Change message notifications on iPhone (2024)

You can temporarily stop notifications for all apps by turning on Do Not Disturb (or another Focus) or a sleep schedule. Your status appears in the Messages app to let people know you’re not receiving messages.

1. Open Control Center on your iPhone.

2. Tap Focus, then tap Do Not Disturb.

   Note: If you want to allow urgent messages to get through, go to Settings > Notifications> Messages, then turn on Time Sensitive Notifications.

   

You can stop getting notified about activity in the Messages app while continuing to receive messages. When you’re ready to read them, you can open Messages to see the texts you missed while notifications were off, and catch up on messages you missed.

1. Go to Settings > Notifications> Messages.

2. Turn off Allow Notifications.

When you want to get notified again, turn on Allow Notifications. If you also want to hear them, make sure the Ring/Silent switch isn’t in Silent mode and your volume is audible.

You can also stop notifications from other Apple apps and third-party apps. See Change notification settings on iPhone.

When you send a message, a swoosh sound plays by default. When you receive a message, a tone plays. If you don’t want to hear these sounds, you can set your text tone to None.

1. Go to Settings > Notifications> Messages.

2. Do either of the following:

   • Mute sounds: Tap Sounds, then tap None (below Alert Tones).

   • Turn off vibrations: Tap Sounds, tap Haptics (near the top), then tap None.

You can also put the Ring/Silent switch in Silent mode.

You can choose the sound volume for alerts, choose between a tone or sound for alerts, or change the notification vibration pattern (when the phone is silenced).

1. Go to Settings > Sounds& Haptics.

   See Also

   Change message notifications on iPhone

2. Do any of the following:

   • Make notifications quieter or louder: Adjust the volume with the slider.

   • Choose a tone or sound: Tap Text Tone, then tap a sound below Alert Tones (or tap Tone Store to download one).

   • Choose a vibration pattern: Tap Text Tone, tap Haptics, then choose an option (or tap Create New Vibration to make your own).

   Tip: The tone and vibration you choose apply to both the Messages app and other apps that have notifications on, such as Mail, Phone, and other Apple or third-party apps. To change them just for the Messages app, go to Settings> Notifications> Messages, then tap Sounds.

You can set how many times to repeat a notification (from Never to 10 Times) in Settings> Notifications> Messages> Customize Notifications.

You can choose a specific sound or vibration pattern to play when you get a message from a specific contact.

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.

2. Tap a conversation, then tap the number or name of the person you’re communicating with at the top of the conversation.

3. Tap Info , tap Edit in the top-right corner, then tap Text Tone.

   If you don’t see Edit, tap Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact.

4. Do any of the following:

   • Specify a tone or sound: Tap a sound below Alert Tones (or tap Tone Store to download one).

   • Specify a vibration pattern: Tap Haptics, then choose an option (or tap Create New Vibration to make your own).

   • Mute notifications for this conversation: Tap None below both Haptics and Alert Tones.

To give this contact the option to override a Focus, so any important messages can get through, turn on Emergency Bypass. You might turn it on for a family member, caretaker, or colleague, for example.

You can stop getting notifications for a conversation while you continue to receive its messages.

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.

2. In the Messages list, do one of the following:

   • Swipe left on a conversation, then tap .

   • Touch and hold a conversation, then tap Hide Alerts.

To completely stop getting messages for one conversation, you can block a specific person or number or leave a group conversation.

Siri can announce messages on your iPhone speaker, supported headphones, and when using CarPlay.

To hear incoming messages on MFi hearing devices, see Announce calls and notifications for specific apps.