Badges are the small red circles with numbers that appear on your app icons
A badge is the small red circle (or sometimes a red dot) that shows up on an app icon on your home screen or in your app library. The number inside tells you how many unread items are waiting — unread emails, text messages, missed calls, or app notifications. The badge stays visible until you open the app and clear those items.
Badges are designed to catch your eye and remind you that something needs your attention. They work because they're persistent — they don't disappear after a few seconds like a notification banner does. That persistence is exactly why some people find them stressful. A badge sitting on your Mail icon all day can feel like a constant demand, even if you've decided those emails aren't urgent.
Not every app uses badges the same way. Mail counts unread messages. Messages counts unread texts. Some apps like Reminders count incomplete tasks. Others like social media apps count new likes or comments. Some apps let you control what triggers a badge; others don't give you that choice.
Key Takeaways
- Badges are the numbered red circles on app icons that show unread items, and they stay visible until you open the app and clear them.
- You can turn off badges for individual apps in Settings > Notifications, which removes the red circle without turning off all notifications.
- Turning off a badge does not delete unread items or stop the app from working — it just hides the count from your home screen.
- Some apps count unread items differently: Mail counts unread emails, Messages counts unread texts, and social apps count new interactions.
- You can keep notifications on while turning off badges if you want alerts but not the constant visual reminder on your home screen.
How to turn off badges for one app
Open Settings on your iPhone. Tap Notifications. Scroll down and find the app you want to change — for example, Mail or Messages. Tap the app name. Look for the toggle next to "Badge App Icon" and turn it off. That's it. The red circle will no longer appear on that app's icon.
This removes only the badge. The app will still send you notifications if you have them turned on. You'll still see banners at the top of your screen or sounds when new items arrive. The badge just won't sit on the icon waiting for you to look at it.
If you want to turn off badges for multiple apps, repeat this step for each one. There's no way to turn off all badges at once — you have to do it app by app. This is actually useful, because it means you can keep badges on for apps that matter to you (like Messages from family) and turn them off for apps that create noise (like social media).
The difference between badges and notifications
A notification is the alert that arrives when something happens — a banner that slides down from the top, a sound, a vibration, or a popup. A badge is what stays behind after the notification is gone. You can have one without the other.
You might turn off notifications for an app entirely because you don't want to be interrupted, but keep the badge so you can check it when you have time. Or you might keep notifications on so you hear about urgent messages, but turn off the badge so you're not visually reminded all day. The Settings menu lets you control each one separately.
Some people turn off badges because they find the red circles stressful — they feel like a to-do list that never goes away. Others turn them off because they check their apps regularly and don't need the reminder. Neither approach is right or wrong. It depends on what helps you stay focused without missing things that actually matter to you.
Why some apps don't let you turn off badges
Apple's built-in apps like Mail, Messages, and Phone always show badges if you have unread items. You can't turn off the badge for these apps in Settings — the toggle either isn't there or is grayed out. This is by design. Apple treats these as core communication tools and wants you to see when you have unread messages or missed calls.
Third-party apps have more flexibility. Most social media apps, email clients, and messaging apps let you control badges in their own settings, separate from the iPhone's Notifications menu. If you don't see a badge toggle in iPhone Settings for an app, check the app's own settings menu — look for a Notifications or Badge section inside the app itself.
Some apps count badges in ways you can't control. For example, some email apps count every unread message as a badge number, while others only count unread messages from certain senders. If a badge number seems wrong or won't go away, opening the app and marking items as read usually clears it.
What happens to unread items when you turn off badges
Turning off a badge does not delete unread items or mark them as read. If you have 47 unread emails and turn off the Mail badge, those 47 emails are still there, still unread. The badge just stops showing the number on your home screen. When you open Mail, you'll see the unread count inside the app itself.
This is important to understand because some people worry that turning off badges means they'll forget about unread items entirely. That's possible — if you never open an app, you won't see what's inside. But the app itself still knows what's unread. You're just removing the visual reminder from your home screen.
If you rely on badges to remember to check an app, turning them off might mean you need a different system — like setting a specific time each day to check Mail, or using a reminder app to prompt you. The badge was doing that job for you, so you need to replace it with something else if you want to stay on top of things.
Badges on the lock screen and notification center
On newer iPhones, badges can also appear on your lock screen — the screen you see when your phone is locked. You can control lock screen badges separately from home screen badges. Go to Settings > Notifications, find the app, and look for "Lock Screen" options. Some apps let you show badges on the lock screen but not the home screen, or vice versa.
The Notification Center (the screen you see when you swipe down from the top) shows badges differently. It displays notification summaries rather than badge numbers. Turning off badges in Settings doesn't affect what shows up in Notification Center — that's controlled by the "Show Previews" and other notification settings.
When to keep badges on and when to turn them off
Keep badges on for apps where you need a quick visual reminder: Messages from family, Calendar events, or Reminders for tasks. These are things you actually want to notice without opening the app. A badge on Messages tells you at a glance that someone texted you.
Turn badges off for apps that create constant noise: social media, news apps, or email newsletters. These apps often have high badge numbers that don't represent anything urgent. A badge showing 200 unread notifications from Instagram doesn't help you — it just creates visual clutter. You can still open the app when you want to, and you'll see what's new inside.
You can also turn off badges for apps you check regularly without needing a reminder. If you open Mail five times a day anyway, the badge isn't giving you information you don't already have. Removing it just reduces visual noise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off badges mean I'll miss important messages?
No. Turning off the badge only removes the red circle from the icon. If you have notifications turned on, you'll still get alerts when messages arrive. You'll see a banner, hear a sound, or feel a vibration. You just won't have the persistent reminder sitting on your home screen.
Can I turn off badges for all apps at once?
No. iPhone doesn't have a master toggle to turn off all badges. You have to go into Settings > Notifications and turn off each app individually. This takes a few minutes if you want to change many apps, but it also means you can be selective about which apps get badges.
Why does my badge number not match the actual unread items in the app?
Some apps count badges differently than you'd expect. Mail might count unread emails, but some email clients count unread messages from VIP senders only. Social media apps might count new interactions rather than new posts. Opening the app and checking its own settings usually explains the discrepancy. Marking items as read inside the app will clear the badge.
Can I have notifications without badges?
Yes. In Settings > Notifications for each app, you can turn off "Badge App Icon" while keeping notifications, sounds, and banners turned on. This way you get alerted when something arrives, but the red circle doesn't sit on your home screen afterward.
What's the difference between a badge and a notification dot?
Some apps show a small red dot instead of a numbered badge. The dot means there's something new, but the app doesn't count how many items. You control both the same way — through Settings > Notifications > [App Name] > Badge App Icon. Turning off that toggle removes both the numbered badge and the dot.