How to Manage Notifications on iPhone & iPad

Control app notification settings to reduce distractions and save battery life.

Reduce distractions and save battery by optimizing which apps can send you notifications.

Why This Matters

Excessive notifications can:

• Interrupt focus and productivity
• Drain battery with screen wake-ups
• Cause unnecessary stress
• Waste time checking unimportant alerts

Benefits of optimization:

• Better focus and productivity
• Reduced anxiety and stress
• 5-10% battery savings
• More control over your device

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open Settings

Tap Settings on your home screen.

2. Go to Notifications

Tap Notifications.

3. Review Each App

Scroll through the list and tap each app to configure its notification settings.

4. Adjust Notification Options

For each app, you can control:

• Allow Notifications (on/off)
• Lock Screen display
• Notification Center display
• Banners
• Badge App Icon
• Sounds
• Critical Alerts

Notification Delivery Options

Immediate Delivery

Notifications appear instantly.

Best for:

• Messages and calls
• Calendar events
• Important work apps

Scheduled Summary

Notifications arrive in a scheduled bundle.

How to enable:

1. Tap an app in Notifications
2. Scroll to Notification Grouping
3. Select In Scheduled Summary

Configure summary times:

1. Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary
2. Choose delivery times (e.g., 9 AM and 6 PM)

Best for:

• Social media
• News apps
• Shopping apps
• Non-urgent updates

Turn Off Completely

Best for:

• Apps you rarely use
• Games
• Promotional apps

Notification Styles

Banners

Temporary notification that appears at top of screen.

Options:

• Temporary: Disappears automatically
• Persistent: Stays until dismissed

Recommendation: Temporary for most apps, Persistent for important apps only.

Alerts

Requires action to dismiss.

Recommendation: Only for critical apps (Calendar, Reminders).

None

No banner or alert, only appears in Notification Center.

Recommendation: For apps you check manually (email, social media).

Recommended Settings by App Type

Messaging (Messages, WhatsApp, Slack)

• ✅ Allow Notifications
• ✅ Lock Screen
• ✅ Notification Center
• ✅ Banners (Temporary)
• ✅ Sounds
• ✅ Badge App Icon

Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)

• ⚠️ Allow Notifications (or disable completely)
• ❌ Lock Screen
• ✅ Notification Center
• ❌ Banners
• ❌ Sounds
• ✅ Badge App Icon
• ⚠️ Use Scheduled Summary

Email

• ✅ Allow Notifications
• ⚠️ Lock Screen (optional)
• ✅ Notification Center
• ❌ Banners (check manually)
• ❌ Sounds
• ✅ Badge App Icon

News Apps

• ⚠️ Allow Notifications
• ❌ Lock Screen
• ✅ Notification Center
• ❌ Banners
• ❌ Sounds
• ❌ Badge App Icon
• ✅ Use Scheduled Summary

Games

• ❌ Allow Notifications (disable completely)

Shopping/Delivery Apps

• ✅ Allow Notifications (for order updates)
• ✅ Lock Screen (for deliveries)
• ✅ Notification Center
• ✅ Banners (Temporary)
• ✅ Sounds
• ✅ Badge App Icon

Advanced Notification Features

Focus Modes

Create custom Focus modes to filter notifications:

1. Settings > Focus
2. Choose or create a Focus (Work, Personal, Sleep)
3. Configure allowed apps and people
4. Schedule or enable manually

Pre-configured modes:

• Do Not Disturb
• Sleep
• Work
• Personal
• Driving

Critical Alerts

Allow certain apps to bypass Do Not Disturb and Focus modes.

Use for:

• Emergency alerts
• Health apps
• Home security
• Critical work apps

Enable:

1. Settings > Notifications > [App]
2. Toggle on Critical Alerts

Notification Previews

Control what shows in notifications:

1. Settings > Notifications > Show Previews
2. Choose:
   • Always: Show message content
   • When Unlocked: Only when device unlocked
   • Never: Never show content

Recommendation: “When Unlocked” for best balance of privacy and convenience.

Battery Impact

Notification-related battery usage:

• Screen wake-ups: 5-10% battery per day
• Network fetching: 2-5% battery per day
• Sound/vibration: 1-2% battery per day

Optimization saves: 5-10% battery by reducing notifications.

Notification Grouping

Control how notifications from the same app are grouped:

Automatic

• iOS groups intelligently
• Recommended for most apps

By App

• All notifications in one stack
• Good for high-volume apps

Off

• Each notification separate
• Use for important, low-volume apps

How Many Notifications Is Too Many?

Recommended daily notifications:

• 0-20: Optimal
• 20-50: Moderate
• 50-100: High (consider reducing)
• 100+: Excessive (definitely reduce)

Check your count:

1. Settings > Screen Time > See All Activity
2. Scroll to Notifications

Quick Notification Management

From Lock Screen or Notification Center:

1. Swipe left on a notification
2. Tap Options or …
3. Choose:
   • Turn Off for 1 Hour
   • Turn Off for Today
   • Settings (go to app notification settings)

Our Recommendation

Minimize distractions:

1. Only enable notifications for 5-10 essential apps
2. Use Scheduled Summary for social media and news
3. Disable Lock Screen notifications for non-urgent apps
4. Turn off sounds for most apps
5. Use Focus modes for work and sleep
6. Check Screen Time weekly to audit notifications

Result: Better focus, less stress, longer battery life.

Works on iPhone and iPad

Notification settings work identically on iPhone and iPad running iOS 7 or later. Scheduled Summary and Focus modes require iOS 15 or later.

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