You can disable pokes by turning off notifications, ignoring individual pokes, or blocking the person sending them

Facebook's poke feature lets people send you a notification without a message — it's just a way to get your attention. If you're getting pokes you don't want, you have three ways to stop them: turn off poke notifications in your settings so you don't see alerts, ignore or delete individual pokes as they arrive, or block the person entirely if they keep sending them. The fastest route depends on whether you want to stop all pokes, just pokes from one person, or simply stop being notified when they arrive.

Each method works differently. Turning off notifications silences alerts but leaves pokes visible on your profile. Ignoring a poke removes it from view without blocking anyone. Blocking someone prevents them from poking you at all, along with messaging or viewing your profile.

Key Takeaways

  • You can turn off poke notifications in your Facebook settings under Notifications, so pokes arrive silently without alerts.
  • Ignoring a poke removes it from your notifications without blocking the person or stopping future pokes.
  • Blocking someone stops them from poking you, messaging you, or seeing your profile — it's the most complete option if one person is the problem.
  • Pokes sent to you appear in your notifications panel and on your profile; ignoring them clears them from view.

Turn off poke notifications in settings

Open Facebook and go to your Settings. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right on mobile, or the downward arrow in the top right on desktop. Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On mobile, tap Notifications; on desktop, click Notifications in the left sidebar.

Scroll down to find Pokes. Toggle the notification off. This stops Facebook from sending you alerts when someone pokes you, but the pokes will still appear on your profile and in your notifications — you just won't get a notification badge or alert. If you want to hide pokes completely, you'll need to ignore them individually or block the person.

Ignore or delete individual pokes

When you receive a poke, it shows up in your notifications. Click or tap the poke notification, and you'll see options to respond or ignore it. Select Ignore. This removes the poke from your notifications and your profile without notifying the person who sent it.

Ignoring a poke is temporary — the same person can poke you again later. If you want to stop pokes from a specific person permanently, blocking is more effective. Ignoring is useful if you just want to clear your notifications without taking stronger action. You can ignore pokes one at a time as they arrive, or go back to your notification history and ignore older ones.

Block someone to stop all pokes from them

If one person keeps poking you and you want it to stop, blocking them is the most complete solution. Go to their profile, click the three dots menu, and select Block. You can also block someone from your notifications by clicking the three dots on their poke notification and selecting Block.

When you block someone, they can't poke you, message you, see your profile, or find you in search. They won't be notified that you blocked them, but they may notice they can't access your profile. Blocking is permanent until you unblock them — you can unblock someone anytime from your Settings under Blocking.

Check your poke history on your profile

Pokes you've received appear on your profile in a section called Pokes (if you have any). You can see who poked you and when. To remove a poke from your profile, click the X next to it or select Ignore. This clears it from view but doesn't block the person or stop future pokes.

Your profile also shows pokes you've sent to others. If you want to remove a poke you sent, click the X next to it. This doesn't notify the person or undo the poke — it just removes it from your profile history so visitors won't see it.

Understand what happens when you block versus ignore

Ignoring a poke removes it from your notifications and profile, but the person can still poke you again. They won't know you ignored them. Blocking someone prevents them from poking you at all, along with messaging, viewing your profile, or finding you in search. Blocking is stronger and more permanent.

If you're unsure whether to block, start by ignoring pokes and turning off notifications. If the same person keeps poking you after you've ignored them, then block. You can always unblock later if you change your mind. Most people find that ignoring a few pokes is enough to discourage someone from continuing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will someone know if I ignore their poke?

No. Ignoring a poke removes it from your notifications without notifying the person who sent it. They won't see any message or alert that you ignored them. They can still poke you again in the future.

Can I turn off pokes for everyone but keep them from one person?

Not directly. You can turn off poke notifications for everyone in your settings, but pokes will still arrive silently. To stop pokes from one specific person, ignore their individual pokes or block them. Blocking is the only way to prevent someone from poking you at all.

What's the difference between ignoring a poke and blocking someone?

Ignoring removes one poke from your notifications; blocking prevents that person from poking you, messaging you, or viewing your profile. Blocking is permanent until you unblock them. Ignoring is temporary and doesn't stop future pokes from the same person.

If I block someone, will they know?

They won't receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or send you a message and can't. Facebook doesn't tell them directly.

Can I unblock someone after I block them?

Yes. Go to Settings, then Blocking, and you'll see a list of people you've blocked. Click Unblock next to their name. After you unblock them, they can poke you again and see your profile.