Turn off notifications in your device settings
The fastest way to stop Apple TV notifications is to disable them in your device's notification settings, not inside the Apple TV app itself. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll down to find Apple TV, and tap it. Then toggle off Allow Notifications. This stops all alerts from the app when ready—no app restart needed.
On Mac, open System Settings > Notifications, find Apple TV in the list on the left, and uncheck Allow notifications. The change takes effect right away. This method works whether you want to silence all notifications or just specific types, because disabling at the system level overrides any in-app settings.
Key Takeaways
- Disable Apple TV notifications in your device's system settings under Notifications, not inside the Apple TV app itself.
- On iPhone and iPad, toggle off Allow Notifications for Apple TV in Settings > Notifications.
- On Mac, uncheck Allow notifications for Apple TV in System Settings > Notifications.
- If you want to keep some notifications, you can customize which types appear instead of turning them all off.
- Notifications will stop appearing when ready after you change the setting—you do not need to restart the app or device.
Customize notification types instead of turning them all off
If you want to receive some Apple TV notifications but not others, you can choose which types to keep. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Notifications > Apple TV and look for options like Sounds, Badges, and Banners. You can turn off individual toggles—for example, disable Sounds to stop audio alerts while keeping visual notifications, or turn off Badges to hide the red number on the app icon.
On Mac, open System Settings > Notifications, select Apple TV, and you will see similar options. Uncheck Play sound for notifications if you only want silent alerts, or uncheck Show in Notification Center if you do not want them to appear in your notification panel at all. This approach lets you stay informed about content you care about without being interrupted by every update.
Turn off notifications for specific content or shows
Apple TV also sends notifications about shows you are watching or have marked as favorites. To stop these targeted alerts, open the Apple TV app and go to Account (the profile icon in the top right corner). Tap Notifications and look for toggles related to shows, recommendations, or reminders. You can turn off Show Reminders to stop alerts about new episodes, or disable Recommendations to prevent notifications about content Apple TV thinks you might like.
This in-app setting is separate from your device-level notification controls. Even if you leave system notifications on, turning off these toggles will reduce the number of alerts you receive. The changes take effect when ready, though it may take a few minutes for Apple TV to sync the setting across your devices if you use the app on multiple screens.
Check notification settings on all your devices
If you use Apple TV on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV box, notifications may be coming from more than one device. Check the notification settings on each one separately, because turning off notifications on your iPhone does not affect your iPad or Mac. Go through Settings > Notifications on each device and disable Apple TV the same way.
If you have an Apple TV box connected to your television, notifications there work differently—they appear on the screen itself. To turn them off, open Settings on your Apple TV box, go to Notifications, and toggle off Allow Notifications. This prevents alerts from interrupting what you are watching on your TV.
Stop notifications from iCloud syncing across devices
Apple TV uses iCloud to sync your account across devices, which means notification settings may carry over if you use the same Apple ID on multiple devices. If you turned off notifications on one device but they are still appearing on another, check whether iCloud Keychain or iCloud Sync is enabled for notifications. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and look for notification-related toggles.
You can also sign out of your Apple ID on a device if you do not want it to receive notifications at all. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out, though this will also remove your saved shows, watch history, and recommendations from that device. This is a more drastic step and is usually only necessary if you share a device with someone else and want completely separate notification settings.
Troubleshoot notifications that keep coming back
Sometimes notifications reappear after you turn them off, especially after a software update. If this happens, restart the Apple TV app by closing it completely and reopening it. On iPhone and iPad, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer models) to open the app switcher, find Apple TV, and swipe it away. Then tap the Apple TV icon to reopen it.
If notifications still return, restart your entire device. On iPhone and iPad, hold the power button and slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then power back on. On Mac, click the Apple menu and select Restart. After the restart, go back to Settings > Notifications and confirm that Apple TV notifications are still disabled. If the problem persists, check whether you have installed the latest version of the Apple TV app or iOS/macOS, because outdated software sometimes causes notification settings to reset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off Apple TV notifications affect my watch history or recommendations?
No. Disabling notifications only stops alerts from appearing on your device. Your watch history, saved shows, and personalized recommendations will continue to work normally. The app will still track what you watch and suggest content based on your viewing habits—you just will not be notified about new episodes or recommendations.
Can I turn off notifications for just one show or movie?
Yes, through the in-app notification settings. Open the Apple TV app, go to Account > Notifications, and look for options to disable reminders for specific shows. You can also remove a show from your favorites or watch list, which often stops notifications about it, though this varies depending on your Apple TV version.
Why am I still getting notifications after I turned them off?
Check whether you disabled notifications on all your devices—turning them off on your iPhone does not affect your iPad or Mac. Also verify that you changed the setting in Settings > Notifications, not just inside the Apple TV app itself. If notifications still appear after restarting the app and your device, update to the latest version of Apple TV or your operating system.
Do I need to turn off notifications separately on my Apple TV box?
Yes. Notification settings on your Apple TV box are independent from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Go to Settings > Notifications on the box itself and disable them there if you do not want alerts interrupting your television.