How to Turn Off App Notifications on iPhone and Android in the US

A few alerts from your bank and your family are welcome, but the endless stream of sale reminders, game invites and social media pings can wear anyone down. Both iPhone and Android give you fine control over which apps can interrupt you, and it takes only a few minutes to set up.

This guide shows you how to turn off notifications for single apps, quiet whole categories of alerts, and set up schedules so your phone stays silent when you need it to. The steps cover recent versions of iOS and Android.

Step 1: Turn off notifications for one app on iPhone

The fastest way is to act from the alert itself. When a notification appears on your lock screen, swipe left on it, tap Options, then tap Turn Off.

To do it from Settings, open Settings, then tap Notifications. You will see a list of every app on your phone. Tap the app you want to silence, then switch off Allow Notifications at the top. That is all it takes: the app can no longer show banners, sounds or badges.

If you want the app to keep showing alerts in Notification Center but stay silent, leave Allow Notifications on and switch off Sounds and Badges instead. This suits apps you check on your own schedule, like news or shopping apps.

Step 2: Turn off notifications for one app on Android

On Android, the quickest route is also from the notification itself. When an alert arrives, touch and hold it, then tap Turn off notifications.

From Settings, open Settings, then tap Notifications, then App notifications. Find the app in the list and switch it off. On Samsung phones the path is Settings, then Notifications, then App notifications. On Pixel phones it is the same. Some Android brands group this under Apps instead: open Settings, tap Apps, choose the app, then tap Notifications and switch off Show notifications.

Android also lets you silence parts of an app instead of the whole thing. Open the app under App notifications and you will see categories such as promotions, messages or reminders. Switch off only the noisy categories, so a shopping app can still send order updates while its daily deals stay silent.

Step 3: Use Focus on iPhone to silence everything at once

Turning off apps one by one works, but Focus is better when you want quiet hours. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Focus, then choose Do Not Disturb, Sleep or Work. Pick the people and apps allowed to reach you, then set a schedule so it switches on by itself.

You can also turn Focus on by hand from Control Center: swipe down from the top right corner, tap Focus, then choose the mode. To let urgent calls through, allow calls from Favorites or repeated calls in the Focus settings.

Step 4: Use Do Not Disturb on Android

Android has the same idea under a different name. Open Settings, tap Sound and vibration, then Do Not Disturb, where you can choose which people, apps and alarms can break through, and set a schedule for nights or work hours.

On Samsung phones, the path is Settings, then Notifications, then Do Not Disturb. You can also switch it on from the Quick Settings panel by swiping down twice and tapping the Do Not Disturb tile.

On both platforms, allow calls from starred or favorite contacts while everything else stays silent, so your phone can be quiet all evening and still ring if a family member calls.

Step 5: Try Scheduled Summary on iPhone

If some apps are useful but never urgent, bundle their alerts. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Notifications, then Scheduled Summary. Switch it on, choose the apps to include, and pick one or two delivery times. Those apps will stop interrupting you and deliver a single summary at the times you chose.

This works well for social media, shopping and news apps: you still see everything, just on your schedule instead of theirs.

Step 6: Check Notification History on Android

Android keeps a record of alerts you swiped away, which helps when you silence an app and later wonder what you missed. Open Settings, tap Notifications, then Notification history, and switch it on. Every alert is then logged for 24 hours.

If you later want an app's alerts back, return to the same menu and switch them back on.

Step 7: Fix the apps that keep buzzing anyway

Sometimes an app keeps sending alerts after you switched them off. First, check whether the app has its own notification settings inside the app itself, under Settings or Profile, and switch off marketing or promotional alerts there. Some apps send email and push alerts separately, so silence both.

Second, restart your phone. A restart clears stuck notification services and applies the settings cleanly.

Third, check whether you have the app installed twice, such as a work profile copy. Each copy has its own notification switch, so silence both.

Finally, if an app keeps ignoring your settings, remove it and reinstall it. When it asks for notification permission during setup, tap Don't Allow: in recent versions of iOS and Android, apps must ask before they can send alerts.

A simple setup that works for most people

For a quick win, start with three moves. First, turn off notifications for shopping, games and social apps you check on your own. Second, set up a Do Not Disturb or Focus schedule for the night, with favorite contacts allowed through. Third, put news and social apps into a Scheduled Summary on iPhone, or silence their promotional categories on Android.

You will still get calls, messages and alerts from the apps you care about, and the rest will wait until you are ready for them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off notifications delete my messages?

No. Turning off notifications only stops the alerts. Your messages, emails and app content stay exactly where they are, and you can open the app any time to see them.

How do I turn notifications back on for an app?

On iPhone, open Settings, tap Notifications, choose the app and switch on Allow Notifications. On Android, open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications, find the app and switch it back on.

Why am I still getting notifications after turning them off?

The app may have its own notification controls inside its settings, or a second copy may be installed. Check the app's own settings, restart your phone, and if the alerts continue, reinstall the app and decline notification permission during setup.