Why Group Notifications Not Working iOS 12? Fixes

If your iPhone on iOS 12 isn’t grouping notifications from the same app into neat stacks, the cause is almost always a setting called “Notification Grouping” being set to “Off” for that app, or a temporary software glitch. Go to Settings > Notifications, tap the app, then tap “Notification Grouping” and choose “By App” to fix it. Below are the full details, including why iOS 12 changed how notifications work, how to customize grouping, and what to do if the fix doesn’t work.

Background: What Changed in iOS 12

Before iOS 12, all notifications from an app appeared as separate banners and list entries, which could flood the lock screen. iOS 12 introduced “grouped notifications” as a headline feature. Instead of a long list of individual alerts, the system automatically stacks notifications from the same app into a single “stack” that you can tap to expand. This was designed to reduce clutter and make it easier to manage alerts.

However, the feature is not enabled by default for every app. Apple gave users and developers control over grouping, and some apps (especially those with custom notification handling) may default to “Off.” Additionally, iOS 12.0 had a known bug where grouping sometimes stopped working after a device restart or an app update. Apple addressed many of these issues in later point releases (12.1, 12.2, etc.), so keeping your iPhone updated is part of the solution.

How Notification Grouping Works in iOS 12

In iOS 12, grouping is controlled per app under Settings > Notifications. When you tap an app, you’ll see a section called “Notification Grouping” with three options:

Automatic – The system decides how to group, usually by app, but it may also group by thread or topic if the app supports it (e.g., Messages by conversation).
By App – All notifications from that app are grouped into one stack, regardless of thread.
Off – Each notification appears separately, which is the same behavior as iOS 11.

If you have “Off” selected, you won’t see any stacks. If you have “Automatic” selected, some apps might still not group because they don’t provide the necessary metadata (like a thread identifier) to the system. In that case, switching to “By App” forces grouping.

Also note that even with grouping enabled, the lock screen will still show the most recent notification from the stack as a summary line like “3 more notifications from App.” Tapping the stack expands it.

How to Fix: Step-by-Step

Here’s what to do if you’re not seeing grouped notifications on iOS 12:

Go to Settings > Notifications.
Find the app that isn’t grouping (e.g., Messages, WhatsApp, Mail).
Tap the app, then scroll to “Notification Grouping.”
Select By App (or “Automatic” if you prefer).
If it was already set to “By App” or “Automatic,” toggle it to “Off” and then back to the desired setting. This forces a refresh.
Restart your iPhone (press and hold the side button and either volume button, then slide to power off).

If the problem persists across all apps, check that you haven’t enabled “Show as Banners” only, which doesn’t affect grouping but can make it seem like notifications aren’t stacking if you’re looking at the banner style. Also, make sure you’re viewing the “Notifications” view on the lock screen (swipe up from the middle of the screen) rather than the “Today” view.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common misconception is that grouping is broken if you see notifications from the same app separated on the lock screen. That’s exactly what happens when grouping is “Off” or when the app doesn’t support grouping under “Automatic.” Another misconception is that clearing a single notification from a stack clears the whole stack; actually, tapping “Clear” on a stack clears all notifications in that stack, but you can swipe left on an individual notification (after expanding) to clear just that one.

Another issue: if you have “Show Previews” set to “Never,” you’ll still see grouped stacks, but you won’t see the content of each notification until you tap. That can be confusing but isn’t a grouping failure.

If you’ve tried the steps above and still see no grouping, it could be a corrupted settings file. Resetting all settings (Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings) can help, but note that it resets Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and other preferences (not your data). This is a more drastic step, so do it as a last resort.

Comparison: iOS 12 vs. iOS 13 and Later

iOS 13 and later versions changed the notification center design, but the grouping mechanism remains similar. In iOS 13+, Apple added “Deliver Quietly” and made it easier to manage grouping per app. The main difference is that iOS 12’s “Automatic” grouping was less reliable because apps had to adopt the new APIs. By iOS 13, most apps had updated, so grouping became more consistent. If you’re still on iOS 12, you’re likely on an older iPhone (like iPhone 5s or iPhone 6) that can’t upgrade further, so you’ll have to rely on the manual “By App” setting.

Also, iOS 12 does not support “Notification Groups” in the same way as Android’s notification channels. On Android, you can group by category (e.g., social, promotions). On iOS, grouping is strictly by app or thread, with no user-defined categories.

Safety and Privacy Considerations

Grouping notifications can have privacy implications. When notifications are grouped, the lock screen shows a summary like “5 new messages from Sarah.” If you have sensitive information, you might prefer to disable grouping for certain apps or set “Show Previews” to “When Unlocked.” This is not a security flaw, but it’s worth considering if you share your phone or leave it unattended. In iOS 12, you can also disable notifications entirely for an app if you don’t want any lock screen presence.

Another point: if you use a work profile or MDM (mobile device management), your organization might enforce notification settings that override your grouping preferences. In that case, you won’t be able to change grouping for managed apps. Check with your IT department if that’s the case.

Alternatives and Workarounds

If you absolutely need grouped notifications and the setting isn’t working, consider these alternatives:

Update iOS – If your device supports it, updating to a newer iOS version (even 12.4.1) may fix bugs. If you can go to iOS 13 or later, do that.
Use “Do Not Disturb” or “Screen Time” – These don’t group, but they can reduce notification volume.
Third-party apps – Some apps like “Parcel” or “Delivery” have their own grouping within the app, but they can’t change the system lock screen behavior.
Restore from backup – If you suspect a corrupted backup, try setting up as new iPhone (after backing up your data) to see if grouping works. This is drastic but effective in rare cases.

Remember that grouping only affects the lock screen and Notification Center. Banners and alerts while using the phone are not grouped; they appear as individual banners. So if you’re expecting banners to be grouped, they won’t be – that’s by design.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my notifications not grouping even after I set “By App”?

If you’ve set “By App” and still see separate notifications, try toggling the setting off and on, then restart your iPhone. If that doesn’t work, it might be an app-specific bug. Check if the app has an update in the App Store, or contact the developer. Also, ensure you’re not in “Emergency” or “Critical” alert mode for that app, which bypasses grouping.

Does “Automatic” grouping work differently per app?

Yes. “Automatic” lets the system decide, but it relies on the app providing a “thread identifier.” Apps like Messages group by conversation, while others like Facebook might group all notifications together. If an app doesn’t provide a thread identifier, “Automatic” may not group at all. Switching to “By App” ensures grouping regardless.

Can I group notifications from different apps together?

No. iOS 12 only groups notifications from the same app (or same thread within an app). There is no way to combine notifications from different apps into one stack. That’s a limitation of iOS, not a bug.

Will clearing a grouped notification clear all of them?

Yes, if you tap “Clear” on a stack, it clears all notifications in that stack. To clear individual notifications, expand the stack first, then swipe left on the one you want to remove. This is a common point of confusion.

I have an iPhone 5s on iOS 12. Can I get grouping to work?

Yes, grouping works on iPhone 5s with iOS 12, but you’re limited to iOS 12.4.1 (the last version for that device). Follow the steps above, and if it still doesn’t work, try resetting all settings. If that fails, a full restore via iTunes might help.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

More in this bed

The whole Tech How-To bed →