Introduction
Having sensitive or personal information visible on your iPhone’s lock screen via notifications or message previews can be a privacy and security risk. While iOS provides some basic options to hide previews, they may not completely disable lock screen messages. This guide will walk through robust methods to secure and disable iPhone lock screen messages entirely for your privacy and peace of mind.
Understand Lock Screen Preview Settings in iOS
iOS provides a few lock screen preview settings that offer some control over displayed information:
- Show Previews: Choose between Always, When Unlocked, and Never. This affects notification previews.
- Show Notification Content: Display style options include Always, When Unlocked, and Never. Controls some notification text visibility depending on the app.
However, many apps ignore these settings entirely. So sensitive information may still be visible. Third-party apps also have their own separate notification settings needing adjustment as well.
Key reasons you may want to disable lock screen message previews:
- Prevent private info being seen if phone is briefly unlocked
- Stop notifications displaying sensitive message excerpts
- Avoid others replying from lock screen before you see messages
Disable Message Previews System-Wide Via Settings
To comprehensively disable message previews and alerts system-wide:
- Open Settings > Notifications
- Toggle off Allow Notifications
- Toggle off Show Previews
This will stop all apps displaying notifications or previews on the lock screen.
Drawbacks:
- You won’t see any notifications or alerts for messages or other apps
- Have to manually check each app instead
- Time-sensitive notifications may be missed
Recommend For Maximum Lock Screen Security
Disable Notifications Per App Via Settings
A better balanced approach is hiding sensitive app notifications only:
- Open Settings > Notifications
- Select the app (e.g. Messages, Mail, etc)
- Choose an option:
- None: Disables all notifications
- Show as Badge App Icon Only: Hides but displays small counter
- Other minimal options per app
This allows important alerts still but limits previews of your choosing. Time-consuming toggling each app individually however.
Disable Lock Screen Messages Via Third-Party Apps
To easily control lock screen messages without extensively adjusting system notifications, third party apps can selectively block previews:
Lockdown Apps: Temporarily deny lock screen access and messages. Enable as needed only for sensitive periods of time.
Lock Message Apps: Use customizable filters to permanently block notifications on lock screen from certain contacts, keywords, message apps etc. Maintains alerts elsewhere.
These apps typically offer central dashboards making it simple to toggle settings as needed for security versus convenience.
Recommended For Balance of Both
Check Notification Settings on Companion Devices
If you utilize companion devices with your iPhone, double check those notification settings as well:
- Apple Watch: The notifications visible here mirror your iPhone’s. Adjust Apple Watch settings separately under its own General > Notifications menu.
- Mac/PC: Disable message previews and banners in System Preferences > Notifications and the associated app’s preferences.
Otherwise your personal messages could still display on these secondary devices even if your iPhone itself is secured.
Set Up Emergency Bypass
Even with messages disabled system-wide, you can still set up emergency bypass contacts whose time-sensitive alerts will penetrate through.
To accomplish this:
- Add designated contacts to your Favorites
- Under their Contact, toggle on ‘Share My Location’ and ‘Text Tone’
Calls and texts from these users will override display restrictions and preview their messages. Useful for family emergencies, doctors appointments etc.
Conclusion
Keep your iPhone’s lock screen clear of sensitive information. Customize notification previews at a system level or utilize third-party message blocking apps instead for easier selective disabling as needed for privacy, security and convenience. Also be sure to adjust settings across companion devices like watches and computers to prevent message leaks there as well.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q: Can I still receive notifications if I disable lock screen messages? A: Yes, you can still receive notifications in the Notification Center, but they won’t be visible on the lock screen.
- Q: Is Face ID more secure than a passcode? A: Face ID provides an additional layer of security, but both methods are secure when set up properly.
- Q: What should I do if I forget my passcode or Face ID is not working? A: Follow the official Apple guidelines for recovering your passcode or troubleshooting Face ID issues.
- Q: Are there any apps that require special attention for security settings? A: Yes, some messaging or finance apps may need additional security settings to protect sensitive information.
- Q: How often should I update my iOS for security patches? A: It’s advisable to update to the latest iOS version as soon as updates are available to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
