I limit mine to messages and calls because I don’t like the distraction of tons of notifications. Curious what others do
I don’t pro actively block any of them, because I do appreciate reminders, but once something starts to get annoying, it’s cut off.
Anything time-sensitive. Emails, calls, messages, and calendar reminders. Then I have a Sleep setting that silences all of them when I go to bed.
No Ads
If a notification sends me an ad, I will block the app and also review whether I even need it. Anyone willing to shovel ads at me in my notifications is not my friend.
Other stuff is simple:
- If I need to know the information right away I allow a notification. Stuff like calls, messages, server monitoring, security, etc. Notifications that only fire when actively using or just after using an app also get to stay on if they are useful.
- If it’s not urgent, I set a reminder in my to do list to review it on a recurring basis, for example “check Mastadon, weekly, Saturday”
Follow up question: how do you handle apps that have persistent notifications?
Most apps with persistent notifications that I used allowed you to turn off that notification in the app’s settings. Others utilize androids notification category management to allow you to disable the persistent notification.
I have my phone permanently on Do Not Disturb, and anytime I have a notification I don’t like, I block the app from sending notifications.
I basically have email, Signal, and missed phone calls left over (but voice messages are blocked).
I have my email silenced. The red dots are allowed but nothing else. Too much spam
I only use FOSS apps, so never had to block any apps from sending notifications.
I’m sure FOSS apps are less intrusive, but they still use notifications surely? I’d generally want a calendar or messager app to send me notifications, but I might want to block a specific app depending on my use case.
wait, you guys are blocking notifications? Are you allowed to do that??? /j
SMS, calls, and doorbell
Like yourself, SMS and phone calls. My bank app also handles authentication of online purchases a bit better with notifications enabled. Everything else is disabled.
On desktop I have notifications for email as well as those mentioned above.
Calls, text, voice mails, my investment account when a stock sells, news alerts, when the washing machine finishes (so the load doesn’t sit there)
Calls and texts - and only through icons. Otherwise it’s do not disturb 24/7.
Likewise except my watch vibrates and notifies me of incoming calls so I can then not answer them.
Messages, phone calls, cameras, financial alerts, and a game discord (only server and game news specifically).
I allow notifications from my email provider, my bank, and IMs - although I disable group notifications. Everything else is prohibited.
None at all. My phone is for looking up things, and for looking at pictures that make me happy. I don’t need notifications for either of those, lol.
Phone is on vibrate all the time. Signal only, but also have Pushbullet set up so I can send notifications when new movies/tv show episodes are downloaded and added to my Jellyfin.
I think the only apps I have currently giving me notifications that aren’t permanent or semi-permanent notifications (netguard, browser, and my local music player app) are my calendar, messaging app, and a single game. I refuse to let either the number of open apps and notifications on my device pile up to more than maybe 5 each, max.
