Where to find the lock screen notification settings
Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap Notifications. You will see a list of every app that sends you notifications. Tap the app you want to change — for example, Messages, Mail, or a social media app. Scroll down until you see Lock Screen, which is a toggle switch. Turn it off, and that app will no longer show notifications on your lock screen, though it will still notify you when you unlock your phone.
The lock screen toggle is separate from other notification settings. You can turn off lock screen notifications for an app while keeping notifications in the notification center (the list you see when you swipe down from the top), or in the app itself. This means you stay informed without cluttering your lock screen every time your phone lights up.
Key Takeaways
- Go to Settings > Notifications, choose an app, scroll to Lock Screen, and toggle it off to hide that app's notifications from your lock screen.
- Turning off lock screen notifications does not stop the app from notifying you entirely — you will still see alerts in the notification center and when you unlock your phone.
- You can hide notifications from some apps on your lock screen while keeping them visible in other places, giving you control over what appears when your phone is locked.
- If an app does not have a Lock Screen toggle, it means that app does not send lock screen notifications at all.
How to hide notifications from multiple apps at once
If you want to hide lock screen notifications from several apps, you do not have to change each one individually. In the Notifications settings, look for Focus modes at the top of the screen. A Focus mode lets you create a custom set of rules — for example, you can set up a "Work" focus that hides notifications from social media apps, or a "Sleep" focus that hides notifications from everything except calls from your favorites.
When you turn on a Focus mode, your lock screen automatically follows those rules. This is faster than toggling individual apps if you want to silence a whole category of notifications at once. You can also schedule a Focus mode to turn on automatically at certain times — for instance, your Sleep focus can set up every night at 10 p.m. and turn off at 7 a.m.
What happens when you hide lock screen notifications
When you turn off lock screen notifications for an app, that app's messages will not appear on your lock screen when your phone is locked. However, the notification still exists — it goes to your notification center instead. When you unlock your phone and swipe down from the top, you will see the notification waiting for you.
Some apps also send badges (the red circles with numbers on the app icon). Hiding lock screen notifications does not remove badges. If you want to stop seeing badges too, go back to that app's notification settings and toggle off Badges. This is a separate control from lock screen notifications.
Hiding notifications from specific contacts
For apps like Messages and Mail, you can hide notifications from certain people without hiding them from everyone. Open Settings > Notifications, tap Messages, then scroll down and tap Customize Notifications. You will see options to change how notifications look for different contacts or groups.
This approach works best if you want to silence one person or group while staying visible to others. For example, you might hide lock screen notifications from a group chat but keep them visible for direct messages from your manager. The steps vary slightly by app, so check the notification settings for the specific app you are using.
Turning off notifications for apps you rarely use
If an app sends notifications you do not care about, you have three options: turn off lock screen notifications only, turn off all notifications from that app, or turn off the app's ability to notify you at all. The third option is the most complete. Go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and toggle off Allow Notifications at the very top. The app will no longer send you any notifications anywhere.
You can always turn notifications back on later if you change your mind. This setting does not uninstall the app or affect how it works — it only stops it from sending alerts. Many people turn off notifications for apps they installed but rarely open, like games or utilities they tried once.
Preventing notifications from waking your screen
Even if a notification appears on your lock screen, you can stop it from lighting up your phone. Go to Settings > Notifications, tap the app, and look for Notification Preview. Change it from Always to When Unlocked or Never. This means the notification will still be there when you pick up your phone, but it will not flash on the screen by itself.
This is useful if you want to reduce distractions without missing messages entirely. Your phone will still vibrate or make a sound (if you have those enabled), but the screen will stay dark. You can also turn off Sounds and Haptics for an app if you want notifications to appear silently on your lock screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person texting me know I hid their notifications?
No. Hiding lock screen notifications is a setting on your phone only. The person sending the message has no way to know whether you see it on your lock screen, in your notification center, or nowhere until you open the app. The message is delivered normally.
Can I hide notifications from one app but not others?
Yes. Each app has its own lock screen notification toggle in Settings > Notifications. You can turn off lock screen notifications for Mail but keep them on for Messages, for example. You control each app separately.
What is the difference between hiding lock screen notifications and turning off all notifications?
Hiding lock screen notifications means the app still notifies you in the notification center and when you unlock your phone — just not on the locked screen. Turning off all notifications stops the app from alerting you anywhere. Lock screen hiding is less drastic if you still want to know about messages, just not see them when your phone is locked.
If I use a Focus mode, do my notifications come back when I turn it off?
Yes. A Focus mode temporarily hides notifications based on rules you set, but it does not change your permanent notification settings. When you turn off the Focus mode, notifications go back to normal. Your individual app settings remain unchanged.
Can I hide notifications from an app but keep the badge showing?
Yes. Lock screen notifications and badges are controlled separately. You can turn off lock screen notifications for an app in Settings > Notifications while leaving the badge toggle on. The red number will still appear on the app icon, but the notification will not show on your locked screen.