Make Your Notifications Smarter with iOS 18.4

If you often find yourself inundated with notifications from social media apps, messages from friends and family, and incessant news alerts, you’re not alone. The latest update from Apple—iOS 18.4—introduces a game-changing feature designed for the modern user: Priority Notifications. This feature is available exclusively on Apple Intelligence-enabled devices like the iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, and the entire iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 lineups.

With Priority Notifications, you can streamline your alerts, ensuring that only the most important notifications get your attention. Apple describes this feature as a way to highlight significant messages right on your Lock Screen, allowing you to catch up on what matters without the distraction of less important notifications.

What Changes with Priority Notifications?

Gone are the days when messages from loved ones got buried beneath a mountain of irrelevant alerts. When you enable Priority Notifications, messages from your close contacts will appear at the top of your notification stack. This adjustment ensures you see what’s truly important first, making it easier to manage your day-to-day interactions.

This feature not only enhances your focus but also reevaluates how notifications behave on your device. Apple’s priority system uses machine learning to discern which alerts you’re likely to respond to, allowing you to stay connected without feeling overwhelmed.

How to Enable Priority Notifications

Enabling Priority Notifications is straightforward and can be done in just a few taps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Tap Prioritize Notifications.
4. Toggle the slider next to Prioritize Notifications to the “on” position.

After activating this feature, a dropdown menu will appear, allowing you to select which apps you want to receive Priority Notifications from. This level of customization ensures that you only get alerts from the apps and contacts that matter the most.

For more insights into iOS updates, be sure to explore my detailed review of the iOS 26, how to reduce the Liquid Glass effects introduced in the update, and the functionalities of text screening.