TechTipADay

By task · 7 tips

How to stop notifications from interrupting you

Ways to stop a phone or PC from interrupting you without missing the one call you need: Scheduled Summary, Do Not Disturb, Focus, lock-screen previews, and the browser sites that should never have been allowed.

  1. How to turn on Do not disturb in Windows 11

    Click the network, volume or battery icon to open quick settings, then click Do not disturb. For a schedule, go to Settings > System > Notifications > Do not disturb.

    Use it when: Banners stop covering the thing you are trying to read.

    Windows · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

  2. How to use Scheduled Summary on iPhone

    Go to Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary, turn it on, choose the delivery times and pick which apps go in. Leave messages and anything urgent out.

    Use it when: Apps that are not time-sensitive stop tapping you all afternoon and show up together instead.

    Productivity · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

  3. How to set up a Focus on iPhone

    Go to Settings > Focus, pick Do Not Disturb or Work or make your own, and choose the people and apps allowed to reach you. Turn it on in Control Center or give it a schedule.

    Use it when: Do Not Disturb is one blunt mode. A Focus lets work calls through and holds the rest.

    Productivity · Easy · 3 min · Full steps

  4. How to hide notifications on the Android lock screen

    Go to Settings > Notifications > Notifications on lock screen and choose Don't show notifications, or the option that hides sensitive content until the phone is unlocked.

    Use it when: A locked phone on a table stops displaying message previews to the room.

    Privacy & Security · Easy · 1 min · Full steps

  5. How to schedule Do Not Disturb on Android

    Go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb, add a schedule for the hours you sleep, and allow calls from contacts or favourites so family can still get through.

    Use it when: A night of sleep stops depending on you remembering to flip a tile.

    Android · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

  6. How to see old notifications on Android

    Go to Settings > Notifications > Notification history and turn it on. After that, notifications you dismissed in the last 24 hours are listed there.

    Use it when: You can read a notification you swiped away by reflex.

    Android · Easy · 1 min · Full steps

  7. How to stop website notifications in Chrome

    In Chrome Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, choose Don't allow sites to send notifications. Then block any site in the Allowed list that you don't want.

    Use it when: The prompt is how random sites get a permanent channel onto your desktop.

    Privacy & Security · Easy · 2 min · Full steps

Questions people ask

Where do my notifications go?

They still collect in Notification Center. They just don't pop up.

An app went quiet. Is it in the summary?

Probably. Take it out of the summary's app list, or change it in Settings > Notifications for that app.

Why do some notifications still come through?

Time Sensitive notifications can break through a Focus. Turn that off for a noisy app in Settings > Notifications.

Can I hide just the message text?

Yes. Pick the option that hides sensitive content. You still see which app notified you.

Compare the options

Related tasks