The ability to view all the notifications we receive from multiple apps and services in one place is definitely a valuable addition to today’s smartphones, but should it come at the expense of your privacy? This is something we need to rethink. On iOS, users can view all their notifications from the notification center or lock screen. Although viewing the notification center requires you to unlock your device, the ability to view notifications on the lock screen is a great opportunity for users who are concerned about their privacy. Your friends don’t even need to know your password to view all your notifications right from the lock screen. To take it even further, they can even respond to some notifications from messaging platforms. Are you very worried? We’re here to help as we’ll let you know exactly how to disable lock screen notifications and previews on your iOS device:
Disable Lock Screen Notifications in iOS 11
As of now, lock screen notifications cannot be completely disabled all at once. Instead, you need to disable this feature for each app separately. For example, WhatsApp, Facebook etc. Notifications from messaging platforms such as messaging platforms may be your top priority, so you can disable lock screen notifications for these apps and services. If you have no idea how to do this, just follow the steps below:
- hungry “Settings” Tap the app on your iOS device and tap on it. “Notifications”. Now scroll down and select the app for which you want to disable lock screen notifications. Here, I decided to disable lock screen notifications for WhatsApp.
- In the next menu, you will be able to turn off lock screen notifications for that particular app by simply tapping on it. “Show on Lock Screen” change.
Well, that’s the process. You cannot see any notification from this app on your lock screen. However, it is worth noting that your device will still receive an alert sound or vibration when you receive a notification from this app.
Disable Notification Previews on iOS 11 Lock Screen
Now that you have disabled lock screen notifications for a particular app, the next thing you need to do is to temporarily disable the notification previews that appear on your lock screen for a few seconds as soon as you get a new message or alert. Even though the preview only takes a few seconds, that short time is still good enough for someone to actually read the entire notification displayed on the screen.
- Well, to disable notification previews, go to: Settings -> Notifications Tap and on your iOS device. “Show Previews”. In the next menu, select . “When Unlocked” to ensure that previews are displayed on the screen only after the device is unlocked using a passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.
Notification Previews can only be enabled or disabled for all apps at once, and unlike lock screen notifications, Apple doesn’t let you disable this feature for each app individually.
SEE ALSO: How to Scan Documents Natively in iOS 11
Disable Lock Screen Notifications and Previews in iOS 11
The ability to view and reply to all messages and alerts displayed on the lock screen as a notification is pretty much a nightmare if you’re someone who is concerned about privacy. However, some may find this feature quite useful as they don’t have to unlock their phone every time just to read a notification. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. If privacy is your top priority, you can easily disable this feature from device settings in a few seconds. So, which one would you prefer? Privacy or convenience? Let us know by shooting your valuable feedback in the comments section below.