How to Control Alerts on Your Devices

Understanding Device Alerts and Notifications

Alerts and notifications are messages your devices send to grab your attention. They come from apps, operating systems, and services you use every day. A notification might tell you that you have a new email, that someone messaged you, that an app needs an update, or that your battery is running low. Understanding what these alerts are and where they come from is the first step toward controlling them.

How to Save Your Struggling Orchid Plant →

Different types of alerts serve different purposes. Some are informational, like weather updates or news headlines. Others are transactional, such as confirmation codes or delivery notifications. Some are promotional, like sales alerts from stores or social media reminders. Many are system-related, telling you about your device's performance, security updates, or storage space. Your device may send notifications through different channels—pop-up windows on your screen, sounds, vibrations, badges with numbers on app icons, or messages in a notification center.

According to research from the University of California, the average smartphone user receives between 50 and 100 notifications per day. This constant stream of alerts can reduce productivity and increase stress. A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that 71% of people feel overwhelmed by the number of notifications they receive. Recognizing which alerts you actually need and which ones distract you is essential for managing your digital life.

Each device has its own system for handling alerts. iPhones use Apple's notification system, Android phones use Google's notification management, and computers have their own alert mechanisms. Even smartwatches and tablets have notification settings. Learning how your specific device handles alerts will help you take control of what appears on your screen.

Practical takeaway: Spend a few minutes observing your devices over the next day. Write down what notifications you receive and whether each one was useful or distracting. This inventory will help you decide which alerts to keep when you start adjusting your settings.

Managing Alerts on iPhones and iPads

Apple devices use a unified notification system that lets you control alerts at multiple levels. You can turn notifications on or off for individual apps, change how they appear, and decide when they'll reach you. Apple's notification settings have become more detailed over the years, offering options like focus modes, scheduled delivery, and time-sensitive alerts.

Delete Your Gmail Account From Your Phone Guide →

To manage notifications on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, then Notifications. You'll see a list of all your apps organized by how recently they've sent notifications. Tap any app name to see its notification options. For each app, you can toggle notifications completely on or off. If you keep notifications on, you can choose the notification style—banner (which appears at the top and disappears), alert (which stays on screen until you respond), or none.

Apple introduced Focus modes in iOS 15, which allow you to create custom alert settings for different times or situations. For example, you might create a "Work" focus that silences social media notifications but allows calls from your boss. A "Sleep" focus could silence all notifications except those from your family. When you activate a focus mode, your device automatically applies your chosen notification settings. You can set up automatic activation based on time of day, location, or app usage.

Badge icons—the red circles with numbers on app icons—can be turned on or off individually. These show how many unread items an app has. Turning off badges for less important apps reduces visual clutter. Sounds and vibrations can also be controlled per app. Some people turn off sounds for certain notifications but keep the banner visible so they can check messages without hearing constant alerts.

You can also use "Allow Notifications" settings to determine which people and apps bypass your focus modes and always reach you. This is useful for emergency contacts or time-sensitive work notifications. In the notification settings, look for "Critical Alerts" to see which apps have permission to send notifications that override your focus modes.

Practical takeaway: Create a Work focus mode this week by going to Settings > Focus > Add, choosing Work, selecting which apps can notify you, and setting it to turn on automatically during your work hours.

Controlling Alerts on Android Devices

Android phones offer extensive notification control through the notification settings menu. Google's system is slightly different from Apple's but equally powerful. Android notifications appear in your notification panel at the top of the screen and can be swiped away individually or all at once. The notification shade shows all current alerts, and you can long-press on notifications to adjust how they appear.

Understanding Ascension Health and Major Hospital Systems →

To access notification settings on most Android phones, go to Settings, then Apps (or Application Manager), select the app you want to adjust, and tap Notifications. Each app has different notification options. You can toggle notifications on or off, choose whether they show on your lock screen, and decide if they make sound or vibration. Some apps let you choose notification priority levels—high priority notifications appear as pop-ups, while low priority ones only appear in the notification panel.

Android introduced Do Not Disturb mode, which silences notifications during times you specify. You can customize which notifications are allowed to come through—for example, allowing calls from starred contacts while blocking everything else. Unlike Apple's Focus modes, Do Not Disturb in Android is simpler but affects all apps equally. However, you can set schedules so Do Not Disturb turns on automatically at bedtime and off when you wake up.

Android also has notification channels, which divide an app's notifications into categories. Gmail, for example, might have separate channels for inbox notifications and email reminders. You can manage each channel independently, silencing promotional emails while keeping important messages loud and visible. This feature gives you granular control that earlier versions of Android didn't offer.

Notification dots (small colored circles on app icons) show which apps have unread notifications. You can disable these per app to reduce screen clutter. In the app notification settings, look for options related to badges or notification dots. Android 12 and later versions also allow you to turn off notifications without uninstalling apps—useful for apps you need occasionally but don't want pestering you.

Practical takeaway: Open Settings > Apps, select three apps that send you the most notifications, and adjust their notification settings to either silent, vibration only, or specific times when they can notify you.

Managing Alerts on Windows and Mac Computers

Computers receive notifications from operating systems, applications, and web browsers. Windows and Mac handle these alerts differently but both provide ways to customize how and when you see notifications. Understanding computer notification settings is important because desktop alerts can interrupt work more dramatically than phone notifications.

Get Your Free Guide to Transmission Fluid Costs →

On Windows 10 and 11, go to Settings, then System, then Notifications. Here you can toggle notifications on or off for each installed app. Windows shows notifications in the bottom right corner of the screen. You can decide whether each app's notifications make sound, show on the lock screen, or appear as banners. Windows also has a Focus Assist feature (similar to Do Not Disturb on phones) that lets you silence notifications during specified hours or turn it on manually when you need concentration time.

Focus Assist has several modes. Priority Only allows notifications from apps and people you've selected, Alarms Only silences everything except alarms, and Off turns Focus Assist off. You can set Focus Assist to turn on automatically at certain times—for example, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, or when you launch a game or presentation software. When Focus Assist is on, notifications still arrive, but they go to your notification center rather than interrupting you with pop-ups.

On Mac computers, go to System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions), then Notifications. You'll see every app that has sent you notifications. For each app, you can choose how notifications appear—banner, alert, or none. You can decide whether to show notifications on the lock screen and whether they make sound. Mac's Do Not Disturb feature works similarly to Windows Focus Assist, silencing notifications during set times while still delivering them to your notification center.

Web browser notifications are a common source of desktop alerts. Websites request permission to send notifications, and these can be turned off either through browser settings or by changing individual site permissions. In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can go to settings and manage which websites are allowed to send notifications. Revoking notification permissions from websites you don't interact with frequently can reduce unwanted alerts significantly.

Practical takeaway: Enable Focus Assist on Windows or Do Not Disturb on Mac right now, set it to turn on automatically during your work hours or