Your iPhone makes it easy to recognize when you’ve received a notification, allowing you to enable pop-up messages, ringtones, and notification labels to keep track of all your apps. And while most of these features are great, many users will quickly find the notification badges intrusive and stressful.
Notification banners are the little red dot you’ll see in the top right corner of any app that has an alert. This can become frustrating as a screen filled with notification badges (or one Gmail app reminding you to check your 500 unread messages) can be a real eyesore. Fortunately, Apple is making it easier to manage notification badges with iOS 17.
Here’s how to control notification badges on your iPhone and iPad.
Show or hide notification badges on the home screen
In most versions of iOS, including the latest iOS 17, you manage notifications through settings, where you can turn them on or off with a toggle, as well as determine what they should look like and when and where they can appear. You can choose the appearance, location and duration of the banner, control sound alerts and choose how and when to see notification labels.
Step 1: Open the Settings app.
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Step 2: Touch Notifications.
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Step 3: See the list of applications below Notification style.
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Step 4: Each app notification is handled separately, so review the settings by tapping each app one at a time.
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Step 5: Within each app, you’ll see a list of options. To get rid of the badge, turn it on Badges option off.
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Show or hide notification badges in the app library
By default, notification counters do not appear in the app library. Many iPhone users prefer to minimize the number of apps on the home screen by using the App Library, so if you prefer to see numbered warning labels while using the library, you need to enable this option. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
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Step 2: Touch Home screen and app library.
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Step 3: in Notification badges section, turn on the switch for Show in app library.
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Step 4: If you’d rather see the badge in your app library, just turn the switch back on for full effect.
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How to disable app notification badges in Focus mode
The iPhone’s focus mode blocks incoming notifications, but may still allow red counter badges to appear on app icons on your home screen. You can set your focus mode to hide them when they are active. Here’s how.
Step 1: Launch the Settings app and select Concentration.
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Step 2: Touch Do not disturb.
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Step 3: Touch Possibilities.
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Step 4: Turn on Hide notification badges switch.
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