Notifications are a helpful way to stay on top of messages, updates, and alerts on your devices. However, sometimes you may click on a notification to view it or dismiss it, only to realize later that you wanted to go back and look at that notification again. Is it possible to view previously clicked notifications? Let’s discuss the options.
Why Would You Want to View Old Notifications?
There are a few reasons why someone may want to look back at a notification after already clicking on it:
- You accidentally swiped away or clicked out of an important notification too quickly and want to retrieve it.
- You want to find an old notification that you need more details from, like an address of somewhere you were invited to or a tracking number.
- To look back through old notifications and clear out ones you no longer need.
- To find an important notification that got buried under a bunch of other notifications.
Whatever the reason, having a way to retrieve previously clicked notifications can be very helpful.
Accessing Old Notifications on an iPhone
If you use an iPhone, there are a couple of ways to try to access notifications that you’ve already clicked on or dismissed:
View Notification History
iPhone has a feature where it stores a history of your past notifications, even ones you’ve acted on. Here’s how to view it:
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap on Notification History.
- You’ll see a list of apps that have recently sent notifications. Tap on one to see your notification history from that app.
This listing goes back several days, so you should be able to scroll back and see if the notification you’re looking for is there. Tapping on it will display the full notification.
Check Notification Center
There is also a chance the notification could still be waiting for you in Notification Center:
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Notification Center.
- Scroll down to see older notifications that you haven’t cleared out yet.
- If you use Notification Center a lot, this list may get too cluttered to easily find anything. In that case, try searching for keywords from the notification.
The Notification Center stores notifications until you manually clear them out, so if you haven’t done that, you may get lucky and find the one you want still in there.
Retrieving Old Notifications on Android
Android users have a few options for trying to retrieve previously clicked notifications as well. Here are some things to try:
View Notification Log
Many Android phones have a notification log that records notifications you’ve received, similar to the iPhone’s Notification History. Here are the steps to find it:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications.
- Tap Notification history. You’ll see a list of recent notifications.
- Tap on a notification to expand it and see more details.
Scroll through the list to see if you can find the notification you’re looking for.
Check Notification Shade
Swipe down from the top of your Android’s screen to open the notification shade. This collects recent notifications you haven’t cleared. Scroll through to see if the one you want is still there.
Install a Notification History App
If your Android doesn’t have a built-in notification log, you can also try downloading a third-party app like Notification History Log or Notification Saver to access old notifications. These apps run in the background and create archives of notifications that occurred.
Using Browser History to Find Notifications
If the notification you clicked on contained a link that opened up a web page, you may be able to find that page again through your browser history:
- Open your browser of choice (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc).
- Click on History or View History to see your recent web visits.
- Scan through the list of pages for the one you think the notification linked to.
- The page may remind you of the details from that notification.
This won’t work if the notification just opened an app instead of going to a web page, but for link-based notifications it’s worth a shot.
Using Email Search for Notification Details
For notifications containing emails or calendar invites, try searching your email or calendar app for relevant keywords related to that notification.
For example, if the notification was for an event invite for “Lunch with Matt at 1pm Tuesday”, search your email for “Matt” and “lunch” to try to pull up the event again.
If the notification contained an order confirmation number, shipping number, coupon code, or other keywords, search your inbox to see if the original email is still available so you can refer back to it.
Third-Party Notification History Apps
Another option is to install an app that specializes in recording notifications so you can look back on them later. Here are some top options:
- History of Notifications. Saves notifications on Android and lets you browse them in the app.
- Super Notification History. Archives notifications and lets you search through or export them.
- Previous Notifications. Stores notification details and history for Android.
- Notifications History Log. Logs notifications in a searchable timeline on Android.
Look for apps like these in your device’s app store to find and install a good notification history solution. Just be sure to check app reviews and permissions before downloading.
Enabling Ongoing Notifications
For important notifications, check if the app offers an “Ongoing” notification option. This will make the notification persist on your device until you manually dismiss it.
To enable this:
- Press and hold on a notification from that app.
- Tap the settings icon that appears.
- Look for an option like “Ongoing” or “Lock screen” and enable it.
Now that notification won’t disappear until you explicitly clear it out, so it’s easy to find again. Just be careful not to enable this for too many low priority notifications or your lock screen could get too cluttered.
Using Google Assistant
If you use Google Assistant on your Android device, you can ask it to remind you about a past notification. Just say “Hey Google, remind me about the notification from [app name] about [subject].”
Google Assistant will then set a reminder for you with those details so you remember to follow up on that notification.
Creating Screenshots
If you come across an important notification that you may need to refer back to later, consider taking a screenshot of it. That way you’ll have a visual record to view even after swiping the notification away. Just be aware that screenshots will not include expansion or action options that are available by tapping on the live notification itself.
Conclusion
While there is no foolproof way to view previously clicked on or dismissed notifications, utilizing features like notification history, notification logs, third-party apps, search, and screenshots give you the best chance at getting access. Always view notifications carefully before clearing them, enable ongoing notifications when possible on important alerts, and take screenshots of details you may want later. With some effort, you can usually find the information you need even from a notification that’s already gone by.