Badge count of Mail and Messages no longer appears on my iPhone

8jan25 - found it! Since the badges would come and go at seemingly random times and when cycling the iPhone/ipad on and off it had to be some setting that manages what you see and when; the Focus feature is the culprit. In Settings-Focus , turn it all off. There is a bug with the feature.

The Focus feature on iOS is designed to help reduce distractions by filtering notifications and apps based on your current activity or location. So the feature is not only limiting those notifications, it is also disabling the badge feature at the same time that it is trying to filter.

I had the same issue after updating to iOS 18.3, and after trying multiple fixes, I finally found what worked for me! I went to Settings → Mail → Notifications → Customize Notifications and selected ‘All Unread Messages’ instead of ‘Unread Messages in Primary’—somehow, this option had been unchecked after the update. Once I changed it back, my badge notifications started working again.

I also noticed that restarting the iPhone temporarily brings the badge count back, but as soon as I check my messages, it disappears again. After testing different settings, I realized that the Focus feature in Settings → Focus might be interfering with notifications. Turning it off completely helped keep my badge count consistent.

If you’re still facing this problem, I recommend checking both the Mail notification settings and Focus mode to see if they’re causing the issue. Hopefully, Apple is aware of this bug and will roll out a fix in the next update!

Same issue, fixed mine by going to Settings -> Mail -> Notifications-> Customise Notifications.. and I ticked ‘All unread messages’ (instead of ‘Unread messages in primary’, it had somehow been on ticked on following the 18.3 update). Hope this helps!

The problem with the badge count is that the update introduced a category view and list view (see attached). You need to use list view to get a count for a mail address. Just select the three dots and change the view type

Actually I figured out that if you turn off “Focus”, it fixed it for me!😀

Really a screenshot to understand the ‘phenomenon’, it is the iOS update. The badge count on messages and mail haven’t worked in about 2 weeks. Like everyone else, we have tried everything. When you power down the iphone or iPad and restart, the badges show up, but as soon as you look at those unread messages/emails and the badge count goes to zero, it never reinitializes when new messages/emails come in. Location on off, reset, accessibility, WiFi,.. resetting and turning things on off doesn’t work. Apple knows about it but it’s the holidays; maybe next year. If we wait long enough, someone will fix it in the next iOS update.

AbdullahSajid1 wrote: "...Hopefully, Apple is aware of this bug..."

AbdullahSajid ~ As we're all just users here, make sure Apple is aware via this form:

iPhone Feedback

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Your device is probably not connected to the internet

If you connect to Wifi, doesn't necessarily mean you are connected to the internet. --> Internet not available WiFi and Cellular … - Apple Community

I have one phone running 18.1.1 and one running 18.3. The badges work just fine on the 18.1.1, but not at all on 18.3. I have a back to back comparison that everything else on the phone is the same, since i just upgraded and used my icloud backup to set up the new phone. I have triple checked all the settings are the same in both Outlook, notifications, focus, you name it. So, I can say it is definitely something that changed in the new iOS.

CaddyShack18 wrote:

when updated iOS to 18.2

It's not always the iOS update's fault!  Many things can cause phone problems.  If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.

Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!

iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.

Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.

Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.

See what each update does: About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...

It would be better if you can please post with a screenshot, in order to understand the phenomenon better. Images / pictures speak louder than words. (Do not provide any personal credentials, such as email id, apple id, IMEI number, Serial Number, Phone number, Order ID, if you are sharing a map ensure your location is not identifiable. etc)

Well 18.3 did not fix it; lol’s. Minor annoyance since you now have to remember to check your email and messages since the badge count does not work anymore. Come on apple, fix it!

[Edited by Moderator]

Thanks. I never thought of that. The update changed from list to primary and show badge count for all to primary only. I don’t understand why they needed to change our settings. Your advice saved my continued frustration