Here's How to Make Them Work for You

Publish date: 2024-06-23

iOS 15 has introduced lots of different iPhone features. One of the best additions is time-sensitive notifications. Time-sensitive notifications ensure you don't miss out on any critical updates, even if you've got most notifications disabled through Focus mode.

This article breaks down what time-sensitive notifications are and how you can use them in iOS 15.

What Are Time-Sensitive Notifications in iOS 15?

At the 2021 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Apple introduced Focus. Focus allows you to decide who can contact you and which apps can send notifications during a specific time.

It's a handy way to help you tune out the noise to focus on the task at hand, such as working, sleeping, reading, or driving. Focus Mode is one of a few new productivity features introduced in iOS 15.

But while blocking out the noise is good, not all notifications need to be silenced. Some notifications, like a transaction alert from your bank, impact you directly and should be acted on without delay.

That is where time-sensitive notifications come in, allowing you to block notifications without missing out on essential alerts. Time-sensitive notifications break through your different Focus modes and remain on your Lock Screen for an hour so you can act on them with the urgency they require.

Apple categorizes notification interruptions into four levels: passive, active, time-sensitive, and critical. Let's break down each to help you understand them better.

iOS delivers passive notifications (those that don't need immediate attention) silently without triggering sounds and vibrations and lighting up the screen. Active, the default interruption level, are the regular notifications that will produce sound and vibrations and light up the screen. Time-sensitive notifications are the special kind that will alert you, like active ones, but with a high priority of breaking through enabled system controls like Focus mode and Notification Summary.

Related: How to Set Up and Use the Notification Summary on Your iPhone and iPad

Critical notifications, first introduced in iOS 14, have a higher priority than time-sensitive as they can bypass the ringer switch alert. Critical notifications only apply to sensitive cases like severe weather alerts and local safety alerts. And due to their nature, Apple has to grant an app developer permission individually to deliver critical notifications.

What's the Best Way to Use Time-Sensitive Notifications?

Apple has given developers a way to categorize their notifications to fit the different interruption levels. But due to the way time-sensitive notifications work, you should be cautious about which apps you grant this kind of privilege to.

If misused, time-sensitive notifications will invade your peace of mind. However, you can get the most out of the feature by using time-sensitive notifications on apps whose alerts require immediate attention or action.

Related: Apple's Focus Feature Explained

How Do I Enable and Disable Time-Sensitive Notifications?

Enabling and disabling time-sensitive notifications in iOS 15 is a cinch. Besides, iOS 15 allows you to enable and disable time-sensitive notifications for individual apps. However, due to the nature of the feature, not all apps have it.

How to Enable Time-Sensitive Notifications for Individual Apps

Follow these steps to enable time-sensitive notifications in your critical apps:

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Tap Notifications.
  • Scroll down and select an app that you wish to receive time-sensitive notifications from.
  • Enable Allow Notifications if disabled.
  • Finally, toggle on Time-Sensitive Notifications.
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    With that set, enabling time-Sensitive notifications in different Focus modes is straightforward.

    How to Enable Time-Sensitive Notifications in Focus Modes

    Once you've enabled time-sensitive notifications in your app(s) of choice, there's one extra task you have to do. And that is allowing apps with time-sensitive notifications enabled to bypass different Focus modes.

    Here's how to do it:

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Tap Focus and select a Focus mode of your choice.
  • Tap Apps under Allowed Notifications.
  • Enable Time-Sensitive.
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    How to Disable Time-Sensitive Notifications

    You can disable Time-Sensitive notifications by app or by Focus modes. If you want to disable an individual app from sending time-sensitive notifications, follow these steps:

  • Go to the Settings app.
  • Select Notifications.
  • Tap on the app you wish to stop receiving time-sensitive notifications from.
  • Toggle off Time-Sensitive Notifications.
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    To disable Time-Sensitive notifications while in a certain Focus mode, follow these steps:

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Tap Focus and select a Focus mode of your choice.
  • Tap Apps under Allowed Notifications.
  • Toggle off Time-Sensitive.
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    Stay on Top of Important Updates With Time-Sensitive Notifications

    Time-Sensitive notifications allow you to focus on whatever you do without missing out on important alerts at the same time.

    Besides time-sensitive notifications, you may have missed out on several other iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 features that Apple didn't make a big deal over at WWDC.

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