Stop Facebook emails without leaving the site
Facebook sends emails for almost everything — comments on your posts, friend requests, login alerts, event reminders, and messages from pages you follow. You can turn off any of these emails individually, or silence most of them at once. The fastest way is through Facebook's notification settings, which take about two minutes to adjust.
You do not need to delete your account, change your password, or use any third-party tool. Facebook's own settings let you control which emails arrive and which ones stay off. The changes take effect immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook's email notification settings are in your account menu under Preferences, not in your main notification center.
- You can turn off all non-essential emails at once, or go through each type individually to keep only the ones you want.
- Login alerts and security emails cannot be turned off completely, but you can choose how Facebook sends them to you.
- Changes to your email notification settings take effect immediately and do not affect notifications you see on Facebook itself.
- If you turn off emails and later want them back, you can turn them on again using the same settings page.
Find your email notification settings in Facebook
Open Facebook in a web browser or the Facebook app on your phone. Look for the menu icon — on a computer it is a downward arrow in the top right corner, and on a phone it is three horizontal lines (a hamburger menu) in the bottom right.
Tap or click that menu, then scroll down and select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side of the screen, you will see a column of options. Click or tap Notifications. This opens your notification center, but you need to go one step further.
At the top of the Notifications page, you will see tabs or options. Look for Preferences or Email — the exact wording depends on whether you are on a phone or computer, but it is the section that controls what emails Facebook sends you. Click or tap that tab.
Turn off all non-essential emails at once
Once you are in the email preferences section, you will see a list of email types. At the very top, there is often an option to turn off most emails in one action. Look for a button or toggle that says something like Unsubscribe from all or Turn off all emails. If you see this option and you want to stop almost all Facebook emails, click or tap it.
Facebook will ask you to confirm. Select yes or confirm, and most emails will stop arriving. This does not turn off security emails — Facebook will still send you alerts if someone tries to log into your account from a new device or location, because those emails protect your account.
If you do not see a bulk unsubscribe option, or if you want to keep some emails but turn off others, move to the next section instead.
Turn off specific types of emails one at a time
Scroll through the list of email types. You will see categories like Comments, Friend requests, Event invitations, Messages, Page updates, and others. Each one has a toggle switch or checkbox next to it.
For each email type you do not want, click or tap the toggle to turn it off. The toggle will change color or position to show it is now off. You can turn off as many or as few as you want — there is no penalty for leaving some on and turning others off.
If you are not sure what an email type does, hover over or tap the question mark icon next to it. Facebook will show you a brief description. For example, Comments means emails when someone comments on a post you made or commented on.
Handle security and login emails
At the bottom of your email preferences, you will see emails related to account security and logins. These include Login alerts, Suspicious login attempts, and Security notifications. Facebook does not let you turn these off completely, because they protect your account from hackers.
However, you can choose how Facebook sends these alerts to you. Some options let you receive them as in-app notifications instead of emails, or receive them less frequently. Look for a dropdown menu or toggle next to each security email type and select your preference.
If you want to receive login alerts but only for truly unusual activity, look for an option like Only for suspicious activity or Notify me only if. Select that option to reduce how many security emails arrive.
Save your changes and test them
Most Facebook settings save automatically as you make changes. Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for a Save button or similar. If you see one, click or tap it. If the page does not show a save button, your changes are already saved.
Wait a few minutes, then check your email inbox. You should not see any new emails from Facebook for the types you turned off. If you still receive emails you thought you turned off, go back to the settings page and double-check that the toggle is actually in the off position — sometimes the toggle does not register the first time.
If you turned off all emails and now realize you want some back, simply return to this same settings page and turn the toggles back on. There is no waiting period or penalty for changing your mind.
What to do if you cannot find email settings
If you are using the Facebook app on your phone and cannot find the email preferences section, try opening Facebook in a web browser instead. The mobile app sometimes hides settings that are easier to find on the full website.
On a computer, make sure you are logged into your own account and not viewing someone else's profile. Then go back to the menu icon in the top right, select Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Notifications, then Preferences or Email.
If you have two-factor authentication turned on, Facebook may require you to confirm your identity before letting you change email settings. If a login screen appears, enter your password and any codes Facebook asks for, then try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off email notifications stop notifications I see on Facebook itself?
No. Email notifications and in-app notifications are separate. Turning off emails does not change the notifications you see when you open Facebook. If you want to turn off those as well, go to Settings, then Notifications, then choose which in-app notifications to turn off.
Can I turn off emails from one specific person or page?
Yes. Go to that person's profile or page, click the three dots menu, and look for an option like Turn off notifications or Mute. This stops emails and in-app notifications from just that person or page without affecting emails from everyone else.
What if I turned off all emails and now I want some back?
Return to Settings, Notifications, Preferences or Email. Find the toggle for the email type you want back and turn it on. Your changes take effect immediately. You can turn emails on and off as many times as you want.
Why am I still getting Facebook emails after I turned them off?
Check that the toggle is actually in the off position — sometimes it does not register. Also make sure you clicked Save if that button appeared. If emails still arrive after 10 minutes, log out and log back in, then check your settings again.
Can Facebook send me security emails even if I turned off all emails?
Yes. Login alerts and security notifications cannot be turned off completely because they protect your account. You can choose how often you receive them or ask Facebook to send them as in-app notifications instead, but you cannot stop them entirely.