How do I open notification settings?

iPhone: Settings then Notifications. Android: Settings then Notifications (or Apps and Notifications). You will see a list of all your apps.

How do I customize how notifications appear?

For apps you keep on: choose whether alerts show on the Lock Screen, as banners, or only in the notification center. Turn sounds on or off per app.

How do I set up notification summary (iphone)?

Go to Settings then Notifications then Scheduled Summary. Turn it on and choose delivery times. Non-urgent notifications get bundled instead of interrupting you.

How do I use long-press for quick changes?

When a notification pops up that you do not want, press and hold on it. A menu appears letting you mute that app or adjust its settings without opening the Settings app.

How do I revisit your settings periodically?

New apps you install default to sending notifications. Every month or so, check your notification settings and silence any new apps that are cluttering your screen.

TekSure — Free Tech Help for Beginners & Seniors

Your phone buzzing and dinging all day can be overwhelming. The good news is you have complete control over which apps can send you notifications, how they appear, and whether they make sounds. Taking a few minutes to manage your notification settings can make a big difference in your daily phone experience.

On iPhone, go to Settings then Notifications. You will see a list of every app installed on your phone. Tap any app to control its notification settings. For each app, you can toggle "Allow Notifications" on or off. You can also choose how notifications appear: on the Lock Screen, in Notification Center, or as Banners (pop-up alerts at the top of your screen). You can turn on or off Sounds and Badges (the red number circles on app icons).

A helpful iPhone feature is "Notification Summary." Go to Settings then Notifications then Scheduled Summary. When turned on, this collects non-urgent notifications and delivers them in a bundle at times you choose (like 8 AM and 6 PM), instead of interrupting you throughout the day.

On Android, go to Settings then Notifications (or Settings then Apps and Notifications, depending on your phone). You can see which apps send the most notifications at the top of the screen. Tap any app to control its notification settings. Android gives you fine-grained control — many apps have notification "categories" or "channels" that let you turn off specific types of notifications while keeping others. For example, you might want delivery updates from a shopping app but not promotional offers.

Both iPhone and Android let you quickly silence a notification type by long-pressing (pressing and holding) on a notification when it appears. This opens a quick menu where you can mute that app or change its settings without going into the full Settings app.

A good approach is to go through your notification list once and turn off notifications for apps that do not need your immediate attention — games, shopping apps, news apps, and social media are common culprits. Keep notifications on for calls, texts, calendar reminders, and anything time-sensitive.