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MNHQ

Calling all mobile app users!! Tell us about your notification settings.

31 replies

FrannyMumsnet · 28/04/2016 17:18

Hello you smartphone type Smile

We are interested in what notification settings you have for the apps on your phone.

You know... those messages that pop up from apps, when there’s something new for you to see.

1. Please tell us how you have things set up
Maybe you:
- leave all apps to send you all notifications
- turn them all off
- pick and choose which notifications you get

2. If you pick and choose, please tell us what types of notification you like to get, which you choose to turn off and why?
If you are an "all on" or "all off" type of person… Why is that?

3. How do you feel about notifications?

4. Are you on iPhone, Android or other type of smart phone.

Please leave your answers on this thread.

Thanks, you are all Stars

OP posts:
WhatColourIsBest · 28/04/2016 18:01

iPhone user with variable notifications.

I run off games, trip advisor, Spotify, generally anything that I am only interested in using when I have a specific reason and I don't want to be bothered with notifications in between.

Items such as eBay, Facebook, gumtree have banner notifications without sound (I have no interest in sound other than for text and gone calls), enabled to show on lock screen but not in notification centre because there's no point in clogging that up.

WhatColourIsBest · 28/04/2016 18:02

With regard to how I feel about notifications, I like the idea of being able to choose to be notified if there is a new post on a thread after me or in a thread I've started. I wouldn't want it on every single thread I've even been on though. Not sure how possible that would be!

MatthewWrightResearch · 28/04/2016 18:04

Android user, notifications off except for FB.

BearGryllsHasaBigRope · 28/04/2016 18:05

iPhone user - all notifications off. Don't like them.

flingingmelon · 28/04/2016 18:07

I don't use them unless they're really really useful, Easyjet letting me know if my plane is delayed for example.

TrixieBernadette · 28/04/2016 18:12

iPhone with them firmly OFF. I go into my apps to see if there's anything new, I do not want my phone buzzing and lighting up when I'm teaching because of notifications. I have to have my phone on on vibrate due to ASD DS at school, so everything else is off.

PennyDreadfuI · 28/04/2016 18:12

Android user - I have all my app notifications on, all the time. I use my phone to pretty much organise my life and the majority of my apps help me to do that, so it makes sense for them to be on all the time. I'd be lost without them tbh!

NaraDeer · 28/04/2016 18:19

I pick and choose which notifications I get.

Apps that are games or for fun have the notifications off, I don't need or want to know I have more lives or there's a new level or anything.
Email, and anything I use to track or schedule has notifications on as I use these to remind me as I'd forget otherwise.
Social media is mainly off apart from direct messages to myself.

I find notifications very useful but I cannot stand having notifications pending and I have to clear them as soon as possible, which is mainly why most apps notifications are turned off.

I use an iPhone.

RustyBear · 28/04/2016 18:28

I have iPhone and iPad, and I choose which apps send notifications, most of my apps have them turned off.

They are turned on normally only for News, weather, calendar my to-do list reminders and a very few others- for example I have an app that tells me when other apps are being offered free, and I allow notifications on that so I don't forget to check it, as most are only free for a day. When DH is working away, we play Scrabble, so I allow notifications for that for the duration, then turn it off again. I only have sound on for my main email & messages the rest are by banners or in the notification centre, which I check when I remember.

The only other thing I currently have sounds on for is Periscope, as the cat resume that I watch on webcams often do periscope broadcasts. Unfortunately they are in Canada, so they often come through at 3am, so I have to remember to turn on 'Do not disturb' before I got to bed.

How do I feel about notifications? My main feeling is that I really hate the little red & white 'badges' and have to get rid of them as soon as possible, so I mostly have those turned off too.
I'd prefer it if more notifications were a bit more customisable - for example on the Periscope app I mentioned, I'd like to be able to set sounds for some people I'm following and not others, like I can for email.

flingingmelon · 28/04/2016 18:33

Sorry, forgot to add that I'm an iPhone user.

Notifications for the most part annoy me. As much as I love MN I can't think of a single thing is want it to notify me about. You currently send me emails and that's enough.

NapoleonsNose · 28/04/2016 19:02

iPhone user.

Notifications mainly off with the exception of eBay and a few other apps. Don't have social media notifications on except for direct messages to me.

CandPthisyoufuckers · 28/04/2016 19:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PotOfYoghurt · 28/04/2016 19:13
  1. Pick and choose.
  1. I keep on social media/message/email ones as if it's something I need to read/reply to I'll often forget if the notification that I have an unread message isn't there. I turn off pretty much anything else including games, promotions/offers and non-urgent updates. If it's not something that needs addressing soon or responding to I don't like having it there.
  1. I hate having them there. By which I mean they're very useful for the reasons stated above but leaving notifications on an app for a longer time than necessary stresses me out and makes me anxious, which is why I like to keep as few as I possibly need without losing track of messages etc.
CrabbitArse · 28/04/2016 19:13

iPhone user, all notifications off apart from BBC news in case the world ends! Hate them otherwise.

PotOfYoghurt · 28/04/2016 19:14

Whoops, the 'show original thread' button cut off number 4!

  1. iPhone
MiniLop · 28/04/2016 19:22
  1. I pick and choose depending on the app.
  1. As a rule of thumb I have social media and communications apps send me notifications (eg whatsapp, Facebook etc). All others are switched off. If I have notifications switched on for an app, I then pick and choose which notifications I get. For example, for Facebook I get notifications when someone replies to my comment or comments on my post, but not when someone else comments on a post I have also commented on ( if that makes sense Confused) or likes my post.
  1. Generally quite annoying and they mostly get ignored by me!
  1. iPhone
5tardusty · 28/04/2016 19:45

Iphone6

only really have notifications set for apps where people are contacting me directly. Most apps, i only allow the red bubble, i hate them filing up my lock screen. I check apps when i feel like it and don't want them nagging me! I also think my phone looks untidy with lots of notifications

pillowaddict · 28/04/2016 20:30

I pick and choose and only have ones where folk try to get in touch, like what's app or facebook or yahoo mail. Anything else ust annoys me, and so d they to be honest when it's spam or birthday reminders. I use an android phone and a work I phone and that is set up purely for email alerts.

LittlePoot · 28/04/2016 20:44

Android phone and I pick and choose what notifications I get. Personal email, Facebook, skype and WhatsApp all good, pretty much everything else bad and really annoying! I particularly hate it when some apps ping a notification that is essentially an advert (they get instantly uninstalled), and that some apps switch notifications back on when they update, even though I'd set them to off.

For me, I only really want notifications on my phone when someone sends me a message through whichever mechanism. For a new mumsnet app, I would quite like to be able to set a thread to notify me when someone posts but I wouldn't want this for all threads I watch or post on and wouldn't want notifications about anything else (except PMs).

catkirk · 28/04/2016 20:50

Banner notifications for apps I want to hear from. Sound on for Facebook Twitter whatsapp only, but the main sound is usually turned off anyway. Badges all off I hate them. iPhone.

wallywobbles · 28/04/2016 21:38

iPhone. Banner notifications off exception calendar. Little number, on app icon, for texts and mails and Réservation apps for my business.

I'd like mumsnet notifications for occasional threads but not all of those I'm following.

IAmAPaleontologist · 28/04/2016 21:43

Android user.

I get Fb notifications for stuff I'm posting on but I have all group stuff turned off.
eBay ones are on so I don't miss the end of something I'm bidding on.

Pretty much anything else can sod off. I will open the app and look at it when I want to thank you very much, I don't need to know the instant a email arrives or that my second cousin twice removed has posted in a Facebook group. Or that my lives have replenished in candy crush. Took me bloody ages to realise I could turn that off!

If you are asking about future MN app releases, please no!

SallyVating · 28/04/2016 21:45

Android user. Phone usually on silent. I only have notifications for messages - everythng else I just check as and when

PingPongBat · 29/04/2016 08:14

Android user.

Mostly I have them turned off as I find them annoying. And just too distracting from RL. I don't need them to organise my life (I use an old fashioned thing called a wall calendar and a paper notebook for daily reminders) and I'm trying to spend less time on electronic devices generally.

I do have my iPad set up with notifications from gmail but only if certain people email me, but I have no idea how I got that set up!

MissBeaHaving · 29/04/2016 09:00

iPhone user,all notifications off except eBay.
As a PP suggested it would be good if the MN app had the facility for notifying when a certain poster posts but I wouldn't want it for all threads I'm following.
I'd also like it for Pm but we can't even access our pms on the app at the moment which is a bit of a nuisance.