Where to find notification settings on your Mac

Notification settings live in System Settings, which is the control center for your Mac. Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select "System Settings" from the dropdown. Once inside, look for "Notifications" in the left sidebar — it's usually near the top of the list.

If you don't see Notifications in the sidebar immediately, scroll down. On newer Macs running Sonoma or later, the sidebar may be collapsed. You can also search for "Notifications" using the search box at the top of System Settings, which will take you directly to the right place.

The Notifications pane shows every app on your Mac that can send notifications, organized alphabetically. This is where you control what each app is allowed to do — whether it can send alerts, badges, or sounds.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click Notifications in the sidebar, and select any app to turn off its notifications completely or adjust specific alert types.
  • Turning off notifications for an app does not delete the app or prevent it from working — it only stops the alerts from appearing on your screen.
  • You can turn off notifications for all apps at once using Focus modes, or control them one app at a time for more precise management.
  • Notification badges (the red numbers on app icons) and sounds can be disabled separately from alerts, giving you fine control over what interrupts you.

Turn off notifications for a single app

Click any app name in the Notifications list to see its settings. At the top of that app's panel, you'll see a toggle labeled "Allow notifications." Click this toggle to turn it off. When the toggle is gray, that app can no longer send you notifications of any kind.

If you want to keep notifications from that app but just silence the sound or remove the badge (the red number on the app icon), you can do that instead. Leave "Allow notifications" on, then scroll down and uncheck "Sounds" or "Badges" individually. This way you'll still see the notification in Notification Center, but it won't interrupt you with noise or a badge.

Some apps have additional options below the main toggle. Mail, for example, lets you choose which mailboxes send notifications. Messages lets you control notifications for individual conversations. Scroll through each app's full settings to see what options are available.

Turn off all notifications at once with Focus modes

If you want to silence notifications temporarily without changing individual app settings, use a Focus mode. Focus modes let you create a profile where certain apps can notify you and others cannot — and you can switch between profiles instantly.

Open System Settings and click "Focus" in the sidebar. Click the "+" button to create a new Focus, or select an existing one like "Do Not Disturb" or "Work." Once you're inside a Focus, you'll see an "Allowed Notifications" section. Only apps you add to this list will be able to notify you while that Focus is active.

To turn on a Focus, click the Control Center icon in the top-right corner of your Mac (it looks like a grid of dots), then click the name of the Focus you want. Your Mac will now block notifications from any app not on that Focus's allowed list. Click Control Center again and select the same Focus to turn it off.

Stop notifications from appearing in Notification Center

Notification Center is the panel that slides in from the right side of your screen when you click the time in the top-right corner. Even if you leave notifications on for an app, you can prevent them from showing up there.

In the Notifications pane of System Settings, select an app and scroll down to find "Notification Center." Uncheck the box next to "Show in Notification Center" and that app's notifications will no longer appear in the panel, though you may still see banners or sounds depending on your other settings.

This is useful if you want an app to send you a sound alert but don't want the notification cluttering your Notification Center history. You can still see the notification in the moment as a banner at the top of your screen.

Control how notifications appear on your screen

Notifications can appear in three different ways: as banners (a box that slides down from the top and disappears), as alerts (a box that stays until you dismiss it), or silently in Notification Center only. You can choose which style you prefer for each app.

In the Notifications pane, select an app and look for "Notification Style." Click the dropdown menu and choose "Banners," "Alerts," or "None." Banners are less intrusive because they disappear on their own. Alerts stay on screen until you click them, which is more demanding but harder to miss.

If you choose "None," the app can still send notifications to Notification Center and can still play sounds or show badges — it just won't display a box on your screen. This is a good middle ground if you want to stay informed without constant interruptions.

Disable notifications for built-in Mac apps

Built-in apps like Mail, Calendar, Reminders, and Messages work the same way as third-party apps, but some have extra options. Mail lets you turn off notifications for specific mailboxes rather than the entire app. Calendar can notify you about events, and Reminders can alert you when a task is due.

Find each app in the Notifications list and adjust its settings the same way you would for any other app. If you use Mail but only want notifications from your work inbox, select Mail, leave "Allow notifications" on, then scroll down and uncheck the mailboxes you don't want to hear from.

If you never use a built-in app, you can still turn off its notifications even though you can't delete the app from your Mac. This prevents it from interrupting you without affecting its ability to work in the background.

What happens when you turn off notifications

Turning off notifications does not stop an app from running or receiving updates. It only prevents the app from sending you alerts, sounds, or badges. If you turn off notifications for Mail, your emails will still arrive and sync normally — you just won't be notified when they do.

You can always check an app manually to see if anything new has arrived. The app will continue to work exactly as before, just silently. This is why turning off notifications is safe — you're not breaking anything or losing functionality, you're just choosing not to be interrupted.

If you change your mind later, you can turn notifications back on at any time by returning to System Settings and toggling the app back on. Your previous notification settings for that app will be remembered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications for just one type of alert, like sounds, without turning off all notifications?

Yes. In the Notifications pane, select the app and leave "Allow notifications" on. Then uncheck only "Sounds" or "Badges" depending on what you want to disable. The app will still send you notifications — they just won't make noise or show a red number on the app icon.

Will turning off notifications prevent me from getting important messages or emails?

You will still receive messages and emails normally. You just won't be alerted when they arrive. You can check the app manually whenever you want, and the messages will be there waiting. If you need to stay on top of urgent communications, use a Focus mode instead so you can allow notifications from specific people or apps.

How do I turn off notifications for an app that doesn't appear in the Notifications list?

If an app doesn't appear in the Notifications pane, it doesn't send notifications at all. Some apps simply aren't designed to notify you. You can search for the app name in the System Settings search box to confirm, but if it's not there, the app has no notification settings to change.

Can I schedule a time when notifications turn off automatically?

Yes, using a Focus mode with a schedule. Open System Settings, click Focus, select a Focus mode, and look for "Customize Focus." Scroll down to "Turn on automatically" and set a time range. Your Mac will activate that Focus at the scheduled time and deactivate it when the time ends, turning notifications on and off automatically.

What's the difference between turning off notifications and using Do Not Disturb?

Turning off notifications in System Settings is permanent for that app until you turn them back on. Do Not Disturb is a Focus mode that you can turn on and off quickly — it's meant for temporary use, like when you're in a meeting. You can have Do Not Disturb active for an hour, then turn it off and get notifications again.