Stop Chrome notifications in three places

Chrome notifications come from three separate sources, and you need to turn them off in the right place or they'll keep coming back. The quickest fix is to change your Chrome settings, but websites can also ask for permission to send notifications, and your operating system has its own notification controls. Most people find what they need in Chrome's settings, but if notifications persist after you've changed those, check your site permissions and your computer's system settings.

The reason notifications are scattered across three places is that Chrome itself doesn't send most of them — websites do. Chrome just passes the message through. So turning off notifications in Chrome stops the browser from showing them, but a website can still ask permission again the next time you visit.

Key Takeaways

  • Turn off all Chrome notifications at once in Settings > Notifications, or block them site by site under Site Settings.
  • If a website keeps asking for notification permission after you've said no, it's using a known workaround — block it in Site Settings instead of just closing the prompt.
  • Windows and Mac both have system-level notification controls that can silence Chrome notifications even if Chrome's settings allow them.
  • Clearing your browser cache and cookies can reset notification permissions for individual sites, which is useful if you accidentally allowed a site you now want to block.

Turn off all Chrome notifications at once

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Notifications. At the top, toggle off "Notifications". This stops Chrome from showing any notifications from any website, and it takes effect immediately.

If you want to keep notifications from some sites but block others, leave this setting on and scroll down to the "Blocked" section instead. Add the websites you don't want to hear from by typing their web address and clicking "Add". Sites in the "Blocked" list will never be able to send you notifications, even if they ask for permission.

Block notifications from specific websites

If you've already allowed a website to send notifications and now want to stop it, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications. Look for the website in the "Allowed" section and click the three dots next to it, then select "Remove". The next time you visit that site, it will have to ask permission again before it can send notifications.

Some websites use a trick where they ask for notification permission in a way that looks like a system message rather than a Chrome prompt. If a site keeps asking even after you've said no multiple times, add it to your "Blocked" list instead of just closing the prompt. Blocking prevents the site from asking again without your permission.

Stop websites from asking for notification permission

When you visit a website, Chrome sometimes shows a prompt asking "Do you want to allow notifications from this site?" You can click "Block" to refuse, but some sites are designed to ask again after a few days or weeks. If you're tired of seeing the same prompt, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications and add the site to your "Blocked" list.

Another option is to change Chrome's default behavior so websites have to ask you each time instead of remembering your answer. In the same Notifications settings, look for "Default behavior" and select "Ask (recommended)" instead of "Allow" or "Block". This doesn't stop notifications entirely, but it means you'll see the prompt fresh each time rather than Chrome automatically allowing or denying based on a past choice.

Check your computer's notification settings

Windows and Mac both have system-level controls that can block notifications from any app, including Chrome. On Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn off "Notifications" entirely, or scroll down and toggle off "Google Chrome" specifically. On Mac, go to System Settings > Notifications and find Google Chrome in the list, then uncheck "Allow notifications".

This is useful if you've turned off notifications in Chrome but they're still appearing. Your operating system can block them even if Chrome's settings would allow them. It's also a good backup if a website finds a way around Chrome's controls — the operating system's block is harder to work around.

Clear notification permissions if you made a mistake

If you accidentally allowed a website to send notifications and want to reset that choice, you can clear the site's data from Chrome. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data. Make sure "Cookies and other site data" is checked, select the time range (or choose "All time"), and click "Clear data". This removes all stored information for that site, including notification permissions.

The downside is that clearing site data also logs you out of websites and removes saved passwords for that site, so only do this if you're willing to log back in. A better approach for most people is to use the Site Settings method described above — just remove the site from your "Allowed" list without clearing all its data.

Why websites send notifications and how to recognize them

Websites send notifications to remind you to come back — for news sites to alert you to breaking stories, for shopping sites to tell you about sales, for social media to notify you of messages. The notifications appear in the corner of your screen even when you're not on the website, and they can be distracting if you have many of them.

Chrome notifications look different from other alerts on your computer. On Windows, they appear as small cards in the bottom right corner with the website's name and a message. On Mac, they show up in the Notification Center in the top right. If you see a notification that looks like it came from your operating system but it's actually from a website, that's a Chrome notification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Chrome notifications affect my email or calendar alerts?

No. Gmail and Google Calendar send notifications through their own systems, not through Chrome's notification permission. Turning off Chrome notifications won't affect them. If you want to control Gmail or Calendar alerts, you'll need to change those settings inside Gmail or Calendar instead.

Can I turn off notifications from just one website without blocking all notifications?

Yes. Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications, find the website in the "Allowed" list, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove". That site will have to ask permission again, and you can say "Block" the next time it asks.

Why does a website keep asking for notification permission even after I said no?

Some websites are designed to ask again after a certain amount of time. If you want it to stop asking, add the site to your "Blocked" list in Notifications settings instead of just closing the prompt. Blocking prevents the site from asking again without your permission.

Do I need to restart Chrome after changing notification settings?

No. Changes to notification settings take effect immediately in Chrome. You don't need to close and reopen the browser or restart your computer.

What's the difference between blocking a site and removing it from my allowed list?

Removing a site from your allowed list means it can ask for permission again. Blocking a site means it cannot ask for permission without you changing that setting. Use "Block" for sites that ask repeatedly, and "Remove" for sites you just want to stop hearing from right now.