Turn off notifications in Settings

The fastest way to silence notifications on iPad is through the Notifications section in Settings. Open Settings, tap Notifications, then select the app you want to silence. You can turn off all notifications for that app by toggling off "Allow Notifications" at the top of the screen.

If you want to keep notifications but silence the sound and badges, scroll down in that same app's notification settings and toggle off "Sounds" and "Badges". This lets the app send notifications that appear silently in your notification center — you'll see them if you look, but they won't interrupt you with sound or a red number on the app icon.

Key Takeaways

  • You can silence individual apps by going to Settings > Notifications, selecting the app, and toggling off "Allow Notifications".
  • To keep notifications silent but visible, turn off "Sounds" and "Badges" while leaving "Allow Notifications" on.
  • Do Not Disturb mode silences all notifications, calls, and alerts at once, and you can schedule it to turn on and off automatically.
  • Focus modes let you create custom notification rules for different times of day or activities — for example, silencing work apps after 6 p.m.
  • Lock screen notification settings control whether notifications show details or just say "1 notification" without revealing the content.

Use Do Not Disturb to silence everything at once

Do Not Disturb silences all notifications, calls, and alerts on your iPad. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then tap the Do Not Disturb icon (a circle with a line through it). The icon turns purple when Do Not Disturb is on.

To schedule Do Not Disturb automatically, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, then tap "Turn On Automatically". You can set it to turn on at a specific time each day, when you arrive at a location, or when you open a particular app. For example, you might set Do Not Disturb to turn on at 9 p.m. and turn off at 7 a.m., so your iPad stays silent while you sleep.

Create a Focus mode for specific situations

Focus modes let you customize which apps and people can reach you at different times. Go to Settings > Focus, then tap the plus sign to create a new Focus. Name it something like "Work" or "Bedtime", then choose which notifications are allowed.

For each Focus, you can allow notifications from specific contacts and apps while silencing everything else. You can also set a custom lock screen appearance — for example, your Bedtime Focus might show only the time and weather, hiding all notification badges. Once you've set up a Focus, you can turn it on manually from Control Center or set it to turn on automatically at certain times or locations.

Control what shows on your lock screen

Even when notifications are on, you can control how much information they reveal on your lock screen. Go to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and choose "When Unlocked", "Never", or "Always". If you choose "When Unlocked", notifications will show only "1 notification" until you unlock your iPad, then display the full message.

This setting applies to all apps at once. If you want different rules for different apps, go to Settings > Notifications, select an individual app, scroll down to "Show Previews", and choose a different option just for that app.

Silence notifications from a specific contact

If you want to silence notifications from one person but keep notifications from others, open the Messages app and find the conversation. Swipe left on the conversation (or long-press it), then tap the bell icon with a slash through it. That person's messages will still arrive, but you won't hear a sound or see a badge.

You can do the same thing in the Phone app for calls from a specific contact. Find the contact in Recents, swipe left, and tap the bell icon. The contact can still call you, but the call won't ring — it will go straight to voicemail silently.

Turn off banner and alert notifications

Notifications can appear as banners (a bar that slides down from the top), alerts (a box that pops up in the center), or badges (red numbers on app icons). Go to Settings > Notifications, select an app, then tap "Notification Style". Choose "Banners" to have notifications slide in quietly from the top, or "None" to turn off visual notifications entirely while keeping badges.

Banners disappear after a few seconds without requiring action, while alerts stay on screen until you dismiss them. If you find alerts disruptive, switching to banners or turning off notifications for that app will reduce interruptions while still letting you see what arrived when you check your notification center.

Manage notifications on your lock screen and home screen

You can customize which notifications appear on your lock screen separately from your home screen. Go to Settings > Notifications, select an app, then scroll down to "Lock Screen" and toggle it off if you don't want that app's notifications to show when your iPad is locked.

Some apps also have a "Home Screen" setting that controls whether they show badges (the red circles with numbers) on the home screen. Turning off badges removes the visual clutter without silencing the notifications entirely — they'll still arrive in your notification center, but you won't see a count on the app icon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know if I silence their notifications?

No. Silencing notifications is a setting on your iPad only — the person sending the message or calling has no way to know. Messages and calls will still arrive normally; you just won't hear or see them until you check your iPad.

Can I silence notifications from one app but not others?

Yes. Go to Settings > Notifications, select the specific app, and toggle off "Allow Notifications". Other apps will continue to send notifications as usual. You can also keep notifications on but turn off just the sound by toggling off "Sounds" in that app's settings.

What's the difference between Do Not Disturb and Focus modes?

Do Not Disturb silences everything equally. Focus modes let you choose which specific apps and contacts can still reach you. For example, your Work Focus might allow notifications from work contacts and email, while silencing everything else.

If I turn off notifications for an app, will I miss important messages?

You won't receive a notification, but the messages will still arrive in the app. You'll see them if you open the app or check your notification center. If you need to see certain messages, consider silencing the sound instead of turning off notifications entirely.

Can I silence notifications during specific hours without turning on Do Not Disturb?

Yes. Create a Focus mode and set it to turn on automatically at specific times. For example, make a Bedtime Focus that silences most notifications and set it to turn on at 10 p.m. and off at 7 a.m. This is more flexible than Do Not Disturb because you can allow certain contacts or apps through.