Highlights
- Notifications on iPhones and iPads have a tendency to become overpowered, but Apple’s feature for Time Sensitive Notifications will prevent you from missing the alerts that matter most.
- This feature, new in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, enables apps to send you important alerts that should break through Do Not Disturb and Focus modes.
- Luckily, today in this guide, we have explained everything that you need to know about Apple Time Sensitive Notifications.
If you use an iPhone or iPad, you know that the notifications can be overwhelming. With social media pings, email alerts, and app reminders, our devices are always calling for us.
In iOS 15, Apple added a different kind of notification called Time Sensitive alerts to make it easier to maintain focus without overlooking something important.
But what are Apple’s time-sensitive notifications, exactly? Why do they matter, and how can you help manage them to fit your lifestyle better?
In this post, we’ll show you the ins and outs of this relatively new type of notification, its relationship to Focus modes, how to allow or disallow
What are time-sensitive notifications?
Time Sensitive is a class of notifications in the Apple ecosystem. Debuted in iOS 15, they balance keeping distractions at arm’s length with allowing important alerts to reach you.
In a nutshell, they’re intended to bust through any notification suppression you’ve established through features like Do Not Disturb or Focus modes, provided they’re important and time-sensitive (as the name would suggest).
For instance, a banking app could send you a Time Sensitive notification when there’s a significant withdrawal, or a delivery app might tell you that your order will be at your door in 10 minutes — even if Do Not Disturb is enabled.
Unlike regular notifications that can be silenced and scheduled, time-sensitive notifications ignore Do Not Disturb (if allowed) and appear on your lock screen for one hour to increase the chance you’ll see them.
The Role of Focus Modes
In iOS 15, the Focus feature lets users set up profiles for notifications called Work, Sleep, Driving and so on. Each mode lets you choose:
- Who is allowed to message or call you?
- Which apps can send you notifications?
- Whether to allow or not Time Sensitive notifications.
This is the scenario where Time Sensitive alerts really shine.
So you are working and have turned off all notifications from all apps except for your email and one calendar app?
But if you get a Time Sensitive alert, such as one from your smart home app, that someone is at your front door, you probably would want to see that — even in Work Focus.
If that Focus mode allows Time Sensitive notifications, the alert will break through, and crucial updates are never missed.
Who Decides What’s “Time Sensitive”?
The funny thing is, you don’t even get to choose when a notification is Time Sensitive. That is a decision app developers make.
They set some of the alerts to be Time Sensitive, depending on the context and priority of the information.
This system does have a downside: it can be abused. Some apps might also slap Time Sensitive on promotions, updates or non-pressing news just to work around the Focus restrictions.
The good news is that you can still choose to block access on a per-app basis.
How to Allow Time-Sensitive Notifications in Focus Modes
If you’d like to take advantage of Time Sensitive notifications, you’ll first need to enable them from your Focus settings. Here’s how to turn them on:
- Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap on Focus.
- Choose the Focus Mode you wish to customize (Do Not Disturb, Work, Sleep, etc.).
- Now, click on Apps.
- Select Apps in Allowed Notifications.
- Here, you can:
- Include apps that are allowed to send notifications.
- Turn on the switch for Time Sensitive Notifications.
- Ensure the toggle is ON to enable Time Sensitive notifications during this Focus mode.
Do this again for each Focus mode to choose which Time Sensitive notifications can come through.
How to Turn Off Time-Sensitive Notifications for Specific Apps
So what if an app isn’t using ”urgent” properly? It may be sending offers or marketing messages that come with Time Sensitive tag. This permission can be easily disabled. Here’s how:
- Visit Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap on the app you wish to customize.
- Tap the app name.
- If the app supports Time Sensitive notifications, you should see a switch called “Time Sensitive Notifications.”
- Turn this toggle OFF to stop the app from delivering time-sensitive alerts.
Note: This isn’t an option with all apps. It’s hard to say; it’s up to the developer to integrate it.
Another Way to Manage Notifications: On-the-Fly
Occasionally, a Time Sensitive alert will pop up with a little question at the bottom of it:
Forget about digging into settings — this is your opportunity to accept or refuse on the spot. It’s an easy and fast way to manage the way in which apps are pinging you in real-time.
When Should You Use Time-Sensitive Notifications?
This is especially helpful if you want peace of mind but still want to hear about that critical update. Here are a few instances in which Time Sensitive notifications really shine:
1. Banking and Security
- Alerts for suspicious logins or big withdrawals.
- There are no credit card transaction alerts.
2. Delivery Apps
- Real-time updates when a driver is on its way.
- Adjustments of delays to your delivery window.
3. Home Automation
- A security camera records the movement.
- The door was left unlocked or open.
4. Medical and Health
- Reminders for medication.
- Notifications from health monitoring apps.
5. Travel and Navigation
- Flight gate changes.
- Ride-share driver wait times.
In all of these instances, by enabling Time Sensitive notifications, you’re likely to get less bombarded without being out of the loop.
Pros and Cons of Time-Sensitive Notifications
As with any feature, it has its strengths and weaknesses.
Pros:
- Enables emergency alerts to get through Do Not Disturb.
- It decreases your odds of losing critical data.
- Provides more customizability to Focus mode.
- Remains on your lock screen longer than other alerts.
Cons:
- Users aren’t in control of what’s “Time Sensitive.”
- Marketing-heavy apps could potentially misuse it.
- Not available in all apps.
The Best Strategy: Fine-Tuning, Not Ignoring
The key to getting time-sensitive notifications right is customization. Rustle up your list of apps and make a ruling:
- Which apps are most deserving of that prime real estate?
- Other Focus modes that should handle them?
- What apps could be ransacking the feature?
By regularly checking your notification settings and trying out the various Focus modes, you can create an iPhone experience that’s productive and responsive.
Final Thoughts: Stay in Control of Your Attention
Apple’s addition of Time Sensitive notifications and Focus modes was a bold gesture in the direction of digital well-being.
At a time when everyone is inundated with alerts, our system gives users the power to reclaim their attention — without wasting what really matters.
But it’s only a thing if you have the patience to tweak it. Let apps earn your trust. Only let time-sensitivity alerts in from the services that you actually find urgent, and turn it off from the ones abusing the privilege.
When you’re working, sleeping, meditating, or hanging with family, your iPhone should be making your life better — not constantly interrupting it.
Now, with time-sensitive notifications, you have a smarter way to maintain that balance.
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