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Red number for text messages MIA suddenly

How do I restore the little red number that comes up on your text message icon to let you know you have new text messages? Mine does not show up randomly overnight.


note that ALL notifications are already toggled on (always have been) and I get the sound notification just not the number alert.


I DID update to 16.3.1 recently

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 16

Posted on Feb 21, 2023 6:23 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 21, 2023 10:44 AM

Yeah, checked all of these things when I woke up this morning and had five texts with no notifications. Restarted my phone a few times and always after changing any setting. Of course it’s acting up after I updated to most current IOS version. iPhones now have, which I consider, so many useless, at times confusing, BS features that with each update they get mucked up to some degree and, I suppose for my particular settings, this latest update affected my red text notification. Quite frustrating considering the bulk of my communications are via text…ugh

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 21, 2023 10:44 AM in response to Community User

Yeah, checked all of these things when I woke up this morning and had five texts with no notifications. Restarted my phone a few times and always after changing any setting. Of course it’s acting up after I updated to most current IOS version. iPhones now have, which I consider, so many useless, at times confusing, BS features that with each update they get mucked up to some degree and, I suppose for my particular settings, this latest update affected my red text notification. Quite frustrating considering the bulk of my communications are via text…ugh

Feb 21, 2023 7:19 AM in response to anotherusernamegeez

First, check if you have unread messages. No badges will be displayed if there are no unread messages.


Check also if you have enabled Do Not Disturb. By default, Do Not Disturb is set to hide ALL badges when the feature is enabled. You can disable Do Not Disturb in the control center.


  • On iPhone with FaceID, pull down the Control Center from the top right corner.


Find the Focus button, just below Screen Rotation Lock and Screen Mirroring, tap in and disable Do Not Disturb. If you have another Focus profile enabled, disable it.


Feb 22, 2023 4:32 AM in response to anotherusernamegeez

I myself have not experienced issues with badges, on some of my devices after iOS 16.3.1, nor before.


But if you don't have a Focus profile activated, try checking here:

Settings > Notifications > check in Messages and the other affected apps if Badges are enabled.

Red number for text messages MIA suddenly

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