Which apps do you allow to give you notifications?

I limit mine to messages and calls because I don’t like the distraction of tons of notifications. Curious what others do

63 points · 40 comments · view on lemmy.world

40 Comments

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 28 pts · 1y

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.

scytale@lemm.ee · 19 pts · 1y

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.

njordomir@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 1y (1 reply)

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?

meekah@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

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.

OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml · 12 pts · 1y (1 reply)

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).

Typotyper@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y

I have my email silenced. The red dots are allowed but nothing else. Too much spam

MajorHavoc@programming.dev · 5 pts · 1y

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.

Ephera@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 1y (3 replies)

I only use FOSS apps, so never had to block any apps from sending notifications.

Acamon@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y (2 replies)

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.

Ephera@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Well, I don't know what we're counting here. Generally, if FOSS apps have notifications which one might perceive as annoying, they'll have a checkbox in the in-app settings, so I don't need to *block* them.
There is one scenario, where I've blocked notifications, which is when an app wants to run in the background, then it has to put up a permanent notification. I hadn't counted that, since that's an Android requirement.

Aside from that, IMHO it's pretty clear-cut whether notifications are either necessary or subjective or not a good idea, so apps with user interests in mind can get that right quite well.

Acamon@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Okay, that makes sense. I took OP's question to be about what notifications you use/want and which you turn off. They describe allowing only calls and messages, and were asking what else people permitted. E.g. I don't allow my lemmy app to notify me about replies, but I'm sure some people do.

aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 1y
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andrewta@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y

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)

tauren@lemm.ee · 3 pts · 1y

I allow notifications from my email provider, my bank, and IMs - although I disable group notifications. Everything else is prohibited.

Pika@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y

I have it on by default, until its abused. Once it's abused it's never getting it back

rc__buggy@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1y

SMS, calls, and doorbell

Ceedoestrees@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Calls and texts - and only through icons. Otherwise it's do not disturb 24/7.

theskyisfalling@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 1y

Likewise except my watch vibrates and notifies me of incoming calls so I can then not answer them.

CannedYeet@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Other than the necessities, the one app I allow notifications for is the C-SPAN app. They send maybe 1 notification a week for something like a live presidential address on a news event.

Anything that might create excessive notifications (social media/news) I use as a web app on top of not enabling notifications.

Only texts and calls are audible notifications. Everything else is slient.

nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 1y

The only thing that's allowed to notify me is my pager for work

MuscularGoddess@lemmynsfw.com · 2 pts · 1y
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Canopyflyer@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Phone

SMS/MMS

Family Link

That's it. Everything else can wait till I open it up.

GreenKnight23@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y
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2ugly2live@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y (3 replies)

Text messages, phone calls, security cameras, financial alerts, and a game discord (only server and game news specifically).

(edited to clarify)

Deez@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Cameras?

2ugly2live@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Security cameras. My bad.

Deez@lemm.ee · 2 pts · 1y

Ah that makes much more sense. Cheers!

FarraigePlaisteach@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

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.

kitnaht@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

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.

TheFANUM@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

No

Tux960@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y
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AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 1y

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.

TokenEffort@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1y

All that aren't excessive. I'll take those Taco Bell and Starbucks ads every now and then no problem

stoy@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Aurora Pro - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Authenticator - Banners, Badges
BankID - Banners, Sounds
Calendar - Banners, Sounds, Badges
FaceTime - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Find My - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Krisinformation - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Messages - Critical Alerts,Banners, Sounds, Badges
Phone - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Reminders - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Swish - Banners, Sounds, Badges
Tracking Notification - Banners, Sounds

JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Every time I have to manually go into my authenticator I think to myself "I should really turn on your notifications so that I can just do this from the top-menu"

And then I hit my confirmation, close the app and don't think about it again until I manually open it again lol

Evkob@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 1y

Same as OP except I also get notifications for software updates through Obtainium.

That's on mobile, on desktop I don't allow any notifications.

dingus@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Sms, calls, discord, Google voice, work emails (I rarely get a work email...maybe a couple of times per month)

I have my personal Gmail to get silent notifications so I know if something happened but I'm not repeatedly spammed.

Most other things are off unless they are unobtrusive. Ex: my robot vacuum stays enabled for notifications so I know when it is done cleaning, Uber eats is enabled for order tracking but disabled for promotions

PeteWheeler@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Been trying to decide on what to allow on my computer/home server.

But on my phone I allow texts, emails (don't get many of them), discord (dms and certain chats), phone, and that is probably it. So just communication applications.

Thcdenton@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Phone and text. Everything else can fuck off

Libb@jlai.lu · 1 pts · 1y

none.

Usernameblankface@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Messaging apps, calendar, the ringer for phone calls, my Lemmy app ( although Connect for Lemmt seems hit and miss on delivering notifications, which is fine by me.)

BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Bluesky, usually I'm having very pleasant conversation over there so it's usually nice.

GrammarPolice@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 1y

My sports betting apps. Need to know when the hot games are on🔥

khannie@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 1y

Beyond calls and texts I'm very selective with my YouTube "bell" subscriptions so I allow notifications there as I generally want to watch them.

Calendar. Banking apps. That's it.

All notifications are silent and have been forever. If it's important someone will call me, otherwise I don't want my phone to interrupt what I'm doing.