# Time Sensitive Notifications

Time Sensitive Notifications are a system notification level introduced with iOS 15. They are for information that is important right now. When the system allows it, a Time Sensitive notification can appear immediately, show more prominently, and break through Focus and scheduled delivery.

Cakeday uses this level only for the reminder times you mark as Time Sensitive. It does not turn every reminder into a high-priority interruption.

Time Sensitive is not the same as a Critical Alert. It does not bypass the Ring/Silent switch, and people can turn off Time Sensitive delivery for Cakeday in system settings.

## When It Helps

Time Sensitive delivery is useful when a birthday reminder would lose value if it arrived later:

- A same-day reminder that should still appear during Sleep, Work, or Do Not Disturb Focus.
- A 1-day-before reminder that gives you time to prepare a message or gift.
- A reminder that should not wait for Notification Summary.

It is less appropriate for distant planning reminders, such as 1 month before, unless you personally treat that reminder as urgent.

## Availability

Time Sensitive Notifications depend on iOS support and the system notification setting for Cakeday. If the system setting is turned off, Cakeday automatically stops sending its reminders as Time Sensitive and continues to deliver them as regular notifications; when you turn the system setting back on, Time Sensitive delivery resumes.

## How to Mark a Reminder as Time Sensitive

Time Sensitive is a property of each individual reminder time, not a separate screen or a fixed list of offsets.

  

**Open a reminder plan**

    Open a friend's **Reminder Times** (or **Settings > Notification Settings >
    Default Reminder Times** for new friends).
  

  

**Open a reminder time**

    Tap a reminder time to open its editor, or add a new one.
  

  

**Toggle Time Sensitive Notifications**

    Turn on **Time Sensitive Notifications** in the editor. New reminder times
    have this on by default.
  

A reminder time marked Time Sensitive shows a filled exclamation-mark badge on its row. The two default reminders — **On Birthday at 10:00 AM** and **1 Day Before at 9:00 PM** — are Time Sensitive out of the box.

## System Settings

If Time Sensitive reminders are unavailable, check both places:

- **Settings > Cakeday > Notifications:** Notifications must be enabled.
- **Settings > Cakeday > Notifications > Time Sensitive Notifications:** The system-level Time Sensitive switch must be enabled when iOS shows it.

Focus settings can also affect the final result. iOS gives you control over which apps and people can interrupt each Focus.

## What Cakeday Does Not Control

Cakeday can request the Time Sensitive level for a reminder, but iOS still manages final delivery. The system can expose controls that let you keep, silence, summarize, or turn off these interruptions.

That is intentional. Time Sensitive delivery should stay reserved for reminders you truly want to see in the moment.

## Troubleshooting

**The Time Sensitive toggle has no effect**

The system-level Time Sensitive switch for Cakeday may be off, or notification permission may still be off. When the system setting is off, Cakeday delivers the reminder as a regular notification instead. Regular birthday notifications continue to work when permission is allowed.

**A Focus still silences the reminder**

Open the Focus in **Settings > Focus** and review allowed apps, allowed people, and Time Sensitive behavior. Cakeday can mark the reminder, but Focus remains a system-level control.

**I only want important people to break through Focus**

Keep Time Sensitive on for the reminder times you care about, and turn it off for casual friends. For the most important same-day reminders, consider enabling [Birthday Alarm](/docs/en/birthday-alarm) for those friends.