Upgrading from an older iPhone to the new iPhone 15? You may have observed that your notifications have been altered. Previously located at the top, they are now situated at the bottom, stacked on top of each other. This is a minor change, but a significant one, as it greatly impacts how and where you access your notifications.
This modification was introduced in iOS 16 and has persisted into the new iOS 17. Unfortunately, if you dislike it, we have some bad news: there is no way to return your notifications to the top.
However, there are alternative methods to make your notifications more easily accessible. If you wish to view each notification separately on the lock screen, that is possible. In an unusual move for Apple, the company allows for customization of notifications. They still appear at the bottom, but you can unstack them to prevent overlapping and make them easier to read.
Andy Boxall / Moyens I/O
How to change how notifications appear on iOS 17’s lock screen
If you want to make some adjustments to how notifications look and function, there is an entire section in the settings menu for you. Here’s how to find it.
Step 1: Open Settings.
Step 2: Tap Notifications.
Step 3: Go to the Display as section and select the display mode you want to use. By default, iOS 16 and 17 selects Stack, which has notifications stacked at the base of the screen. If you select List, it will unstack the notifications on the lock screen so you can view them separately.
Other ways to change iOS lock screen notifications
Modifying the way notifications are presented on your lock screen is not the only aspect you can alter. You can utilize the Notifications options to change how notifications for individual apps appear or are delivered, and you can also configure some useful tools to help you manage what appears and when.
The first of these is Scheduled summary. When enabled, this bundles up non-important notifications and delivers them at a time that’s convenient for you. If you’re sick of getting a barrage of low importance notifications throughout the day, but still want to read them at a certain time, e.g., when you’re finished with work for the day, then this is worth setting up.
You can also toggle whether previews of notifications are shown or not. This defaults to When unlocked, meaning iOS will tell you you have a notification for an app, but not what’s in it until you unlock. This is important for privacy, but if you’d rather know if something is important before unlocking, then you can change this to Always. Otherwise, you can also select Never to have notifications never tell you what’s in them; you won’t know what’s new until you open the app in question.
Finally, there’s also an option to turn off notification popups while you’re using SharePlay or screen mirroring, again, perfect for keeping your notifications private.
