Badge notifications are the small red circles or numbers that appear on app icons to show you have unread messages or updates
A badge notification is a small visual marker — usually a red circle with a white number inside it — that sits on top of an app icon on your phone, tablet, or computer. The number tells you how many unread items are waiting for you: three unread emails, five new messages, one pending update. On some devices and apps, the badge is just a dot with no number, meaning something needs your attention but the app isn't counting how many things.
Badges exist because app developers wanted a way to grab your attention without making your phone buzz or ding every single time something arrives. You can see at a glance that Mail has 12 unread messages without opening the app. You can tell that your messaging app has new activity without unlocking your phone. The badge stays visible until you open the app and clear the notification, at which point the number usually resets to zero.
Different apps handle badges differently. Some apps let you turn badges on or off in their settings. Some apps show badges only for certain types of messages — for example, your email app might badge unread messages but not promotional emails. Some apps, like social media platforms, badge every notification they send, which is why those badges can climb to 99 or higher if you ignore them for a few days.
Key Takeaways
- Badge notifications are small numbered circles on app icons that show you have unread messages, updates, or other items waiting inside the app.
- The number in the badge tells you how many unread items there are, though some apps use a dot instead of a number to indicate something needs attention.
- Badges clear when you open the app and view or dismiss the notifications, though some apps require you to take a specific action like reading a message.
- You can usually turn badges on or off for individual apps in your phone's notification settings, and many apps let you control which types of messages trigger a badge.
Where you see badge notifications
On iPhones and iPads, badges appear in the top-right corner of the app icon on your home screen or in your app library. They are red circles with white numbers, and they stay visible until you open the app and clear the notification. Some badges appear on folders too — if you have a folder full of apps and one of them has a badge, the folder itself will show a badge number.
On Android phones, badges work similarly but look slightly different depending on which version of Android you have and which phone manufacturer made your device. Samsung phones, Google Pixels, and other Android devices all show badges on the home screen, though the style and color can vary. Some Android phones let you long-press an app icon to see a preview of what the badge is for without opening the app.
On Windows computers, badges appear on app icons in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen or in the Start menu. On Mac computers, badges show up on app icons in the Dock. On all these devices, the badge disappears once you open the app and address the notification.
How to turn badges on or off
On iPhone, go to Settings, then Notifications. Scroll down to find the app you want to change. Tap the app name, then look for the option that says "Badge App Icon" or just "Badges". Toggle it on to see badges for that app, or toggle it off to hide them. You can do this for every app individually, so you might turn badges on for Mail and Messages but off for social media apps.
On Android, the process varies by phone model, but the general path is Settings, then Apps or process Manager, then Notifications. Find the app you want to change and look for "Show badges" or "Badge count". Toggle it on or off. Some Android phones also let you long-press an app icon and tap "App info" to reach the same settings faster.
On Windows, right-click the app icon in the taskbar, select "Pin to taskbar" or "Unpin from taskbar" to remove it, then re-pin it if you want. For more control, go to Settings, then System, then Notifications and Actions. Scroll down to find the app and toggle "Show notifications in the action center" on or off. On Mac, open System Preferences, click Notifications, find the app in the list, and change the "Badge app icon" setting.
If you want to keep badges but reduce how many notifications trigger them, open the app itself and look for notification settings within that app. Many apps let you choose which types of messages create a badge — for example, you might badge direct messages but not group chats, or badge work emails but not newsletters.
Why badges keep climbing to high numbers
Badges climb to 99 or higher because each notification adds one to the count. If you receive 50 emails and never open Mail, the badge will show 50. If you receive 100 messages and never open Messages, the badge will show 100. Some apps cap the badge at 99 and then show "99+" to indicate there are more than 99 unread items, because a three-digit number would not fit in the small circle.
The badge does not clear automatically over time — it only clears when you open the app. This is by design: the badge is meant to persist until you actually deal with the notification. Some people find this motivating because the badge reminds them they have unread messages. Other people find it stressful because the badge keeps growing if they ignore notifications for days or weeks.
If a high badge number bothers you, you have three options: open the app and clear the notifications, turn off badges for that app entirely, or mute notifications from that app so new messages do not add to the badge count. The fastest way to clear a large badge is usually to open the app, select all notifications, and delete them at once — though this depends on how the app is designed.
Badges versus other notification types
Badges are one of three main ways an app tells you something has happened. The other two are sounds and vibrations (your phone buzzes or plays a sound when a notification arrives) and banners or alerts (a message pops up on your screen). You can usually control all three separately in your notification settings.
Some people turn off sounds and vibrations but keep badges on, so they see what is waiting without being interrupted by noise. Other people turn off badges but keep sounds on, so they know when ready when something arrives but do not have a visual reminder on their home screen. The right combination depends on what works for your daily routine.
Badges are also different from notification dots, which some apps use instead. A notification dot is a small colored circle on an app icon with no number inside it — it just means something is new, without telling you how many things are new. Some apps use dots because they do not count notifications, or because the developer chose a simpler design.
Common reasons badges do not clear
Sometimes you open an app and the badge stays there even though you have read all the new messages. This usually happens because the app counts unread items differently than you expect. For example, Mail might count an email as unread if you have not opened it, even if you have seen a preview of it in the notification. Messages might count a conversation as unread if the other person sent a new message while you were typing a reply.
To clear a stubborn badge, try opening the app and marking all items as read. In Mail, this usually means selecting all messages and clicking "Mark as Read". In Messages, it might mean opening each conversation and scrolling to the bottom. Some apps have a "Clear all" button in their notification settings that will reset the badge to zero.
If a badge still will not clear, the app itself might have a bug, or the notification system on your device might be out of sync with the app. Try closing the app completely and opening it again. If that does not work, restart your phone. If the badge persists after a restart, you can turn off badges for that app in your notification settings and turn them back on, which usually resets the count.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some apps show a dot instead of a number?
Some app developers choose to use a dot because they do not track how many unread items you have, or because they want a simpler design. A dot means something is new or needs attention, but the app is not counting how many things. You can usually turn dots on or off the same way you control numbered badges, in your notification settings.
Can I clear a badge without opening the app?
On some phones and apps, you can swipe away a notification from your lock screen or notification center, which clears the badge without opening the app. On others, you must open the app itself. It depends on the app and your device. Try swiping a notification away and see if the badge clears — if it does not, you will need to open the app.
What does it mean when a badge shows a zero?
A badge showing zero is unusual and usually means the app has a glitch or is counting something you cannot see. Most apps remove the badge entirely when the count reaches zero. If you see a zero badge, try opening the app and closing it again, or restart your phone. If it persists, you can turn badges off and back on for that app.
Do badges use battery or data?
Badges themselves use almost no battery or data — they are just a number displayed on your screen. However, the notifications that create badges do use a small amount of battery and data because the app has to check for new messages. Turning off badges does not stop the app from receiving notifications; it just hides the visual counter.
Can I set a badge to clear automatically after a certain time?
Most phones and apps do not have a built-in option to auto-clear badges after a set time. Badges stay until you open the app or manually clear them. Some apps have their own settings that let you mark old notifications as read automatically, which might clear the badge, but this varies by app. Check the app's own settings to see what options are available.