diff --git a/mobile_app/hooks/useMessageNotifications.ts b/mobile_app/hooks/useMessageNotifications.ts
index 9b04de63..f107283d 100644
--- a/mobile_app/hooks/useMessageNotifications.ts
+++ b/mobile_app/hooks/useMessageNotifications.ts
@@ -82,8 +82,20 @@ export function useMessageNotifications(
         if (appStateRef.current === 'active') {
           onInApp(payload);
         } else {
+          // OS notification path (lock screen / Notification Center) shows no
+          // identifying content — generic title + body keep sender and message
+          // out of any screen the user hasn't unlocked into the app for. The
+          // in-app banner above still surfaces sender when the app is active.
+          // Per-peer identifier collapses repeats; passive interruption stops
+          // re-presenting the banner on every follow-up.
           Notifications.scheduleNotificationAsync({
-            content: { title: sender, body: 'new message', sound: true },
+            identifier: `anonmesh-msg-${srcHash}`,
+            content: {
+              title: 'anonmesh',
+              body: 'New message',
+              sound: true,
+              interruptionLevel: 'passive',
+            },
             trigger: null,
           }).catch(() => {});
         }
diff --git a/mobile_app/hooks/usePeerCountNotification.ts b/mobile_app/hooks/usePeerCountNotification.ts
index 6d5b6987..65e81023 100644
--- a/mobile_app/hooks/usePeerCountNotification.ts
+++ b/mobile_app/hooks/usePeerCountNotification.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { Platform } from 'react-native';
 import * as Notifications from 'expo-notifications';
 import { useLxmfContext } from '@/context/LxmfContext';
 
@@ -6,25 +7,57 @@ const NOTIF_ID = 'anonmesh-peer-count';
 
 export function usePeerCountNotification(enabled = true) {
   const { peers } = useLxmfContext();
-  const prevOnlineRef = useRef(-1);
-  const prevTotalRef  = useRef(-1);
+  const prevOnlineRef    = useRef(-1);
+  const prevTotalRef     = useRef(-1);
+  const prevHadPeersRef  = useRef<boolean | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!enabled) {
       Notifications.dismissNotificationAsync(NOTIF_ID).catch(() => {});
-      prevOnlineRef.current = -1;
-      prevTotalRef.current  = -1;
+      prevOnlineRef.current   = -1;
+      prevTotalRef.current    = -1;
+      prevHadPeersRef.current = null;
       return;
     }
 
-    const online = peers.filter(p => p.online).length;
-    const total  = peers.length;
+    const online   = peers.filter(p => p.online).length;
+    const total    = peers.length;
+    const hasPeers = total > 0;
 
+    // iOS: schedule only on 0↔peers transition. Notification Center has no
+    // silent persistent surface — every reschedule resurfaces the entry. One
+    // quiet "mesh active" pill is enough; the in-app peer indicator already
+    // shows live counts.
+    if (Platform.OS === 'ios') {
+      if (prevHadPeersRef.current === hasPeers) return;
+      prevHadPeersRef.current = hasPeers;
+
+      if (!hasPeers) {
+        Notifications.dismissNotificationAsync(NOTIF_ID).catch(() => {});
+        return;
+      }
+
+      Notifications.scheduleNotificationAsync({
+        identifier: NOTIF_ID,
+        content: {
+          title:  'anonmesh',
+          body:   'Mesh active',
+          sound:  false,
+          sticky: true,
+          interruptionLevel: 'passive',
+        },
+        trigger: null,
+      }).catch(() => {});
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Android: live counts on the LOW-importance 'peer-status' channel — the
+    // channel handles silence, so updates can flow without annoying the user.
     if (online === prevOnlineRef.current && total === prevTotalRef.current) return;
     prevOnlineRef.current = online;
     prevTotalRef.current  = total;
 
-    if (total === 0) {
+    if (!hasPeers) {
       Notifications.dismissNotificationAsync(NOTIF_ID).catch(() => {});
       return;
     }