Android 16 has a new trick to put a damper on annoying app pings

What you need to know

• Android 16’s first developer preview introduces “Notification Cooldown,” which softens the volume of repetitive app alerts.
• The feature reduces alert volume if an app sends multiple notifications in a short span.
• With it on, alerts will pop up quietly in the notification shade instead of blaring pings, lasting up to two minutes.

Android 16’s first developer preview has introduced a new feature that softens the volume of back-to-back alerts from the same app.

Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority has spotted a nifty update coming to Android 16’s notifications. Called “notification cooldown,” this feature cuts alert volume if an app keeps spamming you with notifications in a short time. The goal is to cut down on distractions while keeping important notifications front and center.

With notification cooldown on, your device volume will drop and alerts will be toned down for up to two minutes if an app sends a bunch of notifications in quick succession. You’ll still see them, but they’ll pop up quietly in the notification shade instead of blasting through with a loud ping.

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You can find notification cooldown under Settings > Notifications > Notification cooldown. Keep in mind, though, that this feature won’t silence high-priority alerts, calls, or alarms.

Of course, notifications are a given, but when they come in nonstop, it can be super annoying. So, this new feature should tame those pesky repeating app alerts.

Notification cooldown first showed up in Android 15 Developer Preview 1, but Google kept it under wraps in the first public beta and didn’t bring it back for the stable release, as Rahman points out.

Early worries about the feature being scrapped were eased when it resurfaced in Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2. This suggests that Google is likely setting the stage for a wider rollout across Android devices by Q2 2025 when stable Android 16 rolls out.

While notification cooldown is a big win for managing alerts, it doesn’t tackle persistent vibrations just yet.

Nevertheless, this feature is a great addition for Android users. By cutting down on the flood of alerts, it helps users stay focused and put important notifications front and center.