How to Turn Mail Notifications On or Off on iPhone 12
Mail notifications are great for staying on top of your inbox, but getting pinged all day long can get overwhelming fast. Whether you want to silence everything or just filter the noise, the iPhone 12 gives you a few easy ways to take control of your Mail alerts.
Here’s how to turn email notifications on or off — and customize them to match your workflow.
Turn Mail Notifications On or Off for a Specific Email Thread
Want to be alerted only when someone replies to a certain email chain? You can manage that right from your inbox.
- Open the Mail app.
- Go to Inbox and find the email you want to manage.
- Swipe left on the email preview.
- Tap More.
- Swipe up the menu if needed, then tap Notify Me to turn on alerts for that thread.
To stop notifications for that thread:
- Swipe left on the email again.
- Tap More, swipe up, and select Stop Notifying.
You can repeat this process for any conversation in your inbox.
Manage Mail Notifications Through Settings
To set global notification preferences for all emails:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap Mail.
- Choose the email account you want to manage.
- Toggle Allow Notifications on or off.
You can also customize:
- Where notifications appear: Lock screen, Notification Center, or Banners
- Sound for incoming mail
- Badges on the app icon
Enable or Disable Push Notifications
Push must be on if you want real-time mail alerts:
- Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts.
- Tap Fetch New Data.
- Make sure Push is toggled on.
- Select each account and set it to Push, Fetch, or Manual based on your preference.
Use Siri Suggestions to Manage Alerts
Siri can automatically suggest turning off notifications for apps you don’t use much.
To manage this:
- Go to Settings > Notifications > Siri Suggestions.
- Find and disable Mail suggestions if you’d rather not be prompted.
Why Bother?
Here’s why tweaking your Mail notifications is worth it:
- Cut down distractions while working or relaxing
- Reduce stress from constant alerts
- Stay organized by only being notified about the emails you actually care about
Whether you’re looking to totally disconnect after hours or make sure you never miss a critical message, these controls give you the flexibility to make your iPhone work for you — not against you.