{"id":92757,"date":"2026-10-30T00:02:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T07:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=92757"},"modified":"2026-11-11T02:58:37","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T10:58:37","slug":"how-to-manage-and-secure-notifications-on-your-iphone-ipad-and-mac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/how-to-manage-and-secure-notifications-on-your-iphone-ipad-and-mac\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple notifications: How to manage alerts and protect your privacy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Notifications help you keep track of appointments, messages, and other updates, but they can also interrupt you at inconvenient times or leave private details visible to people nearby.<\/p>\n

Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac let you choose which apps can notify you, when alerts arrive, and how much they reveal on your Lock Screen. This guide walks you through how to adjust those settings so you can reduce interruptions and keep sensitive information out of view without missing useful updates.<\/p>\n

How to hide notification previews on your Lock Screen<\/h2>\n

A notification preview shows details from an alert, such as the text of a message or the title of an appointment. If previews appear while your device is locked, someone nearby may be able to read them.<\/p>\n

You can keep receiving alerts while hiding those details. Choose When Unlocked<\/em><\/strong> to reveal previews only after you unlock your device, or Never<\/em><\/strong> to hide them even when it\u2019s unlocked. Always<\/em><\/strong> allows previews to appear while the device is locked.<\/p>\n

On iPhone and iPad<\/h3>\n

To change when notification previews appear:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Open Settings<\/em><\/strong> and tap Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.
    \n\"iPhone<\/li>\n
  2. Tap Show Previews<\/em><\/strong> and select When Unlocked<\/em><\/strong> or Never<\/em><\/strong>, depending on when you would like previews to appear.
    \n\"iPhone<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    With When Unlocked<\/em><\/strong>, previews can appear once Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode unlocks the device. On a device with Face ID, this may happen as soon as you look at the screen, before you swipe up.<\/p>\n

    You can also choose a different setting for a particular app. Go to Settings > Notifications<\/em><\/strong>, select the app, then tap Show Previews <\/em><\/strong>if available and choose an option. Check apps such as Messages and Mail, since their individual settings can override your default choice.<\/p>\n

    To keep an app\u2019s alerts off the Lock Screen entirely, go to Settings > Notifications<\/em><\/strong>, <\/em>select the app, and deselect Lock Screen<\/em><\/strong> under Alerts<\/em><\/strong>. Leave Notification Center<\/em><\/strong> selected if you still want to check those alerts there later. This hides the whole Lock Screen alert rather than just its preview.<\/p>\n

    On Mac<\/h3>\n

    To hide notification previews on your Mac:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Open System Settings<\/em><\/strong> and click Notifications<\/em><\/strong> in the sidebar.<\/li>\n
    2. Find Show previews<\/em><\/strong>, which may appear under Notification Center<\/em><\/strong>, depending on your macOS version.<\/li>\n
    3. Choose When Unlocked<\/em><\/strong> or Never<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      To change previews for a specific app, select it in Notifications<\/em><\/strong> and adjust its Show Previews <\/em><\/strong>setting. To keep that app\u2019s alerts off the locked screen entirely, turn off its Lock Screen<\/em><\/strong> or Show notifications on lock screen<\/em><\/strong> option; the wording varies by macOS version.<\/p>\n

      Remember that When Unlocked<\/em><\/strong> still shows previews while you\u2019re using your Mac, so someone looking over your shoulder could read them. Choose Never<\/em><\/strong> for apps that contain sensitive information if you\u2019d prefer to keep those details hidden, and lock your Mac screen when you step away<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      How to hide notifications while sharing your screen<\/h2>\n

      If you share your screen during a video call or display it on a TV, private messages and other alerts may appear where others can see them. You can pause notifications during screen sharing without turning them off for everyday use.<\/p>\n

      On iPhone and iPad<\/h3>\n

      To hide notifications during SharePlay or Screen Mirroring<\/a>:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Open Settings<\/em><\/strong> and tap Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      2. Tap Screen Sharing<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      3. Turn off Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        This setting doesn\u2019t control iPhone notifications sent to your Mac through iPhone Mirroring<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        On Mac<\/h3>\n

        To pause notifications while mirroring or sharing your Mac\u2019s display:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Open System Settings<\/em><\/strong> and click Notifications<\/em><\/strong> in the sidebar.
          \n\"Mac<\/li>\n
        2. Find the option for notifications when mirroring or sharing the display<\/em><\/strong>.
          \n\"Mac<\/li>\n
        3. Choose Notifications Off<\/em><\/strong>, or turn off the corresponding switch, depending on your macOS version.
          \n\"Mac<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Your usual notification settings will apply when you stop sharing your display.<\/p>\n

          How to turn off notifications for one app<\/h2>\n

          If shopping offers or game reminders keep interrupting you, turn off notifications from those apps. You\u2019ll still receive alerts from other apps, and you can open any app to check for updates.<\/p>\n

          On iPhone and iPad<\/h3>\n

          To turn off an app\u2019s notifications:<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Open Settings<\/em><\/strong> and tap Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.
            \n\"iPhone<\/li>\n
          2. Scroll through the app list and tap the app you want to change. Then turn off Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.
            \n\"iPhone<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            The app will still work, but it won\u2019t show notification banners or Lock Screen alerts, or play notification sounds. To receive alerts again, return to the app\u2019s notification settings and turn Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong> on.<\/p>\n

            If you still want visible alerts but don\u2019t want a sound each time, leave Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong> on and turn off Sounds<\/em><\/strong>, if that option is available. You can also deselect Banners<\/em><\/strong> under Alerts<\/em><\/strong> to stop notifications appearing across the top of the screen while you\u2019re using the device. Leave Notification Center<\/em><\/strong> selected if you\u2019d like to check them there later.<\/p>\n

            On Mac, including Messages<\/h3>\n

            You can change notifications for individual Mac apps in System Settings<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Open System Settings<\/em><\/strong> and click Notifications<\/em><\/strong> i<\/em>n the sidebar.<\/li>\n
            2. Select the app you want to change.<\/li>\n
            3. Turn off Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              To turn off iMessage notifications on your Mac, select Messages<\/em><\/strong> in step 2. You\u2019ll still receive messages in the app, but your Mac won\u2019t notify you when they arrive. Messages notifications on your iPhone and iPad won\u2019t change.<\/p>\n

              To keep visible alerts without a sound, leave Allow Notifications<\/em><\/strong> on and turn off Play sound for notification<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

              To keep your Messages alerts in Notification Center, without showing them on your desktop or Lock Screen, leave Notification Center<\/em><\/strong> selected and deselect Desktop <\/em><\/strong>and Lock Screen<\/em><\/strong>, if those options appear. On older macOS versions, choose None<\/em><\/strong> as the notification style and leave Show in Notification Center<\/em><\/strong> enabled, and turn off Show notifications on lock screen<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

              How to silence notifications temporarily with Focus<\/h2>\n

              When you need some quiet, Focus<\/em><\/strong> lets you limit interruptions without changing your usual notification settings. Turn on Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong> for a temporary break, and choose which people and apps can still reach you. Some calls and alerts may still come through, depending on your Focus settings.<\/p>\n

              On iPhone and iPad<\/h3>\n

              To turn on Do Not Disturb<\/a>:<\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Open Control Center<\/em><\/strong> by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen, or swiping up from the bottom on an iPhone with a Home button.<\/li>\n
              2. Tap Focus<\/em><\/strong>, then tap Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
              3. To choose when it turns off, tap the three dots<\/strong> beside Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong> and select an available duration, such as For 1 hour<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                If you want a family member\u2019s calls or an essential app\u2019s alerts to come through, open Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong>. Under People<\/em><\/strong> or Apps<\/em><\/strong>, choose Allow Notifications From <\/em><\/strong>to let selected people or apps through. You can also choose Silence Notifications From<\/em><\/strong> to silence only those you select.<\/p>\n

                On Mac<\/h3>\n

                To silence notifications with Focus on your Mac:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                1. Click Control Center<\/em><\/strong>, the icon with two switches on the right side of the menu bar.<\/li>\n
                2. Click Focus<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
                3. Select Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong> and choose an available duration.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                  To allow important calls and alerts through, open System Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong> and adjust the allowed people and apps. You can also add a schedule here if you want quiet hours to start automatically.<\/p>\n

                  If you only want to silence one device, turn off Share Across Devices<\/em><\/strong>. When this setting is on, activating Focus on one device can also activate it on other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account. You\u2019ll find this setting under Settings > Focus<\/em><\/strong> on iPhone and iPad, or System Settings > Focus<\/em><\/strong> on Mac.<\/p>\n

                  How to unsilence notifications on iPhone<\/h2>\n

                  When you\u2019re ready to receive notifications again, open Control Center<\/em><\/strong>, tap Focus<\/em><\/strong>, then tap the current Focus<\/em><\/strong> setting, such as Do Not Disturb<\/em><\/strong> or<\/em> Sleep<\/em><\/strong>, to turn it off. Your usual notification settings will apply again.<\/p>\n

                  If alerts still don\u2019t appear or make a sound, check these settings:<\/p>\n