Avoid that embarrassing moment! Hide your phone’s lock screen notifications

When you want to create some distance between you and your phone, switch on Do Not Disturb mode

It’s happened to me. You’re showing a friend or coworker something on your phone when a text or other notification pops up that you wish they didn’t see.

On Android, there’s the super handy Guest Mode. With this enabled, you can hand your phone over with confidence no one will be able to swipe through your texts, contacts, or photos. Tap or click for steps to turn that on before you need it.

I’m shocked Apple hasn’t added that capability to iOS. You can do a lot to lock down your smartphone, whether you use an iPhone or an Android. Tap or click for five essential settings you can’t afford to skip.

Now, let’s turn to those pesky notifications. To keep them off your phone while you’re sleeping or at work, or maybe for when you’re around certain people, follow the steps below.

The temporary option

When you want to create some distance between you and your phone, switch on Do Not Disturb mode. This option stops all forms of notifications: sound, vibration, or lighting up the screen. Note that this will stop notifications for phone calls, too.

If you’re on an iPhone, swipe down from the top right of your screen to access the Control Center. Tap the moon icon to enable Do Not Disturb mode. You can also go to Settings > Do Not Disturb to fine-tune this feature. You can set up a schedule or exclude specific contacts.

On Android phones, swipe down from the top of the screen to access your notification shade and tap the Do Not Disturb icon. Go to Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb to set exceptions and more.

Use an older iPhone or iPad? There’s an urgent security update you must install. Tap or click to see impacted devices.

The more permanent option

If you prefer to hide app notifications only and keep it that way, it’s easy to do in your phone’s settings.

On iPhone all apps:

Open Settings > Notifications
Tap Show Previews
Choose an option: Always, When Unlocked, or Never

If you want to stop notifications on your phone’s lock screen, select When Unlocked. This will keep notifications coming when you're using your phone but prevent them from popping up on the lock screen.

To turn off notifications for only specific apps, go to Settings > Notifications > Siri Suggestions, then turn off any app.

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If you have an Android phone, you have five notification options: show no notifications, show all, hide silent notifications, or hide sensitive content specifically. You can also choose to shut off notifications for individual apps.

Shut off all notifications on Android:

Open Settings > Apps & notifications
Select Notifications
Under Notifications on lock screen, select Don’t show notifications

Hide sensitive content from notifications:

Open Settings > Apps & notifications
Select Notifications
Under Lock screen, turn off Sensitive notifications

Keep in mind that the definition of sensitive content depends on your device but should include things like text messages.

Turn off notifications for specific apps on Android:

Open Settings > Apps & notifications
Select Notifications
Find Recently sent and choose apps where you have recently sent notifications
If you don’t see the app you want, select See all
Tap Advanced > Turn off all notifications for a listed app

With just a few taps, you can get your phone’s notifications under control. Keep in mind, if you set up permissions on a per-app basis, you need to deal with anything new you download as it comes in. Tap or click for a quick shortcut everyone should know.

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Learn about all the latest technology on The Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.