Blog

How to manage your Android lock screen - The Verge

The lock screen of your Android phone can be very useful, showing notifications and letting you access certain features without having to unlock your phone first. (Something that may be even more useful if you’ve got a Pixel 6 or 6 Pro and are still having problems with the fingerprint sensor.)

Here are some ways you can tweak the settings for your lock screen. These were tested using a Pixel 6 running Android 12; as always, different Android phones can have somewhat different procedures. Concealed Bolt

How to manage your Android lock screen - The Verge

First, you can choose whether you want to show both alerts and silent notifications, show alerts only, or not show any notifications at all.

(Again, your mileage on what exactly is shown may vary, depending on your phone’s manufacturer and the version of Android you’re using.)

You can also choose to show or not show sensitive information on your lock screen by toggling “Sensitive notifications” on or off. If it’s toggled off, you will only see the app that the notification is from rather than the notification itself — for example, you’ll see “1 new message” rather than any information about the message.

The apps that appear on your lock screen are the same apps that are permitted to send you notifications. You can choose which those are.

While you can choose just to get general notifications on your lock screen, such as news headlines or the weather, you can also get more personal notifications for emails, reminders, flight reservations, and other items.

Google Assistant can answer questions and follow direction from the lock screen if set to do so. It can also be a little annoying if you accidentally trigger it so that it starts unexpectedly talking. Here’s how you can either activate Google Assistant to work from the lock screen or turn it off.

According to Google, there are some verbal responses that will not be given from the lock screen, even if you allow it to display personal results. These include payments, Google Photos, requests to open other apps, or questions about your name or address, among others.

Update March 10th, 2022, 3:38PM ET: This article was originally published on November 26th, 2019, and has been updated to allow for changes in the Android OS.

/ Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily.

The Verge is a vox media network

How to manage your Android lock screen - The Verge

45mm Drawer Runner © 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved