Where to find notification settings on your iPhone

Notifications on iPhone are controlled through the Settings app, not through individual apps themselves. Open Settings — the gray gear icon on your home screen — then tap Notifications. You'll see a list of every app installed on your phone, along with which ones currently have notifications turned on or off.

The order of apps in this list matters: apps at the top have notifications enabled, and apps below the "Allow Notifications" divider have them turned off. This is the main screen where you'll spend most of your time if you're turning notifications back on after they've been disabled.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, tap Notifications, then select the app you want to turn notifications on for.
  • Toggle the switch next to "Allow Notifications" to the right (green) to enable notifications for that app.
  • You can choose how notifications appear — as banners at the top, badges on the app icon, or sounds — without turning notifications completely off.
  • If an app doesn't appear in your Notifications list, it either doesn't support notifications or you need to update it from the App Store.
  • Turning notifications on for an app doesn't mean you'll be bothered constantly; most apps send notifications only when something actually happens.

Turning notifications on for a specific app

Find the app in your Notifications list and tap its name. At the top of the screen, you'll see a toggle switch next to "Allow Notifications." If the switch is gray and positioned to the left, notifications are off. Tap the switch to turn it green and move it to the right — this turns notifications on for that app.

Once you've toggled it on, you'll see additional options appear below it: Lock Screen, Notification Center, and Banners. These control how the notification reaches you, but they only matter if "Allow Notifications" is already on. If you don't see these options, make sure the main toggle is actually green.

Choosing how notifications appear

After turning notifications on, you can decide whether you want them as a banner that drops down from the top of your screen, a badge (a red circle with a number) on the app icon, a sound, or some combination. Tap Banners to choose between "Temporary" (the notification disappears after a few seconds) or "Persistent" (it stays until you dismiss it).

You can also toggle Sounds on or off separately, and choose whether notifications appear on your Lock Screen. If you want the app to send you notifications but you don't want any sound or vibration, turn off Sounds and leave everything else on. These choices let you stay informed without being startled by every notification.

What to do if an app isn't in your Notifications list

Some apps don't appear in Settings at all because they don't support notifications, or because the app is outdated. Open the App Store, search for the app, and check whether an Update button appears. If it does, tap Update and wait for the installation to finish, then go back to Settings and check Notifications again.

If the app still doesn't appear after updating, it simply doesn't have notification features. This is common with games, calculators, and other apps that don't need to send you time-sensitive information. You can still use the app normally — you just won't receive alerts from it.

Turning notifications back on after you've turned them off

If you previously turned off notifications for an app and now want them back, the process is identical: go to Settings, tap Notifications, find the app, and toggle "Allow Notifications" to green. The app will start sending notifications immediately, using whatever settings you had before you turned them off.

If you're not sure whether an app has notifications on or off, look at the app's icon on your home screen. If there's a red circle with a number on it, that app has unread notifications waiting for you. This badge appears only if notifications are turned on and the app has something to tell you.

Notifications that can't be turned off

Some notifications from Apple itself — like low battery warnings, software updates, and emergency alerts — cannot be disabled through the Notifications settings. These are system-level alerts that iPhone considers essential for your safety or device function. You can control how they appear (banner, sound, vibration) but you cannot turn them off completely.

If you're seeing notifications you don't recognize and can't find them in your Notifications list, they may be coming from a different source: your carrier, your email account, or a service you signed up for outside of an app. Check your email settings and carrier account settings if you suspect this is happening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I not getting notifications even though I turned them on?

Check three things: make sure "Allow Notifications" is actually toggled green, verify that Do Not Disturb is not turned on (check Control Center by swiping down from the top right), and restart the app. If notifications still don't arrive, restart your iPhone by powering it off and back on.

Can I turn notifications on for some contacts but not others?

Yes, but only for Messages and Phone. In the Messages app, swipe left on a conversation and tap the bell icon to mute that person. In Phone, tap Edit in your Contacts list, select a contact, and toggle "Mute Notifications" on. Other apps don't offer this level of control.

What's the difference between banners and lock screen notifications?

Banners drop down from the top of your screen while you're using your phone. Lock Screen notifications appear on your lock screen and stay there until you dismiss them. You can have both on, both off, or just one — the choice is yours in the notification settings for each app.

If I turn off notifications for an app, will it stop working?

No. The app will work exactly the same way. You just won't receive alerts from it. You can still open the app and use it normally — you'll just have to check it manually instead of being notified when something happens.

Why do some apps ask for permission to send notifications when I first open them?

Apps are required to ask your permission before they can send notifications. If you tap "Don't Allow," the app is added to your Notifications list with notifications turned off. You can always change this later in Settings by toggling "Allow Notifications" on.