Too many notifications waste time and attention. You can switch off most of them without losing anything important.

Android

1. Open Settings, then Notifications.
2. Look for App notifications and scroll the list.
3. Tap an app and switch off the alerts you do not need. Keep the ones for calls, messages and banking.

To turn off one alert quickly, press and hold it, then choose Turn off notifications when the option appears.

iPhone

1. Open Settings, then Notifications.
2. Tap an app. Switch off Allow Notifications, or turn off only the sounds and badges.
3. Look for Scheduled Summary, which groups less urgent alerts into one delivery at set times.

Keep the important ones

Keep alerts on for your bank, one-time password messages, and the people you need to reach. Be careful with alerts that ask you to click a link you did not expect: they can be scams.

A simple weekly check

Once a week, scroll the list of apps and ask one question for each: did I act on its last three alerts? If not, switch it off.