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On a Galaxy phone running One UI 7, open Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Show notification icons, then choose how notifications should appear in the status bar. Samsung documents choices that show a notification count or app icons. If you need certain apps to disappear from the status bar, use the separate Hide notifications control instead. Menu names and icon behavior can differ by Galaxy model, software version, carrier, and active features.
What the setting actually changes
Notification icons are the small symbols shown in the status bar at the top of the screen. Samsung’s One UI 7 support guidance says the status bar can show the number of notifications or an app’s icon. The documented control changes that overall display style; it is not the same as hiding notification previews on the lock screen or stopping notification pop-ups.
There may not be a single all-devices switch labeled “hide every status-bar icon.” On some builds, selecting a count rather than individual app icons keeps the status bar compact while still indicating that notifications exist. To remove status-bar alerts from particular apps, use Hide notifications, described below.
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Change the status-bar notification display in One UI 7
- Open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Open Advanced settings.
- Tap Show notification icons.
- Select the display option you prefer. Samsung describes the available behavior as showing a notification number or an app icon; the exact choices and wording can vary by device and software version.
Return to the home screen and generate a test notification, such as a message to yourself, to verify the result. If you selected a number, the status bar should use a count instead of a row of app symbols. If your phone still shows a single dot, that may be normal: Samsung says a dot can appear instead of a notification icon on devices running One UI 7 or later.
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If you cannot find Show notification icons
Use the Settings search field for notification icons or advanced settings. Samsung notes that features vary by model and software version, so a Galaxy phone on a different One UI release may organize the controls differently. Install available system updates and search again, but do not assume that the One UI 7 path is universal on every current Galaxy phone.
Hide status-bar alerts from selected apps
If the problem is a handful of noisy apps rather than the entire status bar, Samsung provides a separate Hide notifications control. This lets you choose which apps’ alerts are hidden from the status bar while leaving other apps visible.
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- Open Settings.
- Tap Notifications to open notification settings.
- Choose Hide notifications.
- Select the apps whose alerts should be hidden from the status bar.
- Exit Settings and send a test alert from one selected app and one unselected app.
This is an app-selection control, not a replacement for the overall Show notification icons setting. Use it when you want work, shopping, social, or other specific apps kept out of the status bar while retaining a visible indication for the apps that matter most.
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Hiding an icon at the top of the screen does not automatically hide the notification’s text on the lock screen. For lock-screen privacy, Samsung’s One UI 8 guidance uses a different control:
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- Open Settings > Notifications.
- Tap Hide content while locked to hide notification content for all apps.
- For per-app control, open App notifications and adjust the content setting for the relevant app.
This affects what can be read while the phone is locked. It does not remove status-bar icons, change the icon count, or disable delivery of the notification.
Control notification pop-ups separately
Pop-up banners are another independent setting. Samsung’s One UI 8 guidance places Brief and Detailed pop-up styles under app notification settings. Changing a pop-up style affects the banner that appears over the current screen; it does not determine whether an icon or count remains in the status bar.
If an app keeps interrupting you with banners, open its notification settings and change the pop-up style or disable pop-ups where your software provides that option. Keep the status-bar setting separate so you do not accidentally hide alerts you still need to notice later.
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| What you want | Control | Scope | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use a compact status bar for notifications generally | Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Show notification icons | Overall status-bar display | Uses the available count or app-icon style; exact choices depend on the phone and One UI version. |
| Remove alerts from a few apps’ status-bar area | Settings > Notifications > Hide notifications | Selected apps | Hides those apps’ alerts from the status bar while other apps can continue to appear. |
| Keep message text private when the phone is locked | Settings > Notifications > Hide content while locked | All apps, with per-app options under App notifications | Hides lock-screen content; it is not a status-bar icon control. |
| Reduce or change banners over the current screen | App notification settings, including Brief or Detailed pop-up styles | App notifications | Changes pop-up appearance, not status-bar icons. |
What happens after you hide or reduce icons
- Notifications can still arrive. Changing the status-bar presentation does not by itself turn off the underlying app notification.
- The status bar may show a count instead of separate symbols. This is a display change, so you retain a quick indication that notifications are waiting.
- A dot may remain. Samsung says devices running One UI 7 or later may show a dot instead of a notification icon.
- Icons can vary. Samsung attributes differences to the Galaxy model, software version, carrier, and active features.
- Lock-screen privacy is separate. Use the lock-screen content controls if your concern is message text being visible to someone holding the phone.
Troubleshooting
The menu is missing
Search Settings for Show notification icons. If the search returns nothing, check the phone’s One UI version and model-specific notification layout. Samsung’s instructions are documented for One UI 7, and the same route is not guaranteed on every One UI 8 device or earlier release.
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The phone still shows an icon after I changed the setting
Send a new test notification, then check whether the symbol is actually a dot. A dot is an expected One UI 7-or-later behavior on some devices. Also verify that you changed the status-bar control rather than Hide content while locked or a pop-up option; those settings affect different parts of the interface.
Only one or two apps are causing the clutter
Use Hide notifications and select those apps instead of changing the global display style. This preserves status-bar visibility for other apps.
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I hid content but can still see an icon
Hide content while locked removes or masks preview text on the lock screen. It does not promise to remove the corresponding status-bar icon. Change Show notification icons or use Hide notifications for the app-level result you want.
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Pop-up banners continue appearing
Open the affected app’s notification settings and review its Brief or Detailed pop-up style. Pop-ups are controlled independently from status-bar icons, so changing the icon display alone may not stop banners.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Restore the normal notification display
To undo a compact or app-specific setup, return to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > Show notification icons and select the preferred icon display option. Then open Settings > Notifications > Hide notifications and deselect any apps you no longer want hidden. If you changed lock-screen privacy, revisit Hide content while locked or the relevant app’s notification settings separately.
Privacy and usability trade-offs
Reducing status-bar icons can make a crowded screen easier to scan, but it also removes a visual clue about which apps are waiting. A count preserves awareness without identifying every source; hiding selected apps reduces clutter more aggressively but can make those alerts easier to overlook. Hiding lock-screen content provides privacy in public, while changing pop-up styles controls interruptions during active use. Decide which surface is bothering you before changing a setting, because each control addresses a different part of the notification system.
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