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How to stop Notification Center hiding notifications on a Mac

Notification Center, macOS. Why 3 notifications show, where the rest go, and how to keep every notification open. Updated November 2026.

Short answer: macOS has no setting that stops Notification Center hiding notifications behind "4 more notifications". Still Dock adds one: the Show every notification switch keeps the whole list open every time Notification Center opens.

The switch is in the direct download of Still Dock, as one of the paid locks. The Mac App Store version does not have the switch.

New messageAre we still on for dinner at 7?
Meeting in 10 minutesDesign review, room 3
Package deliveredYour order is at the front door
Build finishedAll 214 tests passed
Payment received$3.00 for your annual purchase
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Flight updateGate changed to B14
4 more notifications
Before: 3 shown, 4 hidden behind "4 more notifications"
New messageAre we still on for dinner at 7?
Meeting in 10 minutesDesign review, room 3
Package deliveredYour order is at the front door
Build finishedAll 214 tests passed
Payment received$3.00 for your annual purchase
Backup completeYour documents are safe
Flight updateGate changed to B14
4 more notifications
After: all 7 showing, no click

What does Notification Center do with the notifications you have not read?

Open Notification Center from the clock in the menu bar. macOS shows the 3 newest notifications as cards. Every notification beyond those 3 is folded into a single button that reads "4 more notifications" (the number is how many are hidden). Press the button and the hidden notifications appear. Close Notification Center and open Notification Center again, and the list is folded again.

Why turning notification grouping off does not remove the button

Grouping is a per-app setting in System Settings, under Notifications. Grouping decides whether several notifications from one app stack together. The 3 card limit sits above grouping: with grouping set to Off for an app, macOS still shows only 3 cards and folds the rest behind the button. This was tested on macOS 27.0.1 with a test app that sent 8 notifications.

How to keep every notification showing

  1. Open the direct download of Still Dock and turn on Show every notification in the Still Dock window, under the locks.
  2. When macOS asks, allow Still Dock in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility. The Accessibility permission lets Still Dock press the "4 more notifications" button for you.
  3. Open Notification Center from the clock. The list is already open, and new notifications join the top without folding.

Turn the switch off at any time and Notification Center goes back to folding after 3.

What Still Dock does and does not touch

Still Dock finds the "more notifications" button by its accessibility identifier and presses the button, once each time Notification Center opens. Still Dock never reads the text of a notification and changes no notification setting in System Settings. The only thing counted is how often the switch is turned on or off, as an anonymous usage count that you can turn off.

Questions

Can I stop Notification Center hiding notifications without an app?

Not with a setting. macOS has no switch for the 3 card limit, and grouping off does not change the limit. The only way without an app is pressing "4 more notifications" each time Notification Center opens.

Does Show every notification work in the Mac App Store version?

No. The switch is in the direct download of Still Dock only, because the switch needs the Accessibility permission, which the Mac App Store sandbox does not allow for this.

Does Show every notification cost extra?

Yes. The switch is one of the paid locks. The size lock is the only lock that comes with every download.

Does the switch work on the iPhone?

Not yet. The switch is on the Mac. A row for the switch on the Still Dock iPhone app is planned.

Which macOS version does the switch work on?

The switch was built and tested on macOS 27.0.1. Notification Center changes between macOS versions, so a future update from Apple can need an update from Still Dock.

Looking for the other locks? Ways to lock the Mac Dock covers the Dock itself, and how to disable Cmd Q covers quitting apps by accident.