Notifications and Focus
Show Previews
Most people call this whether message text shows on the Lock Screen.
Show Previews decides whether the content of a notification appears on a locked screen, only after you unlock, or never.
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 11 and later
- Settings
- Notifications
- Show Previews
What it does
Always shows the message text to anyone who glances at your phone. When Unlocked hides it until Face ID or Touch ID recognises you, then expands it. Never shows only the app name.
The global setting can be overridden for individual apps.
What changes
When it is on
With Always, message text is visible on the Lock Screen.
When it is off
With Never, you see that an app has something for you but not what it says.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- You can triage messages without picking the phone up.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Anyone can read your messages from a locked phone.
- Two factor codes appear in full on the Lock Screen.
- When Unlocked gives you both privacy and convenience on a Face ID model.
Battery
No real change
Privacy
Helps
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
No real change
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: Always on most setups, though When Unlocked is offered on Face ID models.
Questions people actually ask
- How do I hide message text on my Lock Screen?
- Settings, then Notifications, then Show Previews, and choose When Unlocked or Never.
- Can I hide previews for one app only?
- Yes. Open that app under Notifications and set its own Show Previews value.
If it is not working
- Set the global value first, then override the few apps that need different treatment.
- On a Face ID model, When Unlocked is almost always the right answer.
- Notification Centre when locked is a separate switch under Face ID and Passcode.
Related settings
- Allow Notifications Each app has its own notification switch, plus separate control over...
- Lock Screen notification layout Notifications on the Lock Screen can be shown as a full list, grouped...
- Attention Aware Features Your iPhone uses the TrueDepth camera to check whether you are...
- Allow Access When Locked A list of switches decides what is reachable from a locked iPhone...