Notifications and Focus
Badges
Most people call this the red numbers on app icons.
Badges are the red counters on app icons, and they can be turned off per app without losing notifications.
Available
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 12 and later
- Settings
- Notifications
- App name
- Badges
What it does
The badge is independent of banners and sounds. An app can have all three, any one, or none.
What changes
When it is on
App icons show unread counts.
When it is off
Icons stay clean. Notifications still arrive if you left them on.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- A quick count of what is waiting.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Removes the compulsion to clear a number.
- Works well for email and social apps in particular.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: On for apps that use them.
Questions people actually ask
- How do I get rid of the red number on an app?
- Settings, then Notifications, choose the app, and turn off Badges.
If it is not working
- Turning off badges does not stop notifications. Those are separate switches.
- Some apps recalculate the count only when opened.