Apple Intelligence: How to Block iOS 26.3 Priority Notifications Despite Settings

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Have you noticed a strange issue on your iPhone after updating to iOS 26.3? Some users are reporting that they still receive Priority Notifications for their Calendar events, even after they’ve turned off that feature. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry—you’re not alone, and there’s a simple way to fix it.

Here’s what some people are experiencing: On an iPhone 16 Pro, they’ve set their phone to Do Not Disturb mode, allowing only incoming calls from one specific person who isn’t involved in the calendar events. They’ve also enabled Apple Intelligence, but have turned off the “Prioritize Notifications” and “Time Sensitive Notifications” options in the notifications settings. Despite these settings, the phone still spits out audible alerts for Calendar notifications after updating to iOS 26.3.

So, what’s the fix? First, double-check your notification settings. Sometimes, updates can reset or tweak certain options. Make sure “Prioritize Notifications” and “Time Sensitive Notifications” are truly turned off. If the problem persists:

Go to the Settings app.
Tap Notifications.
Find Calendar in the list and select it.
Turn off Allow Notifications or set alerts to your preferred method, such as banners or none.
Also, review the Notification Style under Calendar, and ensure no alerts are set to be “priority” or “time-sensitive.”

Additionally, a quick restart after changing settings can help apply the tweaks properly. Sometimes, a simple reboot clears out quirks introduced by updates.

If you’re still getting notifications you don’t want, it might help to remove the Calendar app’s permissions entirely or delete and re-add your calendar accounts. That can reset notification settings to defaults and resolve unforeseen bugs.

Remember, when software updates introduce new bugs, patience can help. Keep your system updated with upcoming patches, or contact Apple Support if the problem continues. Many times, Apple releases fixes in subsequent updates to address bugs like this.

In summary, because updates can sometimes cause settings to behave unexpectedly, always review your notification settings after an iOS update. Turn off what you don’t need, restart your phone, and if needed, remove and re-add calendars. That should help keep your notifications just the way you want them.