Where to find the notification settings on your iPhone

Open the Settings app — the gray gear icon on your home screen. Scroll down until you see Notifications and tap it. You are now in the main notifications control panel where you can turn notifications on or off for every app on your phone.

The Notifications menu shows a list of every app that can send you alerts. Some apps appear here only after they have tried to send you a notification at least once. If you do not see an app you want to configure, it may not have sent anything yet, or it may not support notifications at all.

Key Takeaways

  • Notifications are turned on in Settings > Notifications, where you can control them app by app rather than all at once.
  • Each app can send notifications in different ways — as badges on the app icon, as banners at the top of the screen, or as sounds — and you choose which ones you want.
  • Turning on notifications for an app does not mean you have to receive every type of alert it sends; you can allow sounds but block banners, for example.
  • Some apps require you to turn on notifications twice: once in Settings and once inside the app itself.
  • Do Not Disturb mode silences notifications during set hours without turning them off permanently.

Turning notifications on for a specific app

Find the app in your Notifications list and tap it. At the top of that app's settings page, you will see a toggle switch labeled Allow Notifications. If the switch is gray, notifications are off. Tap the switch to turn it green, which means notifications are on.

Once you turn on Allow Notifications, more options appear below it. These let you choose how that app sends alerts to you. You do not have to accept all of them — you can turn on the app's notifications but block its sounds, or allow banners but turn off badges on the app icon. Each option is a separate toggle you control.

Choosing which types of notifications you receive from each app

After you turn on Allow Notifications for an app, you will see several options for how it reaches you. Sounds controls whether the app makes a noise when it sends an alert. Badges controls whether a red number appears on the app's icon showing how many unread items you have. Banners controls whether a message slides down from the top of your screen.

You can turn any of these on or off independently. For example, you might want your email app to show badges and banners but not play a sound. Or you might want your calendar app to make a sound and show a banner but not display a badge. Tap each toggle to match what you actually want to see and hear.

Some apps also offer Critical Alerts, which bypass Do Not Disturb mode and always reach you with sound. This option appears only for apps that Apple has approved for critical notifications — typically health, safety, or emergency apps. You can turn critical alerts on or off the same way.

Turning on notifications inside the app itself

Some apps require you to grant permission twice: once in iPhone Settings and once inside the app. After you turn on Allow Notifications in Settings, open the app itself and look for a notification or permission request. The app may ask "Would you like to receive notifications?" or show a similar prompt. Tap Yes or Allow to complete the setup.

If an app is not sending notifications even though you turned them on in Settings, check inside the app for its own notification settings. Many apps have their own notification controls separate from the iPhone system settings. Look for a menu option labeled Settings, Preferences, or Notifications within the app itself.

Using Do Not Disturb to pause notifications temporarily

If you want to silence notifications for a set period without turning them off permanently, use Do Not Disturb. Open Settings, tap Focus, then tap Do Not Disturb. Turn on the toggle to set up it when ready, or set a schedule so it turns on automatically at certain times each day.

When Do Not Disturb is on, notifications still arrive on your phone, but they do not make sounds or light up your screen. You can still see them in your notification center if you swipe down from the top. Most apps respect Do Not Disturb, though some critical alerts (like emergency calls from contacts in your Favorites) can still reach you.

Checking notification history in your notification center

Swipe down from the top of your screen to open the Notification Center. Here you see all the notifications you have received, organized by time. This is useful if you missed an alert or want to check what an app sent you without opening the app itself.

You can tap any notification to open the app that sent it, or swipe left on a notification to delete it. If you see notifications from an app you do not want, you can tap the three dots on that notification and choose to turn off notifications from that app without going back to Settings.

Troubleshooting notifications that are not appearing

If an app is not sending notifications even though you turned them on, check three things. First, make sure Allow Notifications is actually on in Settings > Notifications > [App Name]. Second, open the app and look for its own notification settings — some apps have a separate on-off switch inside the app. Third, check that Do Not Disturb is not currently active, which would silence all notifications.

If notifications still do not appear, try closing the app completely and reopening it. Sometimes an app needs to restart to send notifications properly. If that does not work, go back to Settings > Notifications, turn Allow Notifications off, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. This resets the app's notification permission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn on notifications for an app without letting it make sounds?

Yes. Turn on Allow Notifications, then turn off the Sounds toggle while leaving Banners and Badges on. The app will still send you alerts, but silently. This is useful for apps you want to check regularly but do not want interrupting you with noise.

What is the difference between banners and badges?

A banner is a message that slides down from the top of your screen when a notification arrives. A badge is the red number that appears on the app's icon on your home screen. You can have one without the other — for example, badges without banners if you want to know something arrived but do not want the distraction of a pop-up.

Why does an app ask for notification permission twice?

The first permission is in iPhone Settings, which controls whether the system allows the app to send notifications at all. The second is inside the app, which lets the app know you want its specific notifications. Both have to be on for notifications to reach you. Some apps skip the second step, but many require both.

If I turn off notifications for an app, can I turn them back on later?

Yes. Go back to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and turn Allow Notifications back on. You can turn notifications on and off as many times as you want. The app will start sending alerts again when ready.

Do notifications still come through if my iPhone is locked?

Yes, unless Do Not Disturb is on. Notifications appear on your lock screen, and banners slide down even when the phone is locked. Sounds and vibrations also work when locked, unless you have silenced your phone with the mute switch on the side.