The steps in this guide will show you how to always show notification previews on your iPhone 11.
- This means that you, or anyone with physical access to your iPhone, will be able to view the preview in the alerts on your iPhone.
- The different options for this setting include “Always,” “When Unlocked,” and “Never.”
- You will only see notification previews for apps where you have enabled alert or banner notifications. You can view or changes these settings at Settings > Notifications.
Some of the notifications that you see on your iPhone will include a small amount of information about the contents of that notification.
This can include the first few lines of a text message or an email. While the ability to see this information without even unlocking your iPhone can be convenient, it can also pose a risk to privacy or security.
If you haven’t adjusted the notification settings on your iPhone, then the current setting is likely to only show previews when the iPhone is unlocked. Our guide below will show you how to change that setting so that you can always see notification previews on your iPhone, even when the device is locked.
How to Always Show Notification Previews on an iPhone
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 11 in iOS 13.4.1
Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Choose the Notifications option.

Step 3: Select the Show Previews button at the top of the screen.

Step 4: Tap the Always button.

As mentioned earlier, using this setting will mean that anyone who can see your iPhone will be able to see some of the contents of your text messages and emails if you have lock screen alerts enabled for those apps.
Find out how to turn off vibrate on an iPhone if you would prefer that the device not use the vibrate feature for any reason.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop and more.