Swiped a notification away before reading it? Want to check a message the sender later deleted? Android can show your most recent notifications, and an app like FilterBox can keep a complete, searchable history for months.
Quick answer: on Android 11 and later, open Settings → Notifications → Notification history and turn on Use notification history. It shows notifications from the last 24 hours. For a longer history you can search, including notifications you dismissed and messages that were recalled, use FilterBox.
Option 1: Android’s built-in notification history
Android 11 and later
- Open Settings → Notifications → Notification history. On some phones it is under Settings → Notifications → Advanced settings.
- Turn on Use notification history.
- From now on, notifications you dismiss are listed there for 24 hours. You can also tap History at the bottom of the notification shade.
Android 10 and earlier
Many phones have a hidden Notification log: long-press the home screen, add the Settings shortcut widget, and choose Notification log. It lists recent notifications in a technical, unformatted view.
Limitations
- It only works after you turn it on, so notifications from before are gone.
- Only the last 24 hours are kept.
- There is no search, and you usually cannot restore or reopen old notifications.
Option 2: Keep a full history with FilterBox
FilterBox saves every notification the moment it arrives and keeps it in an encrypted history on your phone.
- Install FilterBox from Google Play or download the APK. Grant notification access and allow it to run in the background.
- New notifications appear automatically. The home screen shows what is Showing in your status bar right now and everything in your History.
- Search with the search button: type a keyword and narrow results by app, type (media, chat, picture, persistent, silent), custom rule, AI result, or how a notification was dismissed.
- Jump through time by dragging the timeline on the right edge.
- Tap a notification to open it, see how many times it was updated, create a rule from it, or mark it as spam for the AI filter.
- Choose how long to keep history in Settings → Storage (longer periods need Pro), and export it as CSV from Settings → Import & export.
See deleted or recalled messages
When a chat app shows a notification and the sender later deletes or recalls the message, the app updates or removes its notification. FilterBox has already saved the original, so you can still read it in your history.
Keep in mind:
- FilterBox can only save what appeared in the notification. If an app hides previews (for example “1 new message”), there is no text to save, and very long messages may be shortened by the app.
- Only notifications received after FilterBox was installed are saved.
- Since Android 15, the system hides notifications that may contain one-time codes from third-party apps. Turn off Settings → Notifications → Enhanced notifications if you want FilterBox to see them.
Restore a notification you dismissed
- Turn on Dismissal Recall to get an Undo button for 5 seconds after you swipe a notification away.
- Notifications filtered by rules or the AI stay in your history, and the Filter notify alert lists recent ones with a Restore button.
Frequently asked questions
Is my notification history uploaded anywhere?
No. FilterBox stores the history encrypted on your phone and never uploads it. You can also lock the app with your fingerprint or face.
Can I see notifications from before I installed FilterBox?
No. Android does not give apps access to past notifications, so FilterBox starts recording from the moment you grant notification access.
How long does FilterBox keep notifications?
You choose in Settings → Storage. Free users keep recent history; Pro keeps it much longer.
Does keeping a history slow down my phone?
No. FilterBox stores notifications efficiently, and older entries are cleaned up automatically according to your storage setting.
Get FilterBox on Google Play · Download the APK · Help Center