The fastest way to silence Facebook notifications
Open Facebook on your phone or computer, go to Settings, then Notifications, and toggle off the types of alerts you don't want. You can turn off all notifications at once, or pick which ones to keep — likes, comments, messages, event reminders, and so on. The steps differ slightly between iPhone, Android, and desktop, but the principle is the same: Facebook lets you control almost every notification type individually.
If you want notifications gone completely, you can also turn them off at the device level — through your phone's settings or browser settings — which stops Facebook from sending them before they even reach you. This is useful if you want to keep Facebook installed but never see a ping from it.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook's notification settings let you turn off specific types of alerts (likes, comments, messages, events) without deleting your account or the app.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and toggle off notification types; on Android, open the Facebook app, tap Menu > Settings > Notifications.
- On desktop, click the down arrow in the top right, select Settings, then Notifications, and uncheck the boxes next to alerts you don't want.
- You can also disable Facebook notifications at the device level through your phone's settings or browser settings, which stops them before they reach your screen.
- Turning off notifications does not affect your messages — those stay in your inbox and you can read them whenever you open the app.
How to turn off notifications on iPhone
Go to your iPhone Settings app, scroll down and tap Facebook, then tap Notifications. You'll see a list of notification types: Allow Notifications, Sounds, Badges, and others. Toggle off "Allow Notifications" to stop all Facebook alerts at once. If you want to keep some notifications but turn off others, leave "Allow Notifications" on and instead toggle off individual types like "Sounds" or "Badges."
Inside the Facebook app itself, you can also fine-tune which events trigger notifications. Open Facebook, tap the three horizontal lines (Menu) in the bottom right, scroll down to Settings & Privacy, tap Settings, then Notifications. Here you can turn off alerts for likes, comments, friend requests, event reminders, and dozens of other actions. Toggle off the ones you don't want to see.
How to turn off notifications on Android
Open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines (Menu) in the bottom right corner, scroll down to Settings & Privacy, and tap Settings. Scroll down to Notifications and tap it. You'll see a list of notification types — turn off the ones you don't want by tapping the toggle next to each one. You can disable all notifications at once or pick and choose.
You can also control notifications through your Android device settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and toggle off "Allow notifications." This stops Facebook from sending any alerts to your phone, regardless of what you've set inside the app. If you want more control, tap "Notification categories" to turn off specific types while keeping others on.
How to turn off notifications on desktop
Click the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook (next to your profile picture), then click Settings. On the left side, click Notifications. You'll see a list of notification types — Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, and so on. Click the dropdown next to each one and choose "Off," or click "Edit" to set when and how you want to be notified.
If you use Facebook in a web browser, you can also control notifications through your browser settings. In Chrome, click the lock icon next to the web address, then Site Settings, then Notifications, and toggle off Facebook. In Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Notifications, find Facebook in the list, and click "Block." This prevents Facebook from sending browser notifications even if you've turned them on inside the app.
Turning off notifications without deleting the app
You don't have to uninstall Facebook to stop seeing notifications. Disabling notifications in the app or on your device keeps your account active and lets you use Facebook whenever you open it — you just won't get pinged about activity. This is useful if you want to check Facebook on your own schedule rather than being interrupted by alerts.
If you turn off notifications but later want to turn them back on, you can reverse the steps at any time. The settings stay where you left them, so if you turned off comments but kept messages on, that preference will still be there when you return.
Why Facebook sends so many notifications
Facebook's default settings send notifications for almost everything — someone likes your post, comments on a photo, tags you, sends a message, invites you to an event. The company makes money from keeping you on the platform, so notifications are designed to pull you back in. Each ping is a chance you'll open the app and see ads.
This is why turning off notifications is a choice you have to make actively. Facebook doesn't ask you to opt in to notifications — it assumes you want them and makes you opt out. Once you've turned off the ones you don't want, you stay in control unless you change your settings again.
What happens to messages when you turn off notifications
Turning off notifications does not delete or hide your messages. They stay in your inbox, and you can read them whenever you open Facebook. You just won't get a notification that someone sent you one. If you want to keep message notifications but turn off everything else, you can do that — go to your notification settings and toggle off all types except Messages.
If you're worried about missing important messages, consider keeping message notifications on while turning off everything else. This way you'll know when someone reaches out, but you won't be interrupted by alerts about likes or comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications affect my messages or chats?
No. Messages stay in your inbox whether notifications are on or off. You can read them whenever you open the app. If you want to keep message notifications but turn off other types, go to your notification settings and toggle off everything except Messages.
Can I turn off notifications for one person but keep them for others?
Facebook doesn't have a built-in way to mute notifications from specific people. You can turn off notifications for a whole category (like comments) or turn off all notifications. If you want to avoid alerts from one person, you can mute their posts in your feed, but that's different from notifications.
What's the difference between turning off notifications in the app versus on my device?
Turning them off in the Facebook app means you've told Facebook not to send certain types of alerts, but your device might still show them. Turning them off on your device (through phone settings or browser settings) stops notifications before they reach you, even if the app is set to send them. Using both gives you the most control.
If I turn off notifications, will Facebook still track my activity?
Turning off notifications does not stop Facebook from tracking what you do on the platform. Notifications are just alerts — they don't affect how the app collects data about your activity. If you want to limit tracking, that requires different settings, like adjusting your privacy controls or limiting ad targeting.
Can I turn off notifications for just one type of alert, like event invites?
Yes. In your notification settings, you can toggle off individual types of alerts while keeping others on. For example, you can turn off event reminders but keep message notifications. Go to Settings > Notifications and toggle off the specific types you don't want to see.