How to get notifications on your iPhone and Apple Watch
If you don't get notifications in the way that you want or expect, you might need to check your settings or a paired device, like an Apple Watch.
Settings to check for app notifications
Settings to check for notifications on a paired Apple Watch
Before you begin
If your device is silenced, your notifications will not alert you with a sound. Choose the sound, frequency and appearance of your notifications.
If you use an Apple Watch, by default notifications go to either your Apple Watch or iPhone — not both. Choose where your notifications appear.
If you don't receive Messages notifications in the way that you want or expect, you might need to change your settings for specific conversations or check your folders for messages from unknown senders or messages filtered as spam.
Check notifications from a specific app
In the Settings app, tap Notifications.
Tap the app that you haven't received notifications from.
Turn on Allow Notifications then choose how and where you want to receive those.
Set alerts to choose whether notifications appear on your Lock Screen, in Notification Centre or as a Banner while you use your iPhone.
When you turn on Badges, certain app icons can display information. If you turn on Badges for Mail, for example, the number of unread emails across your inboxes will appear above the Mail icon on your Home Screen.
When you turn on Announce Notifications, Siri will read notifications from the app out loud.
Always receive notifications from a specific app
In iOS 15 or later, you can turn on Critical Alerts for supported apps so notifications come through even when all other notifications have been silenced:
In the Settings app, tap Notifications.
Select an app under Notification Style.
Turn on Critical Alerts if available.
Turn your Focus setting on or off
With iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, Focus lets you stay in the moment when you need to concentrate or step away from your device. You can customise Focus settings to choose when you want to receive alerts and notifications and to select what apps or contacts can generate alerts and notifications. You can also schedule a Focus setting to turn on at certain times or after certain actions.
Open Control Centre.
Tap the Focus setting — like Do Not Disturb or Work — that appears. (If only the Focus icon is there, no Focus setting is on.)
Tap the Focus setting again to turn it off.
If you have other linked Apple devices — such as Apple Watch or iPad — check whether they are in a Focus setting too. If you turn on Share Across Devices on your Apple devices and then turn on a Focus setting, your Focus setting works across your linked devices.
Allow notifications even when you turn on Focus
In the Settings app, tap Focus.
Tap the Focus setting you want to change notifications settings for.
Tap People or Apps.
Make sure Allow Notifications From is selected, then tap Add People or Add Apps.
Choose the people or apps you want to receive notifications from while you use Focus.
Tap Done.
You can’t allow notifications from apps with the Driving Focus setting. Other Focus settings — such as Sleep or Do Not Disturb — have more options to do things such as silence notifications only when your iPhone is locked.
Find out how to customise your Focus settings
Choose whether notifications appear on your Apple Watch or iPhone
If you use an Apple Watch, by default notifications go to either your Apple Watch or iPhone — not both:
If your iPhone is unlocked, you'll receive notifications on your iPhone instead of your Apple Watch.
If your iPhone is locked or asleep, you'll receive notifications on your Apple Watch, unless your Apple Watch is locked. When you read or dismiss notifications on your Apple Watch, they'll also be dismissed from your iPhone.
Check notifications from a specific app on Apple Watch
In the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch.
Tap Notifications.
Tap an app to view its options.
To use the same notification settings on apps that appear on both your Apple Watch and iPhone, tap Mirror my iPhone.
Other apps allow you to customise your notifications. Tap Custom, then choose an option:
Allow Notifications: Notifications will appear in Notification Centre and your Apple Watch will alert you.
Send to Notification Centre: Notifications will be sent directly to Notification Centre without your Apple Watch alerting you.
Notifications Off: The app won't send you any notifications.
If you customise an app's notifications, you can also group notifications from that app. Tap Notification grouping, then choose an option: Off, Automatically or By App.