Where to find Google notification settings

Google notifications come from different places depending on what device you use and which Google service sent the alert. On Android phones, most Google app notifications live in your phone's main Settings app under Apps or Notifications — not inside the Google app itself. On iPhones, iPad, and Mac computers, you control them through the device's Settings or System Preferences. On Windows computers, notifications appear in your system tray and Settings panel.

The fastest way to silence a single notification is to swipe it away or click the X when it appears on your screen. But if you want to turn off entire categories of alerts — like Gmail reminders, Google Calendar events, or Google Assistant suggestions — you need to dig into the settings for each app or service.

Key Takeaways

  • Android users find most Google app notifications in Settings > Apps > Notifications, not inside the apps themselves.
  • iPhone and Mac users control Google notifications through the device's built-in Settings or System Preferences, not through Google's own menus.
  • You can turn off notifications for entire apps, or drill down to silence only specific types of alerts like calendar reminders or Gmail labels.
  • Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Assistant each have their own notification controls, and turning off one does not affect the others.

Turning off notifications on Android phones

Open your phone's Settings app and go to Apps (sometimes called Application Manager). Scroll to find the Google app you want to silence — Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, or Google Assistant. Tap the app name, then tap Notifications. You will see a toggle at the top that says "Allow notifications" or similar. Turn it off to stop all alerts from that app.

If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, leave the main toggle on and scroll down. Most Google apps let you turn off specific notification types — for example, in Gmail you can silence promotional emails but keep messages from your contacts, or in Google Calendar you can turn off event reminders but keep responses to invitations. The exact options depend on which app you are using.

Some Android phones also let you manage notifications from the notification panel itself. When a notification appears, press and hold it (do not swipe it away). A menu will pop up with options like "Turn off notifications" or "Manage notifications." Tapping these takes you directly to that app's notification settings.

Turning off notifications on iPhone and iPad

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and go to Notifications. Scroll down and find the Google app you want to change — Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Maps, or Google Assistant. Tap the app name to open its notification settings.

At the top of the screen, you will see a toggle labeled "Allow Notifications." Turn it off to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep notifications but change how they appear, you can adjust settings like whether alerts show on your lock screen, in your notification center, or as badges on the app icon. You can also choose whether notifications make a sound or vibrate your phone.

Some Google apps have their own internal notification settings as well. For example, Gmail has a Notifications section inside the app itself where you can choose which email senders trigger alerts. Check both the device Settings and the app's own settings menu to get full control.

Turning off notifications on Mac computers

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and go to System Preferences (on newer Macs, this is called System Settings). Find Notifications in the left sidebar. You will see a list of all apps that send notifications. Find the Google app you want to silence — Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, or Chrome — and click it.

Uncheck the box next to "Allow notifications" to turn off all alerts from that app. If you want to keep notifications but change their style, you can choose whether they appear as banners (which disappear after a few seconds) or alerts (which stay until you dismiss them). You can also turn off sounds and badges.

If you use Gmail or Google Calendar through a web browser on your Mac, notifications may come from your browser instead of from a Google app. In that case, go to System Preferences > Notifications and find your browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) in the list. You may need to turn off notifications there instead, or adjust your browser's own notification settings.

Turning off notifications on Windows computers

Right-click the Start button and open Settings. Go to System > Notifications. You will see a list of apps that can send notifications. Scroll down to find any Google services — usually this means Gmail or Google Calendar if you use them through a web browser, or Google Drive if you have the desktop app installed.

Click the app name and toggle off "Notifications" to stop all alerts. You can also adjust whether notifications appear in your notification center, whether they make a sound, and whether they show a banner on your screen.

If you use Google services through a web browser like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, notifications may come from the browser itself rather than from a separate Google app. In that case, find your browser in the notification settings and turn off notifications there. You can also manage browser notifications by clicking the lock icon in the address bar of any website and changing notification permissions.

Controlling notifications inside Gmail and Google Calendar

Gmail and Google Calendar have their own notification controls inside the apps, separate from your device settings. In Gmail on any device, open Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then go to See all settings > Notifications. Here you can turn off notifications entirely, or choose which types of emails trigger alerts — for example, you can silence promotional messages but keep notifications for emails from your contacts.

In Google Calendar, open Settings (the gear icon) and go to Notifications. You can turn off all notifications, or adjust when you get alerted about events — for example, you might want a notification 15 minutes before a meeting but not for all-day events. You can also set different notification rules for different calendars if you have more than one.

These in-app settings work alongside your device settings. If you turn off notifications at the device level, you will not get alerts even if the app's settings are turned on. But if the app's settings are off, you will not get alerts even if your device allows them.

Turning off Google Assistant notifications

Google Assistant sends notifications about reminders, alarms, and suggestions. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Google App > Notifications and turn off the toggle. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Google App and turn off "Allow Notifications."

You can also control Assistant notifications inside the Google app itself. Open the Google app, tap your profile picture in the top right, go to Settings > Notifications, and adjust which types of alerts you want to receive. For example, you can turn off suggestions but keep reminders and alarms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications from one Google service but keep them from another?

Yes. Each Google app — Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Maps, Assistant — has its own notification settings. Turning off Gmail notifications does not affect Google Calendar or any other service. You control each one separately through your device settings or the app's own menu.

Why am I still getting notifications after I turned them off?

Check both your device settings and the app's internal settings. For example, if you turned off Gmail notifications in your phone's Settings but Gmail's own notification settings are still on, you might still get some alerts. Also check whether notifications are coming from your web browser instead of from an app — browser notifications are controlled separately.

Will turning off notifications delete my emails or calendar events?

No. Turning off notifications only stops the alerts from appearing on your device. Your emails, calendar events, and all other data remain in your Google account. You can turn notifications back on at any time without losing anything.

How do I turn off notifications from Gmail on the web?

If you use Gmail through a web browser, notifications come from your browser, not from Gmail itself. In Chrome, click the lock icon next to the web address and change notification permissions. In Safari, Firefox, or Edge, look for notification settings in your browser's preferences or settings menu.

Can I turn off notifications for specific email senders in Gmail?

Yes. Open Gmail, click the gear icon, go to See all settings > Notifications, and you will see options to turn off notifications for specific types of mail — like promotions, social updates, or forums. You can also create filters to automatically silence emails from certain senders.