slashed bell icon

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Level 1

57 points

slashed bell icon

I'm not getting notifications for messages (iOS16). Everything SEEMS to be set right, but when I swipe left on a message I didn't get a notification for, there is a slashed bell icon. I understand that this indicated that messages from this person are muted. I can click that slashed bell to unslash it, ideally allowing notification. But, jeez, what is making everyone's messages have a slashed bell icon? Somehow, my system has disallowed notification for everyone. I want EVERYONE to have allowed message notifications.

I do see, in my Do Not Disturb, that under "ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS", no People are listed ("None allowed"). Is that why this is happening? How do I allow EVERYONE to have allowed notifications?

iPhone SE

Posted on Jan 13, 2023 4:55 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Dannymac22 Author

Level 1

57 points

Jan 13, 2023 5:33 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Well, the text that someone sent me DID notify me, but when I look at that text, there is a slashed bell. In Setting->Notifications->Messages "Allow Notifications" is on. Sorry, but I'm still confused.

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Answer 2

Dannymac22 Author

Level 1

57 points

Jan 13, 2023 5:43 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thank you. I do understand that I can unslash the bell by tapping it. But what exactly does a slashed bell mean? Does a slashed bell mean notifications are allowed, or does it mean they are not allowed? If the former, that answers all of my questions, but a slashed bell sort of visually means to me that there is no bell (as in, no notification).

I should add that it is amusing that in testing message notifications, you can't do it by texting yourself. It appears that, by design, when you text yourself, you don't get a notification!

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Answer 3

Jan 13, 2023 5:00 PM in response to Dannymac22

Do Not Disturb setup has been made much more flexible, but this has come at the cost of much more complication. To get it working again, do these steps ONCE:

Tap Settings
Tap Focus
Tap on any Focus settings that you will never use and remove them (you can add them back later if you change your mind)
Tap Do Not Disturb
Tap People
Tap Allow Notifications From
If anyone is listed who should not call you when DND is on delete them; if you don’t want any calls from anyone, any time, delete all people
Tap the dropdown next to Allow Calls From and choose Allowed People Only
Optionally, tap on Apps, then Allow Notifications From and don’t add any apps.

All of the above is a one-time setup. After that, turn DND on or off with the Control Center Focus button. You can optionally set one or more schedules by going to:

Settings/Focus/Do Not Disturb/Set a Schedule.

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Answer 4

Dannymac22 Author

Level 1

57 points

Jan 13, 2023 5:13 PM in response to Dannymac22

Thank you for your prompt response. I already do Allow Calls From ... Everybody. I think that was set. But I'm talking about *text messages*. Is a "text message" a "call"?

Now, once I do what you told me to do, under ALLOWED NOTIFICATIONS and People, it STILL says "None allowed". But I thought I allowed everyone!

That all being said, I now am getting text message notifications, BUT, looking at a text I was sent, that gave me a notification, I STILL see a slashed bell. I thought a slahed bell meant no notification.

This is making less and less sense.

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Answer 5

Jan 13, 2023 5:24 PM in response to Dannymac22

The slashed bell on an individual message means that notifications for that specific thread is disabled. It is not related to DND. Go to Settings/Notifications and make sure Allow Notifications is on.

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Answer 6

Jan 13, 2023 5:36 PM in response to Dannymac22

OK, I now see what is happening. I thought you were seeing a slashed bell in the list. If you see it when you swipe from right to left and see a slashed bell that means you can tap on the slashed bell to DISABLE notifications for that thread. Like tapping the trash can will delete it.

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Answer 7

Jan 13, 2023 5:56 PM in response to Dannymac22

A slashed bell means notifications for that thread are allowed. Think of it as the trash icon. It doesn’t mean that the thread is in the trash; it means you tap it to put the thread in the trash. By the same logic tapping the slashed bell disables notifications.

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Answer 8

Dannymac22 Author

Level 1

57 points

Jan 13, 2023 6:04 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Ah, now I see. The meaning of that icon is sort of reversed from what one might suppose it to be. If the bell is unslashed, notifications are disabled. So the bell itself sort of means NO notifications.

One more question, which I alluded to earlier. In Focus-Do Not Disturb, when you tap Do Not Disturb, you are asked about ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS, as in who, and which apps. Do I understand that this list of allowed notifications ONLY PERTAINS when a Do Not Disturb schedule is actually set up? I don't have any such schedules set up, so that sub-page about notifications is, for me, totally irrelevant. Correct?

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