Where to find notification settings on your iPhone
Push notifications on iPhone are controlled in the Settings app, not in individual programs. Open Settings, scroll down to find the app you want notifications from, tap it, and toggle Allow Notifications to on. The switch will turn green when notifications are active for that app.
If you do not see an app listed in Settings, it either does not support notifications or you have not opened it yet. Some apps only appear in the notification settings after you launch them once. If you have just installed an app and want to enable notifications when ready, open the app first, then return to Settings.
You can also reach notification settings faster by going to Settings > Notifications, which shows every app on your phone in one list. This view lets you turn notifications on or off for multiple apps without hunting through Settings individually.
Key Takeaways
- Push notifications are turned on through Settings > Notifications, not within individual apps.
- Each app has its own toggle switch — turning on notifications for one app does not affect others.
- You can choose how each app sends notifications: as banners, badges, or sounds, or a combination of all three.
- Turning on notifications for an app does not mean you have to receive them constantly — you can set quiet hours or focus modes to pause them during specific times.
Choosing how notifications appear on your screen
Once you turn on Allow Notifications for an app, you decide what form those notifications take. In the same app settings, you will see options for Alerts, Badges, and Sounds & Haptics. You can turn any of these on or off independently.
Alerts are the messages that pop up on your screen — either as banners that appear at the top and disappear after a few seconds, or as full-screen notifications that stay until you dismiss them. Tap Alert Style to choose between Banner (temporary) and Full Screen (stays until you tap it). Badges are the small red circles with numbers that appear on the app icon, showing how many unread items you have. Sounds & Haptics controls whether your phone makes a sound or vibrates when a notification arrives.
You do not have to use all three. Many people turn on badges so they know an app has something new, but turn off sounds and alerts so the notifications do not interrupt them. Others want only sounds and no visual notifications. The combination you choose depends on how much you want each app to grab your attention.
Grouping notifications so they do not pile up
If an app sends many notifications, they can quickly clutter your lock screen or notification center. Below the alert style, you will see a Notification Grouping option. By default it is set to Automatic, which groups notifications from the same app together. You can also choose By App to always stack them, or Off to see each notification separately.
Grouping is useful when an app like email or messaging sends multiple notifications in a short time. Instead of seeing ten separate alerts, they stack into one expandable group that you can open if you want to see the details. If you prefer to see every notification individually, turn grouping off — but be aware that your lock screen will fill up faster.
Using Focus modes to pause notifications at specific times
Turning on notifications does not mean you have to receive them all day and night. Focus modes let you pause notifications from specific apps during certain times or situations. Go to Settings > Focus, then choose an existing focus (like Do Not Disturb, Sleep, or Work) or create a new one.
When you set up a focus, you choose which apps and contacts are allowed to send notifications while that focus is active. For example, you might allow notifications from Messages and Phone during Work focus, but silence everything else. When you turn on Work focus, only those apps will send notifications — the rest stay silent even though they are still turned on in your main notification settings.
You can also set a focus to turn on automatically at a specific time, location, or when you open a particular app. Sleep focus, for instance, can turn on automatically at 10 p.m. and turn off at 7 a.m., silencing all notifications except from your favorite contacts. This way you do not have to manually toggle notifications on and off.
Allowing notifications from specific contacts or senders
Some apps let you choose which contacts or senders can send you notifications. In the notification settings for Messages or Mail, you will see an option for Allowed Notifications or VIP. You can set these apps to send notifications only from people you mark as important, silencing everyone else.
This is different from turning off notifications entirely. The app is still running and receiving messages, but you only get alerted when someone on your allowed list sends something. You can still check the app manually to see messages from others — you just will not be interrupted by a notification.
Turning off notifications for an app completely
If an app sends notifications you do not want at all, go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and toggle Allow Notifications to off. The switch will turn gray. The app will no longer send any notifications to your phone.
Turning off notifications does not delete the app or prevent it from working. You can still open the app and use it normally — you just will not receive alerts when something new happens. If you change your mind later, you can turn notifications back on the same way.
Checking your notification history if you missed something
If a notification arrived while your phone was locked or you were using another app, you can find it in your Notification Center. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open Notification Center and see all recent notifications grouped by app. Notifications stay there for a few days before disappearing.
You can also check individual apps to see what you missed. Most apps show unread messages or alerts within the app itself, even if you did not see the notification when it arrived. The badge number on the app icon also tells you how many unread items are waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to allow notifications to use an app?
No. You can use any app without allowing notifications. Turning off notifications just means you will not receive alerts — the app itself works normally. You can open it anytime to check for new messages or updates manually.
What is the difference between a banner and a full-screen alert?
A banner appears at the top of your screen for a few seconds, then disappears automatically. A full-screen alert takes up your entire screen and stays until you tap a button to dismiss it. Banners are less intrusive; full-screen alerts are harder to miss.
Can I turn on notifications for one contact in Messages but not others?
Yes. In Settings > Notifications > Messages, you can set Allowed Notifications to show alerts only from people in your Favorites or VIP list. Everyone else can still message you, but you will not get a notification unless they are on your allowed list.
If I turn off notifications, will I still see badges on the app icon?
No. When you turn off Allow Notifications, badges are also disabled. If you want badges but no sounds or alerts, keep notifications on and turn off only the alert style and sounds.
Can notifications from one app wake my screen?
Full-screen alerts will wake your screen when they arrive. Banners will not. If you want an app to grab your attention even when your phone is asleep, choose Full Screen as your alert style for that app.