Get richer notifications in iOS 10

LEARN HOW TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH IOS 10’S IMPROVED NOTIFICATIONS.

THE BASICS OF notifications haven’t changed much in iOS 10. They still appear for a moment in a strip across the top of the screen when your device is unlocked, accumulate in Notification Centre and are shown on the Lock screen so you can attend to any you might have ignored or missed from one place later on. They also still display numbered counts on apps’ Home screen icons to remind you of how many missed events you’ve got to catch up on.

But the updated operating system enables apps to provide more than just a bit of text and a few actions you might take in response. For example, when you receive a text message, as well as responding to it in place, you can scroll back through your conversation to check what was previously said. These capabilities apply to third-party apps from the App Store too, and provide you with much greater control without the need to pull you out of an app.

Notifications work largely the same across all iOS devices, but your iPhone is a 6s/6s Plus or 7/7 Plus, 3D Touch provides you with a more consistent experience for dealing with things like notifications, from the Lock screen or a banner.

Notice that there are no longer tabs at the top of Notification Centre for moving between the Today view and Notifications. The Today view is still present: you only have to swipe left to right on Notification Centre to find it. So on a Plus-size iPhone, you can reach and interact with the Today view much more easily while using your device one-handed. The Today view is also available at the Lock screen. Just swipe left to right to view it.

Finally, after you’ve configured an app in ‘Settings > Notifications’, tap its name in the bottom group at the top level of Settings; often the same controls are repeated here, but occasionally you’ll find extras. Also check any configuration page within the app itself.