Living in this age of rapid technology, notifications are just about everywhere. From messages and social media to updates from apps, these may help us stay informed but create a huge amount of distractions for us. Fear not! You can still regain your focus and also effectively use your time.
This article will take you through some easy steps on how to turn off notify anyway and how to do the same on a variety of devices, including smartphones (IOS, Androids, Windows computers, and Macs), and also on different platforms.
Notifications are just as the name sounds; they are sent to your device to update you on several things. Notifications can be sent to you by your own device to alert you on what is currently going on in the device you might not be aware of, for example, device overheating notifications. On the other hand, it could be sent to you as a result of the applications you use on your device.
How to turn off notify anyway is actually not a daunting task and can be achieved within a few seconds or minutes, depending on how many applications you are using in your devices.
How to Turn Off Notify Anyway On Different Devices
1. For iOS Devices: iPhone and iPad
If you use an iPhone or iPad, disabling notifications is quite easy. Here’s how:
- Open Settings: Locate the “Settings” icon on your home screen and tap on it.
- Notifications: Scroll down until you see “Notifications”. This is the page where all your installed apps will appear.
- Tap to choose an app: Select the application for which you want to turn off notifications.
- Switch Off Notifications: Tap the “Allow Notifications” switch to the off position on the next screen.
Note: You may want to change how you receive notifications rather than outright banning them. You can change how to get alerts: on the Lock Screen, as banners, or as alerts. One very important tip to avoid being interrupted at certain hours is to use “Do Not Disturb” mode. You can enable it in “Settings” > “Do Not Disturb”. From there, you are allowed to adjust the time interval when your notifications will be silenced.
2. Android Devices
On Android, the process is similarly quite straightforward; here’s how:
- Open Settings: This option might be different, depending on a device model. The most common way is to pull down from the top of your display toward the bottom to show the notification shade. Tap the gear icon.
- Apps & Notifications: Tap on “Apps & notifications” or just “Notifications” on some devices.
- Choose an App: Find the app for which you want to control notifications and tap on it.
- Show Notifications: Tap the toggle button off next to “Show notifications”.
For greater detail, you can block only specific types of notifications, choosing to block things like the issuance of sounds or vibrations.
Note: For an even less distracting experience, try using the “Do Not Disturb” feature. Schedule this feature for hours when you would not want to be disturbed, such as during work or in sleep hours.
3. Windows Notifications Management
If you are using a Windows computer, then notifications would prove to be obstructions in the workflow. Here’s how you can turn them off:
- Open Settings: Press “Windows + I” to open the Settings menu.
- System: Under “System”, click the tab called “Notifications & actions” on the sidebar.
- Manage Notifications: You will find toggles for notifications on and off for all apps. Scroll further down the page to the listed apps and set the respective settings as you want them to be.
If you would not like to be disturbed at certain times, you can enable “Focus Assist”, which can be found under the same menu. You can mute notifications during working hours or during a certain activity.
Note: You may want to configure Focus Assist to automatically turn on at certain hours of the day or when you are gaming so that you can maintain focus on what’s important.
4. Managing Notifications on Mac
Equally for Mac users, it is easy to turn notifications off. Proceed as follows:
- Apple Menu: Click the “Apple menu”, located at the top-left corner of your screen; select “System Preferences” from the drop-down.
- Notifications: Choose “Notifications” from the options available.
- Select an App: You will see, on the left-hand sidebar, a list of apps. Click the app for which you want to change the notification settings in the list.
- Change your Settings: You may also uncheck the checkbox “Allow Notifications” to turn off notifications for that application. You are also provided an opportunity to control how you get the notifications, including the sound of alerts and alert style.
Note: When you want to be left alone, try using “Do Not Disturb”. You can turn it on from the same Notifications menu described above. It will mute all the alerts for a predetermined amount of time or until you turn it off.
How To Turn Off Notifications on Social Media
1. Facebook
- Log in to Facebook
- Click the arrow down
- Settings
- Click on “Notifications.”
- Toggle off notifications that are not wanted
2. Instagram
- Open Instagram
- Tap the profile picture located at the bottom-right
- Tap the three horizontal lines at the top right
- Tap Settings
- Tap on “Notifications”
- Turn off notifications you would not want to receive
3. Twitter
- Launch Twitter
- Click the profile picture in the top-right
- Tap Settings
- Tap on “Notifications.”
- Turn off notifications you would not want to receive
Turning Off Email Notifications
1. Gmail
- Launch Gmail
- Click the gear icon in the top-right
- Select Settings
- Tap “General”
- Scroll to “Notifications.”
- Turn off notifications you would not want to receive
2. Outlook
- Launch Outlook
- Click the gear icon in the top-right
- Select Settings
- Tap “Mail”
- Scroll to “Notifications.”
- Turn off notifications you would not want to receive
General Notification Handling Tips
Learning to handle notifications goes a long way in enhancing your digital experience. A few pointers herein will help you stay in control:
- Regularly Review Settings: Make it a point to periodically check notification settings. Many times, when apps are updated, their notification settings may change.
- Use Do Not Disturb: Anytime you must focus on something, feel free to switch on the “Do Not Disturb mode” on your devices. The facility shall prove very helpful at meetings, study sessions, or rest hours.
- Prioritize important notifications: Keep notifications on for only the important apps, like messaging or calendar apps, and switch off less important notifications, like those from social media.
- Intentful Use: Remember, in the end, notification handling should aim at fewer distractions and positive well-being. Now, change your settings according to a healthy practice of technology use.
Conclusion
The art of minimizing distractions is something that you can achieve easily with determination. The first step is successfully managing the notifications on your devices. By doing that, you can actually minimize distractions and increase your productivity. Follow these easy steps for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac to get there. By regularly reviewing and personalizing your notification settings, you stay focused while enjoying a more peaceful digital experience. Go ahead and be as adventurous in finding what works for you.