iOS 12 introduces Notification Grouping, a long-awaited feature that groups all of the notifications from a single app together in one neat bundle that prevents the Lock screen from becoming overly cluttered.

By default, all apps have an "Automatic" grouped notification setting, which groups up notifications by app, but does so intelligently. For example, if you have multiple iMessage conversations going on with people, the notifications might be grouped by app (Messages) but separated by person.

notificationgrouping
You can adjust your Notification Grouping settings to turn off grouped notifications entirely or to force your iOS device to sort all incoming notifications by app, regardless of whether or not certain notifications are coming from different people.

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Choose "Notifications" from the main list of options.
  3. Find the app with the notifications you want to modify from the list, such as Messages, and tap it.
  4. Scroll down to Notification Grouping and tap it.
  5. Automatic is enabled by default. Select "By App" or "Off" to change it.

As mentioned above, selecting "By App" instead of "Automatic" will make sure that all incoming notifications from a specific app are grouped together rather than sometimes being intelligently separated out.

Selecting the "Off" option will disable Notification Grouping for the selected app entirely, which means your incoming notifications for that app will all come in individually, like they did in iOS 11.

There is no option to turn off Notification Grouping for all apps at once, so it's something that needs to be enabled on an app-by-app basis.

For more on all of the new notification features Apple is introducing in iOS 12, make sure to check out our iOS 12 Notifications guide.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Top Rated Comments

midkay Avatar
95 months ago
Stacks are great but I don’t like the “n more notifications” toggle. Let me pull down to fan them out and let go to spring them back into a stack. Or maybe force touch a stack to fan them. The toggle is narrow, sometimes too opaque and I often miss it.
I'm confused, you mean the '2 more notifications' text at the bottom of a notification group? You don't actually have to press on that text specifically, you can press anywhere on the card to expand the stack. Then there's a nice big 'show less' button to re-collapse the stack.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
twistedpixel8 Avatar
95 months ago
I'm confused, you mean the '2 more notifications' text at the bottom of a notification group? You don't actually have to press on that text specifically, you can press anywhere on the card to expand the stack. Then there's a nice big 'show less' button to re-collapse the stack.
How embarrassing... I thought you had to tap the text or it would launch the app. Thanks for clearing that up for me!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SegPip Avatar
95 months ago
Grouped notifications is the shining light of iOS 12
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....