Why Malaysians Turn Off App Notifications One by One — The Slow, Careful Way We Manage Digital Stress
Introduction: Malaysians Rarely Turn Off All Notifications… We Curate Them
Most Malaysians don’t disable notifications entirely.
We do something more… Malaysian:
● Turn off Shopee alerts
● Keep banking notifications ON
● Mute Telegram groups
● Allow WhatsApp messages
● Disable TikTok reminders
● Keep Grab delivery updates
● Block sales pop-ups
● Allow work messages only during certain hours
We curate notification settings patiently, individually, and very selectively.
Why?
Because Malaysians don’t want silence.
We want control.
This article dives into the psychology behind Malaysia’s extremely specific notification behaviour.
1. Malaysians Are Overwhelmed by Notifications
On a typical Malaysian’s phone:
● 30+ unread messages
● 50+ promotional notifications
● 100+ group chat updates
● multiple app reminders
Between:
● family
● work
● friends
● shopping apps
● banking
● delivery apps
Notifications never stop.
So Malaysians don’t turn everything OFF — we filter the noise one app at a time.
2. Malaysians Want Peace Without Losing Important Information
We silence:
● games
● shopping apps
● influencer updates
● spam channels
● news apps
But we keep:
● payment alerts
● ride-hailing updates
● food delivery notifications
● banking OTP
● emergency family messages
Because Malaysians worry about missing:
● fraud
● payment errors
● RM deduction
● Grab arrival
● Lazada parcel arrival
● parent messages
● important work communication
It’s a balance between:
rest and responsibility.
3. Malaysians Don’t Trust Apps to “Behave”
Many Malaysian apps send:
● too many alerts
● irrelevant promotions
● “come back!” messages
● hourly notifications
● unnecessary reminders
When an app abuses notification permissions, Malaysians react:
“Okay enough lah, I turn you off.”
But we won’t delete the app.
We simply remove its voice.
4. Malaysians Use Notifications as a Daily Priority System
Malaysians treat alerts like sorting tasks:
Notifications ON = important
Notifications OFF = optional
We manage our life through:
● selective noise
● personal priority ranking
● emotional boundaries
Our curated system helps us feel organized, even when life is messy.
5. Many Malaysians Don’t Know There’s a “Turn All Off” Button
Typical behaviour:
● open settings
● go app by app
● disable notifications one by one
Most Malaysians never use global “off” switches because:
● we’re not aware of them
● we don’t want to risk missing something crucial
● we like the control of individual choices
This manual approach feels safer.
6. Malaysians Silence Notifications When Emotionally Overwhelmed
Notification stress is real.
Late at night or during heavy workload, Malaysians often:
● mute groups
● silence specific apps
● disable noisy channels
● block promotional alerts
It’s emotional self-preservation.
We are protecting:
● mental space
● rest
● mood stability
● personal boundaries
Notification control is a form of self-care.
7. Work-Life Balance Shapes Notification Behaviour
Malaysians often keep:
● work email alerts ON
● work WhatsApp muted
● colleague chats on “no preview”
● project groups pinned
● noisy groups silenced
We regulate work pressure through notification filtration.
This is how Malaysians create boundaries without having to say “no” directly.
8. Malaysians Don’t Like Confrontation — So We Use Notification Settings to Cope
Instead of leaving group chats (which feels rude), Malaysians:
● mute 1 year
● disable alerts
● hide previews
● place group at bottom of list
● turn off sound only
We remain “present,” but not overwhelmed.
Notification settings become a polite escape.
9. Malaysians Keep Notifications for Apps Involving Money
We trust banking notifications because they:
● prevent fraud
● confirm transactions
● track spending
● notify deductions
● validate payments
Anything involving money stays active.
This gives Malaysians a sense of:
✔ security
✔ awareness
✔ control
Even if we mute everything else.
10. Malaysians Tailor Notifications Based on Timing
Night behaviour:
● mute everything except family
● silence Telegram entirely
● disable Shopee notifications
● keep banking alerts on
Workday behaviour:
● mute family groups
● keep work messages ON
● turn off social notifications
Weekend behaviour:
● mute work groups
● unmute friend chats
● keep delivery updates active
Malaysians create their own rhythm of digital boundaries.
11. Malaysians Fear Missing Urgent Messages From Family
Family culture plays a huge role.
Even if we silence most apps, Malaysians keep:
● mother
● father
● siblings
● partner
● children
on full alert.
Missed messages from family create guilt — so we allow exceptions.
12. Why Developers Should Understand Malaysia’s Notification Culture
Apps targeting Malaysia should:
✔ avoid excessive reminders
✔ send useful, not spammy alerts
✔ allow flexible customization
✔ avoid late-night notifications
✔ respect local hours
✔ prioritize meaningful communication
Apps that behave politely earn Malaysian trust.
13. How GuideSee Fits Into Notification Management Behaviour
Many Malaysians search at night or during downtime:
● “How to stop an app from spamming notifications?”
● “Which notifications should I disable?”
● “Why this app keeps sending alerts?”
● “How to manage privacy settings?”
Platforms like GuideSee (https://guidesee.com/) act as a trusted reference when Malaysians feel overwhelmed by digital noise.
GuideSee’s clear explanations help Malaysians:
● decide which apps deserve alerts
● protect privacy
● reduce stress
● learn safer digital habits
Conclusion: Malaysians Don’t Reject Notifications — We Personalise Them
Malaysians are not avoiding the world.
We’re curating it.
Our behaviour reflects:
● digital maturity
● emotional boundaries
● practical decision-making
● a desire for peace
● a need for essential updates
We silence apps not because they’re unimportant —
but because we are choosing what matters most.
Malaysia’s slow, careful notification control reveals a culture that values balance in a noisy digital age.