
Choosing how each app notifies you
After you turn on "Allow Notifications" for an app, you'll see several options for how that app can reach you. Notification style controls whether notifications appear as a banner (temporary popup), a list (persistent until you dismiss it), or not at all on your lock screen. Sounds lets you pick whether the app makes a noise, and Badges controls whether a red number appears on the app's icon showing how many unread items you have.
You can also set Notification Grouping, which stacks multiple notifications from the same app into a single expandable item. This keeps your notification center from becoming cluttered if an app sends many notifications in a short time. Some apps let you choose whether notifications are grouped by thread, time, or not at all.
Scroll down on the same screen to find Allow Time Sensitive Notifications. This setting lets certain apps (like Messages or reminders) break through your Focus mode or Do Not Disturb settings when they're truly urgent. You can turn this on or off per app.
Using Focus modes to control when notifications arrive
If you want notifications from an app most of the time but not during certain hours or activities, Focus modes are more flexible than turning notifications off completely. Go to Settings, then Focus. Create a new Focus (like "Work" or "Sleep") and choose which apps can send notifications while that Focus is active.
When you activate a Focus, only notifications from apps you've allowed will come through. The rest are silenced but still waiting in your notification center — you'll see them once you turn off the Focus. This is useful if you want messages from family to reach you during work hours but not notifications from social media apps.
What to do if an app isn't in your Notifications list
If you're looking for an app in Settings > Notifications and can't find it, the app either doesn't support notifications or you've hidden it from the list. Some older or very simple apps don't have notification features built in.
To check if you've hidden it, scroll to the bottom of your Notifications list and look for a section called "Notifications Off" or similar. If the app is there, tap it and turn on "Allow Notifications." If the app doesn't appear anywhere in Notifications, it simply doesn't offer notifications as a feature.
Notification badges and lock screen previews
A badge is the red circle with a number on an app's icon — it shows how many unread items you have. You can turn badges on or off for each app in its Notifications settings. Some people turn off badges to reduce visual clutter, while others find them helpful for knowing at a glance which apps need attention.
You can also control what information appears in notifications on your lock screen. Go to Settings > Notifications > Notification Preview, and choose "Always Show," "Show When Unlocked," or "Never." This setting applies to all apps at once and controls whether you can read the full text of a notification before unlocking your phone.
Resetting notifications to default settings
If you've customized notifications for many apps and want to start over, there's no single "reset all" button. However, you can turn off "Allow Notifications" for any app you want to silence, then turn it back on later — this resets that app to its default notification style.
Alternatively, you can go through your Notifications list and adjust each app individually. This takes longer but gives you full control over which apps notify you and how. There's no harm in experimenting — you can change these settings as often as you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I not getting notifications from an app even though I turned them on?
Check whether you have a Focus mode active that blocks that app's notifications. Also verify that "Allow Notifications" is actually turned on — the toggle should be green. If you're still not seeing notifications, restart your iPhone, then check the app's own settings to see if it has internal notification controls that override your system settings.
Can I turn on notifications for just one contact or conversation?
Some apps like Messages and Mail let you customize notifications per conversation or sender. Open the conversation, tap the contact name or subject line at the top, and look for notification settings. Not all apps support this level of control — it depends on the app's design.
What's the difference between a banner and a list notification?
A banner appears briefly at the top of your screen and disappears on its own. A list notification stays in your notification center until you dismiss it. Banners are less intrusive; lists are better if you want to make sure you don't miss something.
Do notifications still work if my phone is locked?
Yes. Notifications appear on your lock screen even when your phone is locked. You can control what information shows in those lock screen notifications using the "Notification Preview" setting in Settings > Notifications.
If I turn off notifications for an app, will I still see messages or updates?
You won't get alerts, sounds, or badges, but you can still open the app and see new messages or updates manually. Turning off notifications just stops the app from interrupting you — it doesn't delete or hide the content itself.