How to Customize Dynamic Island

Use these steps to control what appears in Dynamic Island, reduce interruptions, and make it easier to reach on supported iPhone models.

Before you begin

Dynamic Island shows system alerts and Live Activities from apps (music, timers, rides, sports, navigation). You can’t move or remove the Island, but you can manage which apps appear and how often.

Note: Steps apply to iPhone models that include Dynamic Island. Make sure iOS is up to date.

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Turn Live Activities on or off (per app)

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll to the app (for example TV, Music, Maps, a sports or ride-share app).
3. Tap Live Activities and toggle Allow Live Activities on or off.
4. If available, turn More Frequent Updates on for faster refresh or off to save battery.

Pro tip: If an app doesn’t list Live Activities, it doesn’t support them.

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Limit app interruptions that use Dynamic Island

1. Go to Settings > Notifications.
2. Tap an app and toggle Allow Notifications off to stop banners and most Island updates.
3. Or keep notifications on, but switch Alert style to fewer surfaces (for example, turn off Lock Screen or Banners) to reduce pop-ins.

Note: Some system features (timers, screen recording, AirDrop, charging) may still use the Island.

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Control what shows when your iPhone is locked

1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
2. In Allow Access When Locked, turn Live Activities off to hide them on the Lock Screen and reduce related Island activity when locked.
3. Go to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and choose When Unlocked or Never to hide message details that might appear in the Island.

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Filter with Focus

1. Open Settings > Focus and pick a Focus (for example Do Not Disturb or Driving).
2. Use Allowed Notifications to select which people and apps can notify you.
3. When that Focus is on, only allowed apps can trigger alerts or Live Activities that surface in the Island.

Pro tip: Add a Schedule or Smart Activation so Focus turns on automatically.

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Make Dynamic Island easier to reach

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch.
2. Turn on Reachability.
3. Swipe down on the bottom edge of the screen to bring the top UI (including the Island) lower for one-handed use.

Tip: In Settings > Accessibility > Motion, Reduce Motion softens animations if you find the Island distracting.

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Improve refresh and reliability

1. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and keep it on for apps that use Live Activities.
2. In Settings > Battery, consider Low Power Mode off during active tracking so Live Activities update promptly.
3. If the Island stops updating, force-quit the app, then reopen it, or restart your iPhone.

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Use Dynamic Island interactions

• Tap to open the app’s Live Activity.
• Touch and hold to expand controls (music playback, timers, maps turn-by-turn).
• Swipe toward the center to minimize if supported.

Note: Some cards auto-collapse after a few seconds to stay out of the way.

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FAQs

Can I change the Island’s color, size, or position?
No. Those aspects aren’t customizable.

Can I hide the Island entirely?
No. You can limit its activity using Notifications, Focus, and Live Activities settings.

Do I need notifications on for Live Activities?
Usually yes. Keep Allow Notifications on for the app and enable Live Activities in its settings.

Why don’t I see a Live Activity?
The app may not support it, the feature may be off, Low Power Mode may be limiting updates, or the app needs to stay active in the background.

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Summary

• Manage per-app Live Activities in Settings > [App] > Live Activities.
• Reduce pop-ins with Settings > Notifications and Focus.
• Control Lock Screen behavior in Settings > Face ID & Passcode and Notifications > Show Previews.
• Use Reachability and Reduce Motion for comfort.
• Keep Background App Refresh on for apps that need real-time updates.