Where to find the lock screen notification settings

Open Settings on your iPhone, then go to Notifications. You will see a list of every app that sends you notifications. Tap the app you want to change, and you will find options for how — and where — those notifications appear.

The setting you are looking for is called Show Previews. This controls whether the notification content (the actual message) shows on your lock screen, or whether you only see the app name and a generic alert. Below that, you will see Lock Screen as a separate toggle. Turning this off removes the notification from your lock screen entirely, though it will still arrive in your notification center when you unlock the phone.

Key Takeaways

  • Turn off the Lock Screen toggle in Settings > Notifications > [App Name] to stop that app's notifications from appearing on your lock screen.
  • Use Show Previews set to When Unlocked to hide the message content on your lock screen but still see that a notification arrived.
  • Notifications hidden from your lock screen still reach your notification center, so you will not miss them when you unlock your phone.
  • You can change these settings per app, so you can hide notifications from some apps while keeping others visible on your lock screen.
  • Focus modes let you silence notifications from all apps during specific times or activities, without permanently changing individual app settings.

The difference between hiding the message and hiding the notification

There are two separate things you can hide: the notification itself, or just the content inside it. Understanding the difference matters because they do different jobs.

If you turn off Lock Screen entirely, the notification does not appear on your lock screen at all. You will not see a badge, a banner, or any sign that the app tried to reach you — until you unlock your phone and check your notification center. This is useful for apps that send frequent low-priority messages, like social media or news apps.

If you keep Lock Screen on but set Show Previews to When Unlocked, the notification still appears on your lock screen, but it shows only the app name and a generic message like "1 New Message" instead of the actual text. This way, you know something arrived without exposing the content to someone looking at your phone. This is the better choice for apps like Messages or Mail where you want to know something came in, but the content is private.

Using Focus modes to silence notifications by time or activity

If you want to hide notifications temporarily rather than permanently, Focus modes are faster than changing individual app settings. A Focus is a preset that silences notifications from specific apps during a time you choose — like Work, Sleep, or Driving.

Go to Settings > Focus and tap the plus sign to create a new Focus. Name it (Work, Sleep, Gym, whatever fits your day), then tap Apps and choose which apps can still send notifications while that Focus is active. All other apps will be silenced. You can set the Focus to turn on automatically at a certain time, when you arrive at a location, or when you open a specific app.

Once a Focus is set up, you can turn it on from your lock screen by swiping down to see the Control Center, then tapping the Focus icon. This is much faster than going into Settings each time, and you can switch between different Focuses depending on what you are doing.

Hiding notifications from specific contacts or conversations

For Messages and Mail, you can hide notifications from specific people or conversations without silencing the entire app. In the Messages app, swipe left on a conversation and tap the bell icon with a slash through it. That conversation will no longer send notifications to your lock screen, though you will still see new messages when you open the app.

In Mail, open an email from the sender you want to mute, tap the sender's name at the top, then tap Mute. You can also swipe left on an email in your inbox and tap the bell icon. These conversations will still arrive in your inbox, but they will not trigger notifications on your lock screen.

Controlling notification badges and banners separately

Your iPhone can show notifications in three different ways: as a badge (a red number on the app icon), as a banner (a small alert that slides down from the top), or on the lock screen. You can turn each one on or off independently.

In Settings > Notifications > [App Name], look for Badges and Banners. Turn off Badges if you do not want a red number on the app icon. Turn off Banners if you do not want alerts sliding down while you are using your phone. The Lock Screen toggle controls only what appears when your phone is locked. This gives you fine control — for example, you could let an app show a badge and a banner while you are using your phone, but hide it from your lock screen so it does not distract you at night.

What happens to notifications you hide from your lock screen

Hiding a notification from your lock screen does not delete it or prevent it from reaching you. When you unlock your phone, the notification goes to your Notification Center, which you can access by swiping down from the top of your home screen. All your notifications — even the ones hidden from your lock screen — will be there, organized by app and time.

This means you can safely hide notifications from apps you do not want to see when ready without worrying that you will miss something important. The notification is still there; it just waits until you unlock your phone to show itself. If you want to check notifications without unlocking your phone, you can use Siri or ask Siri to read your notifications aloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide notifications from one contact but not others in the same app?

Yes, but only in Messages and Mail. Swipe left on a specific conversation or email and tap the bell icon to mute just that person or thread. For other apps, you can only hide notifications from the entire app, not from individual users or accounts within it.

Will I still get notifications if I turn off Lock Screen but keep the app on?

Yes. The notification will not appear on your lock screen, but it will arrive in your Notification Center when you unlock your phone. You will also still see a badge on the app icon if you have badges turned on.

What is the difference between turning off notifications and using Do Not Disturb?

Turning off notifications for an app means that app never alerts you. Do Not Disturb (or a Focus mode) silences all notifications temporarily, then turns them back on later. Use Do Not Disturb for times when you want quiet; turn off notifications for apps you never want to hear from.

If I hide a notification from my lock screen, can someone else see it if they pick up my phone?

No. If the notification is not on your lock screen, they cannot see it without unlocking your phone. This is the main reason to use When Unlocked for private messages — the content stays hidden from anyone looking at your locked phone.

Can I hide notifications from an app but still see its badge?

Yes. In Settings > Notifications > [App Name], turn off Lock Screen and Banners, but leave Badges on. The red number will still appear on the app icon, but no notifications will show on your lock screen or as alerts while you use your phone.