Where to find Facebook notification settings
Facebook stores notification controls in different places depending on whether you use a phone or computer. On your phone, open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner, scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Look for Notifications in the menu. On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner of any Facebook page, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings, and choose Notifications from the left sidebar.
Once you reach the Notifications section, you will see categories of alerts Facebook can send you — things like messages, friend requests, comments on your posts, and activity from people you follow. Each category has its own on-and-off switch, so you can silence some types of notifications while keeping others active.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook notification settings are located in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Notifications on both phones and computers, but the path differs slightly between devices.
- You can turn off entire categories of notifications (like comments or messages) or adjust how often Facebook sends them to you.
- Phone notifications and email notifications are controlled separately — turning off one does not affect the other.
- Muting a specific person or group stops their notifications without unfriending them or leaving the group.
- Browser notification permissions must also be turned off in your device settings if you want to stop pop-up alerts on your computer.
Turning off specific notification types on mobile
In the Notifications section of the Facebook app, you will see a list of notification types. Tap any category — such as Comments, Likes, Messages, or Friend Requests — and you will see a toggle switch next to it. Tap the toggle to turn that notification type off. The switch will turn gray when disabled.
Some notification types have additional options. For example, if you tap Messages, you might see choices like Message Requests and Message Notifications listed separately. You can control each one independently. If you want to keep message notifications but silence message requests, you can turn off only the message requests toggle.
Facebook also offers a Mute feature for individual people and groups. To mute someone, go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right, and select Mute. You will then choose whether to mute their posts, stories, or both. Muting stops notifications from that person without unfriending them.
Turning off specific notification types on a computer
On a computer, the Notifications settings page shows the same categories as the mobile app, but the layout is different. Each notification type appears as a row with a dropdown menu on the right side. Click the dropdown next to any notification type to see your options: On, Off, or sometimes Email Only or In-App Only.
Select Off to disable that notification type completely. If you want to receive notifications through email but not on the website itself, choose Email Only. This is useful if you check Facebook infrequently and prefer to be notified by email instead of seeing alerts pop up on the site.
To mute a specific person on a computer, visit their profile, click the three dots next to their name, and select Mute [Person's Name]. A menu will appear asking whether you want to mute their posts, stories, or both. You can unmute them at any time using the same menu.
Controlling email notifications separately
Facebook sends notifications through three channels: in-app alerts (the bell icon), push notifications on your phone, and emails. These are controlled in different places. To manage email notifications, go to Settings > Notifications and look for a section labeled Email or Email Notifications. This section lists every type of email Facebook can send you.
You can turn off email notifications for specific activities — like when someone comments on your post, tags you in a photo, or invites you to an event. Click the dropdown next to each email type and select Off. Some people turn off all email notifications and rely only on in-app alerts, while others do the opposite.
Stopping browser notifications on your computer
Even if you turn off notifications in Facebook's settings, your web browser may still show pop-up alerts when you have Facebook open. These are called browser notifications, and they are controlled separately in your device settings, not in Facebook itself.
On Windows, click the Windows logo in the bottom left, type Notifications, and open Notifications & actions. Scroll down to find Facebook in the list of apps and toggle it off. On a Mac, click the Apple menu, go to System Preferences > Notifications, find Facebook in the left sidebar, and change the alert style to None.
In your web browser, you can also manage notification permissions. In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, find Facebook in the list, and click Remove. In Firefox, go to Preferences > Privacy & Security, scroll to Permissions, find Notifications, and remove Facebook from the list.
Using Do Not Disturb and quiet hours
If you want to keep notifications active but silence them during certain hours, Facebook offers a Quiet Hours or Do Not Disturb feature on some devices. On an iPhone, you can set up a Focus mode that silences Facebook notifications during specific times. Go to Settings > Focus, create a new Focus (such as "Sleep" or "Work"), and add Facebook to the list of apps that should be silenced.
On Android, the process is similar. Go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb, set your preferred times, and choose which apps should be silenced. This way, Facebook notifications will still arrive, but your phone will not alert you during those hours. You can check them whenever you open the app.
Some Android phones also have a Notification Schedule feature built into the Facebook app itself. In the app's Notifications settings, look for an option like Quiet Hours or Notification Schedule and set the times when you do not want to receive alerts.
What to do if notifications keep coming back
Sometimes after turning off notifications, Facebook will re-enable them automatically, especially after app updates. If you notice notifications returning, go back to Settings > Notifications and check whether the toggles have been switched back on. This is common and not a sign of a problem — just turn them off again.
If a specific notification type keeps returning no matter how many times you disable it, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Facebook app. Before you do, make sure you know your login information. After reinstalling, go straight to Notifications settings and turn off the problematic notification type again. If the issue persists, the notification may be tied to a setting in your phone's operating system rather than Facebook itself — check your device's notification settings for Facebook as described in the browser notifications section above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications stop me from seeing messages?
No. Turning off message notifications means you will not receive alerts when someone sends you a message, but the messages will still arrive in your inbox. You can read them whenever you open Facebook. If you want to stop receiving messages entirely, you would need to block the person or adjust your message request settings.
Can I turn off notifications from one person without unfriending them?
Yes. Use the Mute feature on that person's profile. Muting stops you from seeing their posts and receiving notifications from them, but you remain friends and they cannot tell you have muted them. You can unmute them at any time.
What is the difference between turning off notifications and muting someone?
Turning off a notification type (like comments) stops all alerts of that kind from everyone. Muting a person stops notifications and posts from that specific person only. If you mute someone, you will not see their posts in your feed or get alerts about their activity, but you will still see notifications from other people.
Why am I still getting Facebook notifications after turning them off?
You may have turned off in-app notifications but left email or browser notifications on. Check all three places: Facebook's in-app settings, Facebook's email settings, and your device's browser or operating system notification settings. You may also need to check your phone's app notification settings separately from Facebook's own settings.
Can I turn off notifications just during work hours?
Yes. Use your phone's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode to silence Facebook during specific times. On iPhone, create a Work Focus and add Facebook to it. On Android, set up Do Not Disturb hours. Facebook notifications will still arrive, but your phone will not alert you until the quiet hours end.