Learn how to always show previews for messages, calls, and other app notifications on your iPhone Lock Screen without having to authenticate with Face ID first.
By default, your iPhone hides previews of notifications on the Lock Screen until authorized with Face ID. Though a useful privacy feature, it can be inconvenient in certain situations.
But you can easily change that.
Showing notification previews on the Lock Screen without authentication
I don’t mind notifications displaying previews on my Lock Screen because I have nothing to hide from people who have access to my iPhone. And if someone were to steal my iPhone, the least of my worries would be for them to read my notifications.
If you also prefer seeing notification previews on your Lock Screen regardless of Face ID:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap Show Previews and select Always.
Lock Screen notifications will now always be previewed. Tapping the notification to open it in the app still requires Face ID authentication, like before.
If a particular app still won’t show a message preview on the Lock Screen:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Select the app in question.
- Tap Show Previews and select Always.
And if that doesn’t help either, visit in-app settings to find and turn on notification previews. Many messaging apps, like WhatsApp, let you adjust their notifications from within the app.
Always showing notification previews on the Lock Screen decreases your privacy; whether that trade-off is worth the convenience is up to you. Feel free to discuss this topic in the comments down below.
Other notification tips for iPhone: