Where to find Outlook notification settings

Outlook stores notification controls in two places depending on which version you use. On Windows and Mac, open Outlook and go to File > Options (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (Mac). On the web at outlook.com or outlook.office.com, click the gear icon in the top right, then View all Outlook settings > Mail > Notifications.

The settings you find will control what pops up on your screen, what sounds play, and what appears in your system tray. Each version of Outlook — desktop, web, and mobile — has its own notification panel, so you may need to adjust settings in multiple places if you use Outlook on different devices.

Key Takeaways

  • Desktop Outlook notifications are found under File > Options (Windows) or Outlook > Preferences (Mac) in the Mail section.
  • Web Outlook notifications are controlled through the gear icon > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Notifications.
  • You can turn off all notifications at once or silence specific types — new mail alerts, meeting reminders, and task reminders have separate toggles.
  • Mobile Outlook notifications are managed through your phone's system settings, not within the Outlook app itself.
  • Desktop Outlook also lets you mute notifications during specific hours using the Focus Assist feature on Windows.

Turning off notifications in desktop Outlook

In Windows Outlook, go to File > Options > Mail > Notifications. You will see checkboxes for Display a Desktop Alert, Play a Sound, and Make the Envelope Icon Flash. Uncheck any or all of these to stop those specific notification types. If you want to silence only new mail alerts but keep meeting reminders, uncheck only the boxes next to "New Item Alert".

On Mac, the path is Outlook > Preferences > Notifications. Mac Outlook uses a simpler interface — you can turn notifications on or off for new mail, meeting reminders, and task reminders as a group. There is no option to silence the sound while keeping the visual alert, so you choose all or nothing for each notification type.

If you want notifications off during work hours but back on after hours, Windows users can set this through File > Options > Mail > Notifications and look for the Display notifications from time range. This lets you set a window when notifications are muted — for example, 9 AM to 5 PM — without turning them off completely.

Turning off notifications in Outlook on the web

Log into outlook.com or outlook.office.com, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select View all Outlook settings. In the left sidebar, go to Mail > Notifications. You will see toggles for Desktop notifications, Sound notifications, and Show notification badges. Turn off whichever you do not want.

Web Outlook also has a Focused Inbox setting under Mail > Focused Inbox that can reduce the number of notifications you receive by filtering less important messages into a separate tab. This does not turn off notifications entirely but can cut down on alerts from newsletters and low-priority senders.

Turning off notifications on mobile Outlook

Outlook on iPhone and Android does not have its own notification settings panel. Instead, notifications are controlled through your phone's system settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Outlook and toggle Allow Notifications off. On Android, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Outlook > Notifications and toggle off.

If you want to keep notifications on but silence the sound and vibration, both iPhone and Android let you turn those off separately within the same settings panel. You can also set a Do Not Disturb schedule on your phone to mute all notifications during certain hours, which will affect Outlook along with every other app.

Silencing notifications for specific senders or folders

If you want to turn off notifications from certain people or mailing lists but keep them for others, desktop Outlook lets you create rules. Go to File > Options > Mail > Rules & Alerts > New Rule. Set the rule to match emails from a specific sender, then choose the action Do not display a Desktop Alert. This silences notifications for that sender without affecting your other mail.

On the web, you can mute a conversation by opening it and clicking the three dots > Mute. This stops notifications for that thread but does not affect future emails from that sender. To silence an entire folder — like a newsletter subscription folder — there is no built-in option, but you can use rules the same way as desktop Outlook.

Using Focus Assist to schedule notification quiet hours

Windows 10 and 11 have a system-wide feature called Focus Assist that mutes all notifications, including Outlook, during set times. Go to Settings > System > Focus Assist and choose Scheduled. Set the start and end times — for example, 9 AM to 5 PM — and Focus Assist will automatically silence notifications during those hours.

You can also set Focus Assist to turn on automatically when you open certain apps. If you want notifications off whenever you are using a specific program, go to Focus Assist > Automatic Rules and add that app. This is useful if you use Outlook alongside other work software and want a blanket quiet period across all of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications for new mail but keep meeting reminders?

Yes, in desktop Outlook. Go to File > Options > Mail > Notifications and uncheck the box next to "New Item Alert" while leaving "Meeting Reminders" checked. On Mac and web Outlook, notification types are grouped together, so you cannot silence one without silencing the others.

Will turning off notifications affect my calendar or task reminders?

No. Calendar reminders and task reminders have separate toggles from new mail notifications in most versions of Outlook. You can turn off email alerts while keeping calendar and task reminders active, or vice versa. Check your notification settings to see which types are currently on.

Do I need to turn off notifications on every device separately?

Yes. Outlook does not sync notification settings across devices. If you use Outlook on your desktop, phone, and the web, you will need to adjust settings in each place. A change you make on your computer will not affect notifications on your phone.

What happens to notifications I miss while they are turned off?

Turning off notifications does not delete or hide your emails. When you turn notifications back on, you will see all the messages that arrived while they were off. The emails remain in your inbox the entire time — you just will not be alerted about them.

Can I turn off notifications just during meetings or calls?

Windows users can use Focus Assist to mute notifications during set times, but there is no automatic trigger based on calendar events. On Mac and the web, you would need to manually turn notifications off before a meeting and back on after. Some third-party calendar apps can trigger Focus Assist automatically, but Outlook itself does not have this feature built in.