Device and installation manual · adults 18+
Notification privacy for AI companion messages
A private account can still produce a revealing lock-screen banner. Notification privacy requires an end-to-end check: service preferences, operating-system previews, browser or app categories, connected devices, email and notification history. Configure the path before real conversations begin, then test it with harmless text while every linked display is observable.
Reviewed and updated
| Alert surface | Control point | Safe test | Common oversight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone lock screen | OS preview setting | Lock phone and send neutral text | Sender or site name still visible |
| Provider preference and mail rules | Trigger account notice | Subject visible in mail preview | |
| Browser push | Browser site settings and OS | Test closed/open browser states | Browser name reveals source |
| Watch/desktop | Mirroring settings | Observe linked screen | Phone-safe alert repeats elsewhere |
| Car/history | Vehicle integration and notification log | Inspect recent alerts | Old content remains readable |
Run this device check in order
- 01
List every screen that mirrors phone notifications.
- 02
Set lock-screen previews to When Unlocked or Never as appropriate.
- 03
Inspect per-app or per-site notification categories.
- 04
Review provider email and in-interface alert switches.
- 05
Send one neutral test with the device locked.
- 06
Check watch, desktop, car, history and summary surfaces.
- 07
Disable only the channels that expose too much or deliver no value.
Design the notification path before enabling it
Start at the account and move outward: in-service setting, push permission, OS category, lock-screen preview, Focus or Do Not Disturb, companion-device mirroring and history. A toggle at one layer does not control all others. Write down the channels currently visible rather than assuming the provider offers the same choices to every account.
If the first permission prompt appears before you can configure content, deny it, finish the local privacy settings and enable later. This avoids using a personal message as the first test.
iPhone preview and Focus behavior
On iPhone, Settings > Notifications > Show Previews controls broad behavior, while the app or browser page controls badges, sounds and presentation. Focus modes and Scheduled Summary can delay or group alerts. A web app may appear under its own name or through browser-associated controls depending on iOS and implementation.
Lock the phone and send neutral text. Note whether the app name, sender, icon or message body appears. Repeat with any connected Apple Watch or Mac. Do not infer privacy from the unlocked banner alone.
Android categories, history and battery effects
Android applications can expose notification channels with separate behavior. Open the notification page and inspect categories rather than using only the master switch. Choose the lock-screen sensitivity option available on the device. Notification history, if enabled, can preserve dismissed content.
Battery optimization and Data Saver can delay push delivery, especially under manufacturer-specific policies. If privacy settings are correct but alerts are late, troubleshoot power and data before enabling every category or resetting the account.
Browser push has two permission layers
A website requests permission through the browser, and the operating system controls how the browser or installed web app presents the result. Block the site until you need push, then review both layers. Removing a site permission may stop browser push while account email remains active.
A browser icon or domain in the alert can still reveal the service even when the message preview is hidden. Perform the locked-screen test on the exact browser profile and device you plan to use.
Email, recovery and transactional messages
Service email can include account verification, sign-in alerts, policy notices or promotional messages. Do not promise every category can be disabled. Review the currently visible preference center and required-account notices. Configure mail lock-screen previews and shared-inbox access separately.
A discreet service name can still appear in an email subject, sender or password-manager record. Choose an account address and recovery path appropriate for the device-sharing situation without fabricating aliases or bypassing provider terms.
Create an emergency quiet mode
Know how to disable app or site notifications quickly without deleting the application or clearing evidence. On iPhone, use the notification page or a suitable Focus. On Android, long-pressing a notification may expose category controls, but verify the result in Settings. For browser push, block the specific site.
After silencing, inspect notification history, connected displays and email. Quiet mode prevents future display; it does not remove messages already delivered to another surface.
Field note: perform a room-level notification rehearsal
Place the phone in the real situation where privacy matters: locked on a desk, connected to its usual watch, near a paired computer, or linked to a vehicle display. Use a neutral account notice or harmless test message. Record every surface that lights up, the sender or site name displayed, whether content is visible before unlock, and whether a dismissed alert remains in history. Then change one preview, category or mirroring control and repeat. A rehearsal is more reliable than assuming that one “hide sensitive content” switch governs every connected screen.
Repeat the check for email separately because mail applications have their own sender and subject previews. If the provider currently exposes promotional, conversation and account categories, disable only what you do not want and preserve required security notices. If the categories are not visible, do not invent them. Also check quiet hours, Focus, Do Not Disturb and scheduled summaries: these can move an alert to a time when another person is holding the device. The safest configuration is the one that survives the actual locked-device rehearsal, not the one with the most toggles disabled. Recheck the rehearsal after pairing a new watch, computer or vehicle, because a newly connected display can create an alert surface that did not exist during the original setup.
Evidence boundary
What product documentation and the current interface can confirm
Use the provider’s official pages and the version open on your device. Record only what is stated or visible now. A screen can confirm that a control is presented to this account; it cannot prove behavior for every region, plan, operating system or future release.
- Alert switches currently visible inside the service
- OS preview and category settings on the test device
- Browser site permission state for web push
- Actual harmless alert on every linked display
- Email subjects and sender names produced by required notices
Version caveat: Alert categories, preview controls, web push and mirroring vary by OS, browser, device connection and account. A test confirms only the surfaces observed.
Device questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep alerts but hide message text?
Often, through OS preview controls, but test the app or browser name and linked-device behavior.
Does turning off phone push stop service emails?
No. Push and email are separate channels. Review both.
Why are alerts delayed?
Focus, notification summaries, Battery Saver, Data Saver, network conditions and manufacturer policies can delay delivery.
Optional next step
Apply the device checks to a current product surface
Only continue after you know which access method, permissions and notification settings you will accept. These links are sponsored; verify the current official interface and terms yourself.
Candy AIOpen the current product surface after completing the device preflight.Check current access →
OurDream AICompare the current app or web route on the device you intend to use.Check current access →
Joi AIInspect the available interface without assuming store and web parity.Check current access →
Darlink AIUse the guide first, then verify the exact media and permission flow shown.Check current access →Open the full product access directory
These are access links, not feature endorsements. Complete the compatibility checklist and verify the current product screen before granting permissions.
