Tricks for Keeping Your Text Message Notifications Private GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Email, Messaging, & Video Calls > Texting & Messaging 85 85 people found this article helpful
Tricks for Keeping Your Text Message Notifications Private
Follow these best practices to hide your data from spying eyes
By Andy O'Donnell Andy O'Donnell Writer Auburn University Andy O'Donnell, MA, is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a senior security engineer who is active in internet and network security. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 20, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Texting & Messaging Email Texting & Messaging Video Calls Consider these best practices to keep your data hidden. Alternatively, set up your device so that the lock screen doesn't reveal your text messages and notifications. Tim Robberts / Getty Images The Face-Down Maneuver
This is the oldest trick in the book: Turn your phone over so that no one can see your notifications. The drawback is that it's not exactly subtle. Doing so typically raises suspicion among companions about what you're trying to hide. Furthermore, you won't see the notifications, which may defeat the purpose. Stealth Texting No Sound
You can always turn off the text notification sound and use the vibrate setting instead. In some situations, however, the vibration setting may be as apparent as the sound. Turn Off the Option
One of the best ways to keep prying eyes from seeing your texts is to turn off the lock screen notification display. Instead of seeing a compromising message, onlookers only see something like, "New text message received." You are still aware that you have a text, but no one casually looking at your phone can see its contents without unlocking the device. This also prevents image previews from displaying. How to Hide Lock Screen Notifications on an iPhone
Follow these steps to hide text messages from your lock screen on an iPhone. Open the Settings app from the home screen. Select Notifications > Show Previews. Choose between three options: Always, When Unlocked, and Never. How to Hide Lock Screen Notifications on an Android
Follow these steps to hide text messages from your lock screen on an Android. Open the Settings app on your Android device. Choose Apps & notifications > Notifications. Under the Lock Screen setting, choose Notifications on lock screen or On lock screen. Select Don't show notifications. Other Android Messaging Apps
Some Android devices featuring the stock Android messaging app may block lock screen notifications by default. If all you see is that you have a New Message but the sender isn't shown, your messaging app may be configured to conceal the contents on the lock screen. If you use a different app for messaging, you may need to check if you can turn off lock screen notifications. Some apps allow this functionality, and some don't. Check the messaging app's settings for details. Other Privacy Considerations
Another way to keep snoopers out of your phone is to set a passcode. Ideally, create a strong passcode that includes biometric-based authentication, such as Apple Touch ID or the Android fingerprint reader. Another authentication option is Android trusted devices, which use your phone's proximity to a trusted Bluetooth device to verify access to it. 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 What Does Do Not Disturb Do? How to Leave a Group Text on Android or iOS How to Fix Not Getting Text Notifications on iPhone How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Any Phone How to Turn Off Message Preview on iPhone How to Tell When Someone Reads Your Text Message How to Set Up and Use Focus Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch Can You Text on Fitbit Versa? How to Send a Text Message to a Group How to Forward a Text Message to Email The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know How to Use Samsung's Do Not Disturb Mode How to Get Text Messages on a Samsung Galaxy Watch The 19 Best Xposed Framework Modules Android 13: News, Release Date, and Features How to Change the Color of Text Bubbles on Android 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