# Badges signal only priority

Practice ID: 11
Topic: `attention` (attention: Boundaries that protect focus, presence, and deliberate use from digital pull.)
Added: 2026-09-01
Journey entry point: `reset` (Reduce the strongest default pulls and regain enough space to choose deliberately.)
Start with: `quick-win` (quick win)
Supports: `sustained-attention` (sustained attention; group: `daily-life` / My attention and daily life), `legible-digital-life` (a legible, maintainable digital life; group: `digital-control` / My data and digital setup)

## Pattern

Notifications decide when an app may interrupt. Badges should show only the items that still require a deliberate response.

## Practice

Remove badges from apps where the count cannot be acted on or routinely grows without limit. Keep them only where the number still means something useful.

## Start small

Turn off the badge for the app showing your largest meaningless unread count.

## Watch out

Avoid replacing a noisy badge with another reminder system that creates the same ambient pressure.

## Concepts

- [phone dumbification](https://live.freewith.tech/concepts/phone-dumbification.md): Deliberately reduce a smartphone to chosen roles so it behaves like a focused utility.

## Positions

See how these practices fit together: [Control notifications](https://live.freewith.tech/by/controlling-notifications.md).

## Continue

- [See more in attention.](https://live.freewith.tech/?topic=attention#practices)
- [Journey](https://live.freewith.tech/journey.md)
- [Concepts](https://live.freewith.tech/concepts.md)
- [Complete agent-readable database](https://live.freewith.tech/llms.txt)