The fastest way to clear all notifications at once

Swipe up from the bottom of your screen to open Control Center, then press and hold the Notifications icon (it looks like a bell). Tap "Manage Notifications" and select "Clear All" at the top. This removes every notification from your lock screen and notification center in one action.

If you're on an older iPhone without Control Center, swipe down from the top of the screen to open Notification Center, then swipe left on any notification and tap the trash icon. You can also press and hold a notification to see options for that specific app.

The notifications disappear from your phone, but this does not change your notification settings — your apps will still send new ones. If you want to stop receiving notifications from certain apps entirely, you need to adjust those settings separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Swipe up from the bottom and hold the Notifications icon in Control Center, then tap "Clear All" to remove every notification at once.
  • You can swipe left on individual notifications to delete them one by one without clearing everything.
  • Clearing notifications does not turn off future notifications — it only removes the ones already on your screen.
  • If an app's notifications keep piling up, you can silence that app from the notification itself by swiping left and tapping "Manage".

Clearing notifications from your lock screen

When you unlock your iPhone, notifications appear on your lock screen. To remove them without opening Control Center, swipe left on any notification and tap the trash icon. The notification disappears, but your phone keeps sending new ones from that app.

If you have many notifications stacked together, you can tap "Clear All" directly on the lock screen notification stack. This clears only the notifications from that specific app, not from your entire phone.

Silencing an app's notifications without deleting them

If one app sends too many notifications, you can silence it temporarily without clearing the ones already there. Swipe left on a notification from that app and tap "Manage". Choose "Silence [App Name]" to stop new notifications from that app for one hour. After one hour, notifications resume.

You can also tap "Turn Off" from the same menu to disable notifications from that app completely. This is different from clearing — the notifications already on your screen stay there, but no new ones arrive.

Clearing notifications from Notification Center

Swipe down from the top of your screen to open Notification Center. You'll see all your notifications grouped by app. Tap "Clear All" in the upper right corner to remove every notification at once.

If you want to clear notifications from only one app, swipe left on that app's notification group and tap the trash icon. The notifications from that app disappear, but notifications from other apps remain.

Removing notifications without unlocking your phone

You can clear notifications from your lock screen without entering your passcode. Swipe left on any notification and tap the trash icon. This works the same way whether your phone is locked or unlocked.

If you want to clear all notifications at once while your phone is locked, you'll need to unlock it first to access Control Center or Notification Center. There is no way to clear all notifications from a locked screen in one action.

Why notifications keep coming back

Clearing notifications removes the ones you see on your screen, but it does not stop your apps from sending new ones. If you want to prevent notifications from returning, you need to change your notification settings for each app.

Go to Settings, tap Notifications, select the app, and toggle off "Allow Notifications". You can also choose to allow notifications but turn off sounds, badges, or banners so they're less intrusive. These changes stay in place until you change them again.

Clearing badges and notification dots

Some apps show a red circle with a number on their icon — this is called a badge. Clearing notifications from Notification Center does not always clear the badge. To remove it, you usually need to open the app itself, which marks the notification as read.

If opening the app doesn't clear the badge, go to Settings, tap Notifications, select the app, and toggle off "Badges". The red circles will stop appearing, though the app may still send notifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing notifications turn off future notifications?

No. Clearing removes the notifications already on your screen, but your apps will continue sending new ones. To stop notifications from an app, go to Settings > Notifications, select the app, and toggle off "Allow Notifications".

Can I clear notifications from one app without clearing all of them?

Yes. Swipe left on that app's notification or notification group and tap the trash icon. Only that app's notifications disappear. You can also open Notification Center, swipe left on a specific app, and tap delete.

What's the difference between clearing and silencing a notification?

Clearing removes notifications from your screen. Silencing stops new notifications from arriving for one hour. Both leave your notification settings unchanged, so new notifications will resume after the silence period ends.

Why is there still a red badge on my app after I cleared notifications?

Badges and notifications are separate. Clearing notifications usually removes badges, but if one remains, open the app to mark everything as read. If that doesn't work, go to Settings > Notifications, select the app, and toggle off "Badges".

Can I clear notifications from my lock screen without unlocking my phone?

Yes. Swipe left on any notification on your lock screen and tap the trash icon. You do not need to enter your passcode. However, to clear all notifications at once, you need to unlock your phone and use Control Center or Notification Center.