
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
One of the crucial highest issues about Android in comparison to iOS is the notification device, and it’s simple to look why. Between options like notification cooldown, notification teams, and different granular controls, Android telephones make it simple to chop out the noise. We’ve even exposed an upcoming notification laws function in Android 17.
On the other hand, my favourite notification-related function is notification historical past, and it was once offered in Android 11 long ago in 2020. I simply want that Google enabled it by way of default on new telephones. Right here’s why.
Do you employ notification historical past to your telephone?
16 votes
My greatest factor with notification historical past

Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Because the title implies, the notification historical past function permits you to view a log of new notifications displayed to your telephone. This log is going again more or less 24 hours and presentations the notification as you noticed it, together with the timestamp.
It’s an unbelievable function, and I’ve regularly used it once I’ve by accident swiped away an alert. Up to now, pushing aside a notification intended you misplaced it ceaselessly. However now, I merely want to discuss with the notification historical past web page to view it. This can also be accessed by way of tapping Settings > Notifications > Complex settings > Notification historical past on Samsung telephones. In the meantime, Pixel homeowners can in finding it by means of Settings > Notifications > Notification historical past.
This selection could also be helpful should you’re affected by notification overload and wish to scale back indicators from pointless apps. The notification historical past web page smartly teams indicators from the similar app right into a unmarried segment, providing you with a good suggestion of probably the most offending apps so you’ll be able to come to a decision whether or not to stay their permission or now not. In spite of everything, do you in reality want but every other reminder to enroll in Uber One?
Notification historical past stays a large feather in Android’s cap in comparison to iOS, as Apple’s running device lacks this option altogether. Sadly, my greatest annoyance with this instrument is that it isn’t enabled by way of default.
Notification historical past must be manually enabled to your instrument, and this is not superb for some scenarios.
This doesn’t sound like a large downside, as you most effective want to activate notification historical past as soon as to your telephone. On the other hand, I regularly most effective be mindful to permit it on a brand new instrument once I’ve by accident brushed aside a notification within the first position. And wager what? The function most effective logs indicators after you flip it on for the primary time. That implies you’ll be able to’t view any brushed aside indicators previous to enabling notification historical past. So, the only time once I maximum want get entry to to the notification historical past is once in a while the time that I will be able to’t use it.
I’d due to this fact find it irresistible if Google enabled this option by way of default on all Android gadgets. That method, you’ll be able to be confident that you’ll be able to at all times view previous notifications. Alternatively, I utterly perceive if some Android telephone customers don’t need this solution to be on by way of default. In spite of everything, it is a log of delicate data. So privacy-conscious customers would possibly now not need their telephone readily hoovering up this information.
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A excellent middle-ground can be for Android telephones to show a recommended within the notification color after first booting up, asking whether or not you need to permit notification historical past. This is able to be a extra good way to the function, reminding customers about it with out you make a decision for them.
Google may just even ask customers throughout instrument setup whether or not they sought after to permit notification historical past. Heck, I’d respect it if Android telephones typically requested customers extra questions throughout the setup procedure. I’d particularly like to look extra OEMs apply Samsung and ask customers whether or not they desire a cut up or unified notification color. In the meantime, colleague Rita El Khoury prompt questions round notification sound asleep, show answer, refresh price, and battery optimizations.
After all, those questions may just briefly make for a messy setup procedure. However colleague Andy Walker means that Android OEMs may just even ask folks whether or not they have been beginners or energy customers. Select the previous, and also you’ve were given a simplified setup procedure. Pick out the latter, and also you’ve were given the entire toggles and settings you must need from the primary boot that will help you tailor your revel in.
Possibly requesting a better setup procedure is a bridge too some distance. However on the naked minimal, I’d love to look notification historical past enabled by way of default on a brand new Android telephone, or a toggle showing throughout instrument setup to ring a bell in me to do it. So right here’s hoping Google is listening.
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