Notifications remain a mess on Android, even with Android 17 and newer features like Cooldown. I remember updating my Google Pixel phone in June and how they stopped working.
Some went missing even when the battery saver was off, while social media spam still flooded through. Google seriously needs system-level filtering that scans select notification content.
But I don’t trust Google to build a safe one, given privacy concerns. I found an effective notification herder in the DoNotNotify app, and my phone alerts now play by my rules.
I specifically instructed Android not to notify me
It’s that one annoying message I want to block, not all
DoNotNotify is a free, open source, regex-based filtering engine. You write rules in the app, and it monitors incoming notifications for matches. Then it applies the appropriate action. It may allow, block, or stack them.
Although it may look like a lot to configure, it’s surprisingly easy. If you think about it, you finally have control.
Open source apps are gaining popularity on Android, and more users want granular settings where Android’s native controls fall short. I’d much rather spend time configuring criteria that fit my preferences.
Google already collects data from my phone usage to target ads. At least, I can see DoNotNotify’s code and read everything it does. I didn’t have to do anything but grant it permissions.
I granted notification access first, then it asked me to allow stacked notifications and to disable battery optimization.
The app immediately scanned my device and added blocker rules for Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, and others.
I’d advise you to take your time auditing the pre-built rules and deleting any you don’t want. Otherwise, you may miss important alerts.
Clickbait pings no longer have my attention
Out of sight is out of mind
DoNotNotify has three main tabs: History, Rules, and Blocked. History shows every notification that hits my phone. I now have about 4,700 logged in.
They’re organized by app, and each one shows the title, text, app icon, and timestamp under a drop-down. If I dislike or approve a specific notification, I tap it to create a rule that applies to it.
Alternatively, I can create rules from scratch in the Rules tab. Scroll to the bottom and select Create A New Rule. Then select an app and choose a rule type.
Next, configure the filters. For example, I follow a recruiter on X who posts job openings I want to see. Sometimes, they also post excessively motivational messages, like “Congratulations, you’re hired!”
X’s algorithm may surface the “Congratulations” alone, and my brain falls for the dopamine trap before I realize it’s generic. I doubt I’m the only one who falls for it.
To block such messages, I tapped into the Title Filter field and entered their X display name using the regex pattern (?i).*Jane Doe.*.
Leaving the field empty blocks notifications with the word “Congratulations” from everybody on X.
DoNotNotify’s Title filter matches what’s visible in the notification. So, always use the exact title or name it displays, not a person’s username, handle, or email.
I entered a similar pattern into the Text Filter field, this time with the message I wanted to be omitted instead of the display name: (?i).*congratulations.*.
The (?i) flag makes the match case-insensitive, so it catches “congratulations,” “CONGRATULATIONS,” or any variation. The .* flag matches any characters before or after the word.
I ensured both field toggles were switched to Regex. Use the Contains toggles when you want a simple match.
If I had entered “congratulations” in Contains mode, I wouldn’t need a regex pattern. In another test, I created a WhatsApp filter for a house agent who posted rent listings by the minute.
I entered only their name as WhatsApp displays it in the Title Filter field and kept the Contains pattern. That way, I still receive every other alert from the app except theirs.
Regex is better when I need wildcards or case-insensitive matching. After finishing the setup, I tapped Next and reviewed my rules before creating them.
DoNotNotify also has a settings menu worth opening through the upper-right cog icon. It offers history retention, rule export and import, community-made rule lists, and support options.
DoNotNotify may not block notifications after initial installation. If it doesn’t work, force stop the app or restart your device.
In my experience, battery optimization is the culprit. Even if you remove the restrictions for the app during setup, Android may limit background running time. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery usage.
If Background Running Duration shows 0 min, the app can’t filter notifications when closed. You need continuous background runtime for it to work. Tap DoNotNotify. Then select Unrestricted or No restrictions.
Related
7 ways to customize your Android notifications for a distraction-free life
Stay in control of your notifications
DoNotHesitate to block unnecessary noise
I love finding hidden gems like DoNotNotify on the Google Play Store, especially when they run entirely offline.
It’s even more interesting that the app is partly AI-assisted code, given that vibe-coded apps are appearing on the Google Play Store.
DoNotNotify’s story should motivate you to start building and shipping if it’s been part of your plans for a long time.
Vibe coding culture is here to stay without necessarily devaluing the real work that developers do. The barrier to starting is merely lower now.
If you’re unsure how to start, feel free to ask tools like Gemini and Claude for step-by-step guidance.