Turn off Facebook email notifications in your account settings

Facebook sends email notifications by default for most account activity — new friend requests, comments on your posts, messages, and group updates. You can turn off any or all of these emails without changing your notification settings inside the Facebook app or website. The fastest way is to go directly to your email notification preferences, which Facebook keeps separate from your in-app notification controls.

Log into Facebook on a computer or phone browser, then go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Notifications. Look for the section labeled "Email" — this is where Facebook lists every type of email it can send you. Each one has a toggle you can switch off individually, or you can disable entire categories like Messages, Friend Requests, or Group Activity at once.

If you have multiple Facebook accounts, you will need to repeat this process for each one, since notification settings are stored per account. The settings do not sync across different email addresses or login credentials.

Key Takeaways

  • Facebook email notifications are controlled in Settings > Notifications > Email, separate from your in-app notification settings.
  • You can turn off individual notification types (like comments or friend requests) or disable entire categories at once.
  • Unsubscribe links at the bottom of Facebook emails also work, but the settings page gives you more control over which notifications to keep.
  • If you stop receiving emails from Facebook entirely, check your spam folder and your email provider's filters, since some emails may be blocked automatically.
  • Turning off email notifications does not stop Facebook from showing notifications inside the app or on the website.

Use the unsubscribe link in Facebook emails

Every email Facebook sends includes an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Click it and Facebook will ask which types of emails you want to stop receiving. This method works if you want to turn off notifications quickly without logging into Facebook, but it only lets you unsubscribe from that specific email type — you cannot manage all your notification settings this way.

The unsubscribe link takes you to a simplified version of your email preferences page. If you want finer control — for example, turning off friend request emails but keeping message notifications — go to the full settings page instead.

Stop notifications from specific people or groups

If you want to keep most Facebook emails but silence notifications from one person or group, you do not have to turn off the entire notification type. Instead, you can mute notifications from that specific contact or group directly in Facebook.

On a person's profile, click the three dots menu and select "Mute." On a group page, click Settings and choose "Mute Notifications." This stops all notifications from that source — both emails and in-app alerts — without affecting notifications from anyone else. You can unmute them the same way if you change your mind later.

Check your email provider's spam and filter settings

If you have turned off Facebook email notifications but still receive them, or if you turned them on and stopped receiving them, the problem may be on your email provider's side, not Facebook's. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other email services have their own filters that can block or redirect emails automatically.

Log into your email account and search for recent emails from Facebook. If they are in your spam or promotions folder, mark them as "not spam" or move them to your inbox. You can also create a filter rule to ensure Facebook emails go where you want them. The exact steps depend on your email provider — Gmail calls this feature "Filters and Blocked Addresses," while Outlook calls it "Focused Inbox" or "Junk Email Rules."

If you see no Facebook emails at all in any folder, Facebook may not have your current email address on file. Check your Facebook account to confirm the email address is correct and matches the one you are checking.

Understand what each notification type controls

Facebook groups notifications into broad categories, and each one covers multiple types of activity. "Comments" includes emails when someone comments on your post, replies to your comment, or tags you in a comment. "Friend Requests" covers new requests and reminders about pending requests. "Messages" sends emails for new messages and message requests from people outside your friends list.

Other categories include "Group Activity" (posts and comments in groups you joined), "Event Invitations," "Page Updates" (from pages you follow), and "Video and Photo Tags" (when someone tags you in a photo or video). Some of these categories have sub-options — for example, under "Comments" you might see separate toggles for comments on your own posts versus comments on posts you commented on.

Read through the full list before turning anything off. You may find that turning off one broad category stops emails you actually want to receive.

Adjust notification frequency if you want to keep some emails

Instead of turning off notifications entirely, you can change how often Facebook sends them. In your email notification settings, some categories offer a frequency option — usually "Immediately," "Daily Digest," or "Off." Choosing "Daily Digest" means Facebook collects all your notifications from a day and sends one email instead of multiple emails throughout the day.

This option works well if you want to stay informed about Facebook activity but do not want constant email interruptions. A daily digest email arrives once per day (usually in the morning) and summarizes everything that happened since the last digest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off email notifications stop notifications inside the Facebook app?

No. Email notifications and in-app notifications are controlled separately. Turning off emails does not affect the notifications you see when you open Facebook on your phone or computer. To control those, go to Settings > Notifications and adjust the in-app settings instead.

Can I turn off notifications from one person without blocking them?

Yes. Go to their profile, click the three dots menu, and select "Mute." This stops all notifications from that person without unfriending them or blocking them. They will not know you muted them, and you can still see their posts if you visit their profile.

What if I turned off email notifications but still get emails from Facebook?

Check your spam and promotions folders — your email provider may be filtering Facebook emails automatically. If you find them there, mark them as "not spam." If you see no Facebook emails anywhere, log into Facebook and confirm your email address is correct in your account settings.

Can I turn off notifications from a specific group but keep notifications from other groups?

Yes. Go to the group page, click Settings, and choose "Mute Notifications." This only affects that group. You can mute multiple groups individually without turning off all group notifications.

Do I have to turn off notifications on each of my Facebook accounts separately?

Yes. Notification settings are stored per account and do not sync across different logins. If you have multiple accounts, you will need to adjust the email settings for each one.