Short answer: the "Scheduled Summary" you see on an iPhone or iPad — where notifications are bundled and delivered at set times of day — does not exist as its own feature on a Mac. macOS handles the same goal two different ways: Summarize Notifications (Apple Intelligence condenses the content) and Focus (you control when alerts come through). This guide shows both, plus how your iPhone summary still reaches your desk.
Why there is no "Scheduled Summary" toggle on Mac
On iPhone and iPad, Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary lets you pick apps and delivery times so non-urgent pings arrive in one batch (up to 12 times a day). Apple never brought that exact scheduler to macOS. If you followed a Mac tutorial expecting that screen and could not find it, you were not missing a step — the screen simply is not there. Here is what to use instead.
Option 1 — Summarize Notifications (the closest thing on Mac)
With Apple Intelligence, your Mac can group and shorten notifications so a stack of messages becomes one readable line you can check when you want, instead of a stream of interruptions.
- Open the System Settings app (Apple menu > System Settings).
- Click Notifications in the sidebar.
- Click Summarize Notifications and turn it on.
- Follow the onscreen prompts to choose which apps get summarized. You can change the list any time from this same panel.
Summaries then appear in Notification Center and on your lock screen as a single condensed entry per app, which you read on your own schedule.
Requirements: Summarize Notifications needs Apple Intelligence turned on, which is only available on Apple silicon Macs (M1 or newer) running a current version of macOS, and not in every language or region. If you do not see the option, your Mac either is not Apple silicon or does not have Apple Intelligence enabled in System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri.
Option 2 — Focus and Reduce Interruptions (control the timing)
If your real goal is "stop interrupting me until later," that is a job for Focus, which is where macOS puts scheduled quiet time.
- Open System Settings > Focus.
- Use Do Not Disturb — or click Add Focus > Reduce Interruptions — and set a schedule so it turns on and off at the times you choose.
- Under the Focus, add the people and apps allowed to break through; everything else waits silently in Notification Center for when you return.
Reduce Interruptions (also powered by Apple Intelligence) goes a step further and lets only the notifications it judges important through while silencing the rest. Between a scheduled Focus and Notification Center, you get the same practical result as a scheduled batch: nothing pings you now, and it is all waiting neatly for later.
Want the step-by-step on silencing specific apps? See How to Turn Off Notifications on Mac.
Option 3 — Let your iPhone's Scheduled Summary reach your Mac
Here is the trick most people miss: if you set up Scheduled Summary on your iPhone and your Mac is signed into the same Apple ID, that summary syncs across your devices. So you can keep using the iPhone scheduler you already like, and the batched summary shows up on your Mac too — no Mac-side scheduler required.
- On your iPhone: Settings > Notifications > Scheduled Summary, turn it on, pick your apps and delivery times.
- Make sure both devices use the same Apple ID and have notification syncing on.
Which one should you use?
- Want shorter, condensed notifications on Mac? Use Summarize Notifications (Option 1).
- Want quiet blocks of time? Use a scheduled Focus (Option 2).
- Already love the iPhone timed batch? Set it on iPhone and let it sync (Option 3).
If the feature is missing entirely
No Summarize Notifications and no Reduce Interruptions usually means Apple Intelligence is not supported on that Mac. Apple Intelligence requires an Apple silicon (M-series) Mac. An older Intel MacBook will not show these options no matter which macOS version it is on. If you are running an Intel Mac and want these features, that is the one case where the fix is hardware: a clean, affordable Apple silicon Mac unlocks Summarize Notifications, Reduce Interruptions, and the rest of Apple Intelligence.
You do not have to pay full retail for that. A refurbished M1 MacBook Air starts at $569.99 and an M2 Air at $974.99 at LuxuriousComputers — both run Apple Intelligence — and you can find even lower prices on our Apple clearance page. Every Mac is tested and backed by our one-year warranty.
FAQ
Where is Scheduled Summary in Mac System Settings?
It is not there. macOS never added the iPhone-style Scheduled Summary scheduler. Use Summarize Notifications (System Settings > Notifications) or a scheduled Focus instead.
How do I get notifications summarized on my Mac?
Open System Settings > Notifications > Summarize Notifications and turn it on, then choose which apps to include. It requires Apple Intelligence, so an Apple silicon Mac.
Why don't I see Summarize Notifications on my Mac?
That option only appears when Apple Intelligence is available and turned on. It is limited to Apple silicon (M1 or newer) Macs on a current macOS version, and it is not offered in every region or language.
Can I schedule when notifications arrive on a Mac?
Yes — through Focus. Set a Do Not Disturb or Reduce Interruptions Focus on a schedule so alerts stay silent until the time you pick, then read them all at once in Notification Center.
Notifications still misbehaving after all this? See MacBook Notifications Not Working? Every Fix, Fastest First.
Questions about which Mac supports Apple Intelligence? Contact LuxuriousComputers — we will point you to the right one.