Turn off push notifications in your phone's settings

The fastest way to stop push notifications is to disable them at the system level on your device. On both iPhone and Android, you can block notifications from all apps at once, or turn them off for specific apps one at a time.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications. You'll see a list of every app that sends you notifications. Tap any app name, then toggle off "Allow Notifications" to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, you can toggle off just "Sounds" or "Badges" instead — this lets the notification appear on your lock screen without the sound or the red number badge on the app icon.

On Android, the process varies slightly by phone model and Android version. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications (or just Apps on some phones). Find the app you want to silence, tap it, then tap Notifications. Toggle off "Show Notifications" or "Allow Notifications" depending on your version. Some Android phones also let you long-press an app icon on your home screen and tap the bell icon to mute that app's notifications instantly.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone users can disable notifications per app in Settings > Notifications, or turn off sounds and badges while keeping visual alerts.
  • Android users go to Settings > Apps & Notifications, find the app, and toggle off notifications there.
  • Websites and browsers send notifications separately from apps — you need to change browser settings or website permissions to stop those.
  • Some apps require you to turn off notifications inside the app itself before the system-level toggle will work.
  • Disabling notifications does not delete your account or stop the app from working; it only silences the alerts.

Stop notifications from websites and browsers

Website notifications are different from app notifications and require a separate step. When you visit a website, it may ask permission to send you notifications — these appear as pop-ups even when you're not using the website, similar to app notifications.

To stop website notifications on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, go to your browser's settings and find the Notifications section. On Chrome, click the three-line menu > Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Notifications. You'll see a list of websites that have permission to send you notifications. Click any website name and change the setting from "Allow" to "Block." You can also click "Clear all" to revoke permission from every website at once.

On Safari (Mac and iPhone), go to Settings > Websites > Notifications and do the same. On Firefox, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Notifications. The steps are nearly identical across all browsers — find the Notifications section, locate the websites you want to silence, and change their permission to "Block."

Turn off notifications inside individual apps

Some apps have their own notification settings that override your phone's system settings. Even if you've disabled notifications in your phone's settings, the app may still send them if you haven't turned them off inside the app itself.

Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon or three-line menu), and search for a Notifications section. Common names include "Notification Settings," "Alerts," or "Sound & Vibration." Here you can usually choose which types of notifications to receive — for example, you might allow messages but block promotional alerts, or turn off sound but keep visual notifications.

This approach is useful if you want to keep some notifications from an app but silence others. For instance, you might want text message alerts from your messaging app but not typing indicators, or you might want calendar reminders but not promotional emails from the calendar service.

Manage Do Not Disturb and Focus modes

If you want to silence notifications temporarily without permanently disabling them, use your phone's Do Not Disturb (iPhone) or Do Not Disturb mode (Android) feature. These silence all notifications during set hours or when you manually turn them on, but notifications still arrive — you just won't hear or see them until you turn the mode off.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Focus and create a new Focus (or use the built-in "Do Not Disturb" focus). Set the schedule and choose which contacts and apps can still notify you during that time. On Android, go to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and set a schedule. You can also allow notifications from starred contacts or specific apps even when Do Not Disturb is on.

Focus modes are more flexible than simple Do Not Disturb because you can create different profiles — one for work hours, one for sleep, one for exercise — and each can have different rules about which notifications get through. This is useful if you want to stay reachable for emergencies or important messages but block everything else.

Stop notifications from email and messaging apps

Email and messaging apps often send multiple types of notifications, and you may want to keep some but not others. In Gmail, open the app, tap your profile picture > Manage Your Google Account > Notifications, and toggle off the types of alerts you don't want. You can keep notifications for important emails while silencing promotional ones.

In Outlook, go to Settings > Notifications and choose which email categories trigger alerts. In WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, go to Settings > Notifications and adjust sound, vibration, and notification preview settings separately for messages, groups, and calls. This lets you stay alerted to direct messages but silence group chats, for example.

Text message notifications are controlled through your phone's system settings, not the messaging app itself. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages. On Android, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Messages > Notifications. If you're using a third-party messaging app instead of your phone's default, find it in your app list and adjust its notifications there.

Prevent notifications from returning after updates

Some apps reset their notification permissions after a major update, which means notifications may suddenly reappear even though you turned them off before. When you update an app, check your notification settings again to make sure they're still disabled.

You can also prevent apps from asking for notification permission in the first place. On iPhone, when an app first asks permission to send notifications, tap "Don't Allow" instead of "Allow." On Android, the process is similar — when prompted, choose "Don't Allow" or "Deny." If you've already said yes and want to change it, go back to your phone's notification settings and toggle the app off.

Some apps are persistent about asking for notification permission every time you open them. If this happens, check the app's settings to see if there's an option to stop the prompt, or consider whether you actually want to use that app — an app that repeatedly ignores your preference not to receive notifications is showing you how it treats your choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off notifications stop the app from working?

No. Disabling notifications only silences the alerts. The app continues to work normally in the background. You won't receive any alerts, but you can still open the app and see new messages, updates, or activity whenever you choose to check it.

Can I turn off notifications for one contact but keep them for others?

Yes, but it depends on the app. In most messaging apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram, you can mute individual conversations while keeping notifications on for others. Open the conversation, look for a mute or silence option (usually in the conversation settings), and choose how long to mute it. In email apps, you can create filters or rules to silence certain senders.

Why do notifications keep coming back after I turn them off?

Apps sometimes reset notification permissions after updates, or you may have turned off notifications in one place but not another. Check both your phone's system settings and the app's internal settings. Also verify that you're not using a Focus mode that allows notifications from that app — Focus modes override your notification settings.

What's the difference between muting and blocking notifications?

Muting temporarily silences notifications for a set time (usually a few hours to a day), but they resume after that period. Blocking or disabling notifications turns them off permanently until you manually turn them back on. Muting is useful for temporary peace; blocking is for apps you don't want to hear from at all.

Can I stop notifications from one type of alert but keep others from the same app?

Yes. In most apps, go to the notification settings and you'll see options for different alert types — sounds, vibrations, banners, badges, or specific notification categories. You can toggle each one separately. For example, you might keep visual notifications but turn off sound and vibration, or keep alerts for direct messages but silence group notifications.