Notification Summaries in iOS 18.1: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Apple Intelligence Features Bring New Notifications to iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro

When Apple released iOS 18.1, it introduced the first Apple Intelligence features to compatible iPhones – the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 Pro. One of the most anticipated features was “notification summaries,” which condenses multiple notifications from an app into a single summary. This feature promises to save time by giving you a quick glance at your iPhone’s Lock Screen to stay up to date.

The Theory Behind Notification Summaries

The idea of notification summaries makes sense. Imagine having all your notifications from an app condensed into one, making it easier to quickly scan and stay informed. However, in practice, it can be more confusing than helpful. You might find yourself wondering what each summary is trying to tell you, leading to more time spent trying to decipher the information.

Disabling Notification Summaries

If you’re finding that notification summaries are doing more harm than good, you can disable them. Here’s how:

* Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
* Scroll down and select Notifications.
* Select Summarize Previews and toggle off.
* If you don’t want to turn off notification summaries completely, but just for specific apps, you can do that from this screen as well. Simply leave Summarize Previews toggled on and then deselect the apps that you don’t want it for.

[Image: Photo by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol]

Conclusion

Notification summaries are an interesting feature, but they may not be for everyone. If you’re finding them more confusing than helpful, you can easily disable them. By following the steps above, you can customize your notification experience to suit your needs.