What Are App Notifications?
A notification is a message from an app that appears on your phone screen, even when you are not using that app. They show up as banners at the top of your screen, sounds, vibrations, or numbers on the app icon.
- Text messages and phone calls — these are important
- Email alerts — useful if you want to know when new mail arrives
- News headlines — often not urgent
- Social media alerts — Facebook likes, Instagram comments, etc.
- App promotions — sales, reminders to use the app, and advertisements
- Game notifications — reminders to play, daily rewards, etc.
Tip: Most notifications are not urgent. You are in charge of which apps can interrupt you — and you can change this at any time.
How to Turn Off Notifications on an iPhone
You can control notifications for each app individually on an iPhone.
- 1Open the Settings app (the gray gear icon)
- 2Scroll down and tap "Notifications"
- 3You will see a list of every app on your phone
- 4Tap any app to see its notification settings
- 5Toggle "Allow Notifications" off to stop all notifications from that app
- 6Or leave notifications on but turn off "Sounds" or "Badges" to make them less intrusive
Tip: Start with the apps that bother you most. Facebook, news apps, and games are usually the biggest culprits. Turn those off first and see how much quieter your phone becomes.
How to Turn Off Notifications on an Android Phone
Android phones work similarly, though the exact steps vary slightly by phone brand.
- 1Open the Settings app
- 2Tap "Notifications" or "Apps & notifications" (the name varies by phone)
- 3Tap "See all apps" or "App notifications"
- 4Tap any app to see its notification settings
- 5Toggle notifications off for apps you do not want to hear from
- 6On Samsung phones, you can also press and hold a notification when it appears and tap "Turn off notifications" right from there
Notifications You Should Keep On
Not all notifications are nuisances. Some are genuinely important.
- Phone calls and text messages — always keep these on
- Email — useful if you want to know when important messages arrive
- Your bank or credit card app — fraud alerts can save you money
- Health apps — medication reminders, appointment alerts
- Emergency alerts — these come from your carrier and warn about severe weather or local emergencies
- Video calling apps (FaceTime, Zoom) — so you do not miss calls from family
Using Do Not Disturb for Peace and Quiet
Do Not Disturb silences all notifications temporarily — perfect for sleeping, reading, or watching TV.
- On iPhone: Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then tap the crescent moon icon
- On Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap "Do Not Disturb"
- You can set Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically at bedtime in your phone settings
- Important: You can allow calls from specific people (like family) to come through even during Do Not Disturb
Tip: Setting Do Not Disturb to turn on automatically from 9 PM to 8 AM means you will never be woken up by a notification again — but family members can still reach you if they call.
What the Numbers on App Icons Mean
The red circles with numbers on app icons are called badges. They show how many unread notifications are waiting.
- A badge on your Messages app means you have unread text messages
- A badge on your Email app means you have unread emails
- A badge on Facebook or other social apps means someone liked or commented on something
- You can turn off badges for specific apps in the same notification settings described above