Schedule Apple Notification Summary on iOS 15

Apple’s Notification Summary collects selected notifications and delivers them at times you choose, rather than interrupting you as each one arrives. On an iPhone running iOS 15, you can set one or more daily delivery times and choose which apps appear in the summary; time-sensitive notifications may still arrive immediately.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running iOS 15. The menu names below are for iOS 15; later iOS versions may arrange notification settings differently.
• Notifications enabled for the apps you want to include. If an app has no notification permission, it cannot contribute alerts to the summary.
• A few minutes to choose suitable delivery times and review the apps included.

Step-by-Step

1. Open the notification settings. Unlock your iPhone, open Settings, then tap Notifications.
2. Open Scheduled Summary. Tap Scheduled Summary. If this is your first time using the feature, you may see an introduction explaining that notifications are grouped for scheduled delivery.
3. Turn on Scheduled Summary. Switch on Scheduled Summary. If iOS presents an introductory screen, tap Continue and follow the prompts to choose apps and a schedule. The exact introductory wording can vary.
4. Choose the apps to include. On the setup screen, select the apps whose notifications you are comfortable receiving in a batch. You can select several apps, including ones that send frequent, non-urgent alerts. Avoid including an app if you need its notifications as soon as they arrive.
5. Set a delivery time. Under the schedule controls, set the first summary time. Tap the displayed time to adjust it. Pick a time when you are likely to check your phone, such as a break or the end of your workday.
6. Add another delivery. To receive more than one summary per day, tap Add Summary, then set the additional time. Use the controls beside each scheduled time to change it or remove an extra delivery. You can have multiple scheduled summaries during the day.
7. Review the finished schedule. Check the times and the app list on the Scheduled Summary screen. Confirm the feature remains switched on, then leave Settings. Your iPhone will gather eligible notifications for the next scheduled delivery.
8. Adjust app selection later if needed. Return to Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary. Use the app list to add or remove apps, and change the schedule there. You do not need to set up the feature again to make ordinary edits.

When a summary arrives, tap it to expand and review the grouped notifications. Notification Summary does not silence every alert by itself: notifications from apps not included in the summary can continue to arrive normally, subject to your other notification settings. Focus modes and app-specific settings can also affect what you see.

Common Mistakes

• Expecting every notification to be delayed. Only notifications from apps you include are grouped. Other apps may still alert you immediately.
• Choosing an app that needs immediate attention. A scheduled summary is better suited to alerts that can wait. Keep important, time-sensitive communication out of the batch, or adjust that app’s notification settings.
• Confusing the schedule with Do Not Disturb. Scheduled Summary groups notifications; it is not the same as a Focus mode and does not replace Focus scheduling.
• Setting a delivery time and forgetting the app list. A schedule alone does not mean every app is included. Check that the relevant apps are selected.
• Assuming the time is a delay after each alert. Delivery times are set for the day, rather than as a countdown from when an individual notification arrives.
• Including too many apps at first. A large batch can be hard to scan. Start with a short list of lower-priority apps and expand it if the arrangement works for you.

Tips

• Set summaries at times that fit your routine, rather than choosing times simply because they are evenly spaced.
• Begin with one or two deliveries. You can add another later if a single batch is too infrequent.
• Review the app list after using the feature for a few days. Remove alerts that are distracting even in a batch, and add only apps whose messages are useful to review together.
• If you are unsure whether an app’s alerts are being grouped, check its notification permission and the app’s selection in Scheduled Summary. Send yourself a test alert if the app provides a safe way to do so.
• Keep in mind that notification appearance and delivery can also depend on the app, your iPhone’s other settings, and whether the phone is available at the scheduled time.

Troubleshooting

Scheduled Summary is missing: Confirm that the iPhone is running iOS 15 or later, then look under Settings > Notifications. If your iPhone is on a newer iOS release, search Settings for “Scheduled Summary” or check the current Notifications screen, since menus can change between versions.

No summary arrives: Reopen Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary. Make sure the main switch is on, at least one delivery time is set, and at least one app is selected. Also check that the selected app is allowed to send notifications under Settings > Notifications and its app-specific settings.

An app’s alerts still arrive immediately: Verify that the app is included in the summary. Some notifications, including time-sensitive ones when enabled and supported, may be delivered promptly rather than held for a scheduled batch. Check the app’s notification options if you want to change how those alerts behave; avoid delaying alerts you rely on for immediate awareness.

The summary arrives at an unexpected time: Return to the schedule and check every listed delivery time. Make sure you have not mistaken a second daily summary for the first. If the time still seems wrong, restart the iPhone and check the schedule again.

An app does not appear in the selection list: Make sure the app is installed and that its notifications are enabled. If needed, open its entry under Settings > Notifications, enable Allow Notifications, then return to Scheduled Summary. Available controls may differ by app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule more than one Notification Summary per day?
Yes. In Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary, use Add Summary to add another delivery time.

Does Notification Summary turn off notifications?
No. It groups eligible notifications from selected apps for scheduled delivery. Apps outside the summary can still send alerts according to their notification settings.

Can I change the apps after setting up the schedule?
Yes. Reopen Scheduled Summary and change the selected apps at any time. You can also change or remove delivery times.

Will every alert from a selected app wait for the summary?
Not necessarily. Time-sensitive notifications and other app or system behaviors may allow some alerts to arrive immediately.

Can I use Scheduled Summary with Focus?
Yes, but Focus has separate settings and may affect which notifications are allowed through. Review both features if notifications do not behave as expected.

What if my iPhone does not show these exact menu names?
These steps describe iOS 15. On a later version, search Settings for “Scheduled Summary” or check Settings > Notifications for the equivalent controls.

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