The fastest way to silence notifications

Open Settings, tap Notifications, then tap the app you want to silence. Toggle off Allow Notifications. That app will no longer send you alerts, badges, or sounds — though you can still open it manually and see what you missed.

If you want to keep notifications but just stop the sound and vibration, go to the same app in Settings, tap Sounds and Haptics, and toggle off Sounds and Haptics. The notifications will still appear on your lock screen and in Notification Center, but silently.

For a temporary pause without changing settings, swipe down from the top of your screen to open Notification Center, long-press a notification, and tap Manage. You can then choose Turn Off for that app, or Deliver Quietly to let notifications arrive without sound or banner.

Key Takeaways

  • Turn off notifications entirely for an app in Settings > Notifications > [App Name] > toggle off Allow Notifications.
  • Keep notifications but remove sound and vibration by going to the same location and toggling off Sounds and Haptics.
  • Temporarily silence an app by long-pressing any notification in Notification Center and selecting Manage or Deliver Quietly.
  • Use Focus modes to automatically silence notifications during specific times or activities without changing individual app settings.
  • Badges (the red numbers on app icons) can be turned off separately from notifications in the same Settings menu.

Turning off badges and banners separately

Notifications have three parts: the sound, the visual alert (banner or lock screen), and the badge (the red number on the app icon). You can turn off any of these without touching the others.

In Settings > Notifications > [App Name], you'll see Badge App Icon as a separate toggle. Turn this off if you want notifications to arrive but don't want the red number reminding you to check the app. The notification will still show on your lock screen and in Notification Center.

For banners, scroll down in that same app's notification settings and look for Notification Grouping and Lock Screen. You can set Lock Screen to Off to prevent notifications from appearing there, or change the grouping style so they stack instead of appearing individually.

Using Focus modes to pause notifications on a schedule

Instead of permanently turning off notifications, you can use Focus modes to silence them during work, sleep, or driving. Open Settings, tap Focus, and choose an existing mode like Do Not Disturb, Work, or Sleep, or create a new one.

Once you're in a Focus mode, tap Notifications and choose which apps can still notify you. All other apps will be silenced while that Focus is active. You can set a Focus to turn on automatically at a certain time, when you arrive at a location, or when you open a specific app.

Focus modes are useful if you want notifications back later — you're not deleting the setting, just pausing it. When you turn off the Focus, notifications return to normal.

Stopping notifications from specific contacts

If one person or group chat is flooding your phone, you don't have to turn off Messages entirely. Open the conversation, tap the contact name or group name at the top, scroll down, and toggle off Notify Me. Messages from that person will still arrive, but silently.

For email, open the Mail app, swipe left on a sender's name in your inbox, tap the three dots, and choose VIP or Mute depending on your mail provider. Muting stops notifications from that sender without deleting their emails.

Turning off notifications for system alerts

Some notifications come from iOS itself, not from apps. These include reminders, calendar alerts, and Siri suggestions. You can control these separately in Settings.

For Reminders, go to Settings > Notifications > Reminders and toggle off Allow Notifications. For Calendar, do the same in Settings > Notifications > Calendar. Siri Suggestions can be turned off in Settings > Siri & Search > toggle off Suggestions on Lock Screen and Suggestions in Search.

Screen Time notifications (which remind you when you've hit your app limit) can be turned off in Settings > Screen Time > toggle off Notifications.

Preventing notifications when your phone is in use

If you want notifications to arrive but not interrupt you while you're actively using your phone, go to Settings > Notifications > [App Name] and look for Notification Grouping. Set it to Off or Automatic so notifications don't pop up as banners while you're looking at the screen.

Alternatively, turn on Focus while you're working. When a Focus is active, notifications are silenced even if you're using your phone, and they'll appear in Notification Center for you to review later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I still see notifications if I turn off Allow Notifications?

No. If you toggle off Allow Notifications in Settings, that app will not send you sounds, banners, badges, or lock screen alerts. You can still open the app manually to check for messages or updates, but you won't be notified of them.

Can I turn off notifications for just one contact in Messages?

Yes. Open the conversation, tap the contact or group name at the top, scroll down, and toggle off Notify Me. That person's messages will still arrive in your inbox, but you won't get a sound or banner when they text.

What's the difference between Deliver Quietly and turning off notifications?

Deliver Quietly keeps notifications arriving on your lock screen and in Notification Center, but removes the sound and banner. Turning off Allow Notifications stops them entirely. Use Deliver Quietly if you want to check messages on your own time without being interrupted.

Do Focus modes turn off notifications permanently?

No. Focus modes pause notifications while active, then turn them back on when you disable the Focus. They're useful for temporary breaks during work or sleep without permanently changing your notification settings.

How do I stop badge numbers from appearing on app icons?

Go to Settings > Notifications > [App Name] and toggle off Badge App Icon. The red number will disappear, though notifications will still arrive silently or as banners depending on your other settings.