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How to Remove Android Status Bar Icons

Use the System UI tool to manage notification icons

By Aaron Peters Aaron Peters Writer Villanova University Aaron Peters is a writer with Lifewire who has 20+ years experience troubleshooting and writing about consumer and business technology. His work appears in Linux Journal, MakeUseOf, and others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 6, 2022 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Dismiss Android Notifications Turn Off Persistent Android Notifications Turn Off App Notifications What Are Android Status Bar Icons How Android Status Bar Icons Work Is System UI Available on All Androids Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

Dismiss notifications: Swipe down from the top to open the Notifications Drawer. Swipe left or right on each one.Turn off persistent notifications: Swipe left/right on notification > gear icon > toggle off Show Notifications.Turn off app notifications: Go to Settings > Notifications. Tap toggle switch next to app. This article explains how to dismiss Android notifications and turn off persistent app notifications. Instructions apply to Android 9 and higher.

How to Dismiss Android Notifications

The easiest way to get rid of notifications (and status bar icons) is as follows: Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Notifications Drawer. Review the notifications to make sure you're not getting rid of anything important. After you have reviewed your notifications, swipe the notification either left or right to dismiss it, or tap Clear all. To keep track of snoozed or recently dismissed notifications, go to Settings > Notifications > Notification history.

How to Turn Off Persistent Android Notifications

Sometimes a status bar icon alerts you to an app that's running. Occasionally, you'll have notifications that can't be swiped off-screen. There are a few reasons this can happen. If the notification is displaying the status in a currently-running app, shutting down the app should do the trick. Similarly, a previously running app may have started a service in the background that's still going. There should be something on the notification to stop the service. Some apps put up notifications you can't dismiss. In this case, the notification won't disappear when you swipe, but it will reveal a gear icon that will take you to the notification settings for that app. Toggle off Show Notifications, but bear in mind this is turning off all notifications for the app, so make sure there's nothing critical you'll miss by doing so.

How to Turn Off Android App Notifications

Even if you don't get the gear icon when you swipe an Android Status Bar Icon notification, you can still turn off notifications for any app. Here's how: Go to Settings. Tap Notifications > App Settings.
In some versions of Android, you'll see your list of apps on the Notifications screen. Tap See All. Find the app with the notifications you want to turn off, and tap the toggle to turn off notifications. Tap the app to see more options. From here, you can turn off certain types of notifications specific to the app. Alternatively, go to Settings > Apps, choose your app, then tap Notifications to change the notification settings. Go back to the Notifications settings screen to see more general options for notifications. For example, you can hide sensitive notifications on your lock screen or turn on Do Not Disturb mode. (If you don't see these options, select Advanced Settings).

What Are Android Status Bar Icons

Android Status Bar icons are notifications in the graphical user interface (GUI) from apps running on your device. These notifications can contain text, graphics, and even controls. They can represent information about your wireless connection, cellular network, or home Wi-Fi, and they can tell you you've received a text message. When the system UI gets a message, it responds by putting it in the Notifications Drawer at the top of the screen.

How Android Status Bar Icons Work

Once you receive an Android status bar icon notification, you need to open the Notifications Drawer to access the one each icon represents. Then, you can usually tap the alert to open its corresponding app. Depending on the app, you may be able to take other actions, such as pausing and playing music. When you tap a notification, you'll go to the app, and it will disappear. But in the event you don't want to jump around a dozen apps to clean up the top of your screen, you can also Dismiss notifications easily.

Is System UI Available on All Androids

System UI is the user interface on your Android device. All Android devices have System UI, though some might have another user interface installed over the Android System UI, such as those manufactured by Samsung. In the case of Samsung phones, the user interface is called One UI. All Android devices, including Android tablets, will display notifications using Android status bar icons, including Samsung One UI installed. FAQ How do I get the status bar back on Android? If your Android status bar disappeared, try turning off the Google Now application: Go to Settings > Apps > Google Now and tap Force Stop. If this doesn't work, turn off Easy Mode: Go to Settings > Display and tap Easy Mode to turn it off. How do I hide the status bar on Android? With a stock Android phone, press and hold Settings until System Settings appears. Select System UI Tuner > Status Bar, and turn off all the options. Another option: Download a third-party "immersive mode" app (be sure it's a reputable app, or you run the risk of malware infection). What is the star on the Android status bar? The star on your Android status bar indicates you have priority notifications turned on instead of "no notifications" or "all notifications." In Settings, you can designate specific apps as being priority. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Turn On Snapchat Notifications Windows 10 Action Center: How to Use It How to Turn off Notifications on Android How to Close Apps on Android How to Get Rid of the Hollow Arrow on iPhone The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know How to Use Samsung's Do Not Disturb Mode The 19 Best Xposed Framework Modules How to Change Android Notification Sounds How to Manage Notifications on the iPhone How to Turn Off Instagram Message Requests How to Turn Off Do Not Disturb on Android How to Snooze Notifications in Android 12 How to Use Android 12's Adaptive Notifications Ranking How to Open the iPad's Settings How to Remove Facebook Birthdays From Your Calendar Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies