iOS Notification Center keeps you in the loop about what’s happening in your day and on your iPhone, and lets apps send you messages when they have relevant information. Notification Center is also the place to find push notifications, such as text messages, alerts for new voicemails, reminders of upcoming events, invitations to play games, and — depending on the apps you have installed — breaking news, sports scores, and coupons.

Notification Center has been around in various forms since iOS 5, but recent versions have seen some major changes.

To open Notification Center from anywhere on your iPhone (such as the Home screen or within an app), swipe down from the top-left corner of your iPhone screen.

To hide Notification Center, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Or, tap the Home button (if your iPhone has one) when Notification Center is open.