The Marketing Barrage
When you create an Apple ID to use your new iPhone, Apple automatically opts you into their internal marketing ecosystem. Over time, you will begin receiving push notifications on your lock screen and emails in your inbox suggesting new games to download, highlighting developer interviews, or offering promotions for Apple Music and Apple TV+. For users who view their smartphone strictly as a communication tool, having the manufacturer spam their device with advertisements for mobile games is highly intrusive. Fortunately, Apple allows you to completely opt out of this specific marketing channel, but the setting is buried deep within your Apple ID profile.
How to Turn Off App Store Promotions
You can revoke Apple’s permission to send you marketing materials directly from the iCloud settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on your Name/Apple ID banner at the very top of the screen.
- Tap on Name, Phone Numbers, Email (or “Personal Information” on newer iOS versions).
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the section labeled Subscriptions & Announcements.
- Look for the two toggle switches labeled Announcements and Apps, Music, TV, and More.
- Toggle both of these switches to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
The Silent Inbox
The change takes effect immediately on Apple’s servers. By disabling these two toggles, you have explicitly forbidden Apple from using your email address or your device’s push notification token for marketing purposes. You will still receive critical account emails (like password reset confirmations or billing receipts for apps you intentionally purchased), but the barrage of “Check out the new game of the week!” advertisements will stop completely.