If endless notifications from messaging apps, games, and social networks keep breaking your concentration, filter the data stream on your iPhone or iPad to get rid of unnecessary notifications and properly configure the ones you actually want.<\/p>\n
To protect your data (and money), it\u2019s important to pay attention to several types of notifications.<\/p>\n
Other notifications do not tend to require instant response, so they are safe to turn off. Here\u2019s how to do that on an iPhone or iPad (see tips for other devices here<\/a>).<\/p>\n The easiest way to cut yourself off from the outside world is by activating silent mode. To enable it, simply slide the switch on the side of the device so that the orange mark is visible. In silent mode, ringtones and notification sounds are off, but alarms and vibrations stay on.<\/p>\n To turn off notification vibrations as well:<\/p>\n Now, we\u2019ll examine some of your device\u2019s more advanced features for adapting to your lifestyle.<\/p>\n If you want to spend some time in total silence, enable Do Not Disturb mode, which keeps your phone from distracting you with calls or messages. Alarms still work in DND mode, so you can safely activate the feature before going to bed and not worry about being late for work in the morning.<\/p>\n To enable Do Not Disturb mode, pull up the Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon. Hold it down to adjust the duration.<\/p>\n You can also access DND in the device\u2019s settings, under Notifications, and set a Do Not Disturb mode schedule as well.<\/p>\n On the same screen, you can allow incoming calls from certain contacts when in Do Not Disturb mode, as well as calls that come in more than once in quick succession:<\/p>\n You can also turn on automatic replies so that the iPhone answers people who try to contact you. To do so, tap Auto-Reply<\/em> and write what you want it to say. The default message says you are driving. To specify who will receive these messages, tap Auto-Reply To<\/em> and select: No One, Favorites, All Contacts, or Recents.<\/p>\n Instead of choosing all or nothing, you can adjust each app\u2019s notification settings separately. For example, you can choose pop-up banners but no beep, dot-style badges with the number of missed messages, or any other combination. Open Settings<\/em>, then Notifications<\/em>, and scroll down to the list of apps to get started.<\/p>\n You can instead opt to configure alerts as they come in, for example, through notifications on a locked device, in the Notification Center, or through banners that appear at the top of the screen. In the first two cases, swipe the notification to the left and then select Manage<\/em>. In the third, pull the banner down and tap Do not disturb<\/em> or the three dots in the upper right corner. In the window that opens, you will see two options:<\/p>\n Another important Notification option, Show Previews<\/em> controls message previews. Hide those previews to keep anyone from viewing bits of your messages or calendar items if the device is locked (or at all).<\/p>\n Still distracted? Time to amp up the control. Open Settings<\/em>, find Screen Time<\/em> mode, and tap Turn On Screen Time<\/em>. Screen Time includes useful features such as:<\/p>\n To block one app but not another in the same category, you must also add the latter to the Always allowed<\/em> list. App limits reset every day at midnight.<\/p>\n If you really need to use an app after exhausting the daily usage limit, you can temporarily lift the restriction or remove it altogether. To temporarily disable limits for a specific category, go to the category section and toggle the App Limit<\/em> switch. To remove a limit, tap Delete Limit<\/em> in the same place.<\/p>\n That\u2019s all you need to know about turning off notifications on iPhone and iPad, as well as the various options for managing them. And if you\u2019re tired of notifications from browsers, turn them off as well (see Getting rid of browser notifications<\/a>).<\/p>\nSetting up notifications on iPhone and iPad<\/h2>\n
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Turning off all notifications<\/h3>\n
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Setting up app notifications<\/h3>\n
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More tips for digital peace of mind<\/h3>\n
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Zen and nirvana<\/h2>\n