Where to find notification settings for each app

Push notifications on iPhone are controlled app by app, not all at once. You turn them on in two places: first in the app itself (if it has its own settings), then in your iPhone's main Settings if the app asks permission. Most apps ask permission the first time you open them — you'll see a popup asking "Allow [App Name] to send you notifications?" Tap Allow to turn them on, or Don't Allow to skip it.

If you missed that popup or want to change your answer later, go to Settings > Notifications and scroll down to find the app name. Tap it to open that app's notification settings. You'll see a toggle for Allow Notifications — turn it on (the toggle will be green) to receive push notifications from that app.

Some apps have their own notification controls inside the app itself, separate from iPhone's system settings. For example, Gmail lets you choose notification sounds and frequency from within the Gmail app, even after you've turned on notifications in iPhone Settings. Check the app's settings menu (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines) to see what options it offers.

Key Takeaways

  • When you first open an app, it will ask permission to send notifications — tap Allow to turn them on at that moment.
  • You can turn notifications on or off for any app anytime by going to Settings > Notifications, finding the app, and toggling Allow Notifications on or off.
  • Some apps have their own notification settings inside the app that let you control sound, frequency, or what types of alerts you receive.
  • If an app doesn't appear in your Notifications list, it either doesn't support push notifications or you haven't opened it yet.

What happens when you allow notifications

Once you turn on notifications for an app, that app can send you alerts on your lock screen, in your notification center, and as badges (the red numbers on app icons). The app will also be able to send notifications even when you're not using it — that's what "push" means. The notification travels from the app's servers to your phone.

You don't have to do anything else after turning them on. The app handles the rest. However, you can still control how those notifications look and sound by adjusting other settings in the Notifications menu. For instance, you can turn off sounds but keep visual alerts, or turn off badges but keep notifications in your notification center.

Turning notifications on for apps that didn't ask permission

Some apps don't ask for notification permission when you first open them. This is usually because the app developer didn't build in that request, or because the app is very new. If you want notifications from an app that never asked, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll down, and look for the app name. If it's there, tap it and toggle Allow Notifications on.

If the app doesn't appear in the Notifications list at all, the app either doesn't support push notifications or you need to open it at least once for it to show up. Open the app, wait a few seconds, then go back to Settings > Notifications and check again. If it still doesn't appear, that app straightforward doesn't have push notification capability.

Allowing notifications for specific types of alerts

After you turn on Allow Notifications for an app, you'll see more options appear below it. These let you choose which kinds of alerts you want. The most common options are Lock Screen (notifications appear on your lock screen), Notification Center (they appear when you swipe down from the top), and Badges (the red number on the app icon).

You can turn any of these on or off independently. For example, you might want badge notifications from a mail app but not lock screen alerts, so you see the count of unread messages on the icon but don't get interrupted by popups. Scroll down further in that app's notification settings to find options for sound, vibration, and whether notifications appear as a banner or as a list.

Allowing notifications when your iPhone asks again

Sometimes an app will ask for notification permission a second time, even though it asked before. This usually happens after a major app update or if you previously said "Don't Allow" and the app is asking again. When you see the popup, tap Allow to turn notifications on.

If you keep tapping "Don't Allow" and the app keeps asking, you can stop the popups by going to Settings > Notifications, finding the app, and toggling Allow Notifications off. This tells the app you've made a choice and it should stop asking.

Checking which apps have notification permission

To see all the apps that currently have permission to send you notifications, go to Settings > Notifications and look at the list. Any app with Allow Notifications toggled on (green) is actively sending you alerts. Apps with the toggle off (gray) won't send notifications, even if they asked for permission before.

This is useful if you're trying to figure out which app is sending you unwanted alerts. Scroll through the list, find the culprit, and toggle it off. You can always turn it back on later if you change your mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between allowing notifications and turning on Do Not Disturb?

Allowing notifications means the app can send you alerts. Do Not Disturb is a separate setting that silences all notifications temporarily, regardless of which apps have permission. You can have notifications allowed but still be in Do Not Disturb mode, so you won't see or hear them until you turn Do Not Disturb off.

If I say "Don't Allow" to notifications, can I change my mind later?

Yes. Go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and toggle Allow Notifications on. The app won't ask you again — it will just start sending notifications. You don't need to uninstall or reinstall the app.

Why doesn't an app appear in my Notifications list?

The app either doesn't support push notifications, or you haven't opened it yet. Open the app once and wait a few seconds, then check Settings > Notifications again. If it still doesn't appear, that app straightforward can't send push notifications.

Can I allow notifications for some contacts but not others in the same app?

That depends on the app. Some apps like Messages and Mail let you customize notifications per contact or sender from within the app's settings. Others don't. Check the app's own settings menu to see what options it offers.