Push notifications on Facebook are messages that appear on your device outside the Facebook app or website
A push notification is a short message that Facebook sends directly to your device — your phone, tablet, or computer — even when you are not using Facebook. The notification pops up on your screen, in your notification center, or as a badge on the Facebook app icon. You do not have to open Facebook to see it.
Facebook sends push notifications for things like new friend requests, comments on your posts, messages from people you know, tags in photos, and activity in groups you belong to. The notification itself is brief — usually just the person's name and what happened — and tapping it takes you into Facebook to see the full story.
Push notifications are different from email notifications or in-app notifications. Email goes to your inbox. In-app notifications only show up when you are already using Facebook. Push notifications reach you on your lock screen or notification panel, which is why they are often the fastest way Facebook gets your attention.
Key Takeaways
- Push notifications appear on your device screen or notification center outside of Facebook, even when the app is closed.
- Facebook sends push notifications for friend requests, comments, messages, tags, and group activity — the types depend on your settings.
- You can turn push notifications on or off entirely, or customize which types of activity trigger them.
- Turning off push notifications does not delete your messages or hide activity — it only stops the pop-up alerts.
- Push notifications work on phones, tablets, and computers, but the exact steps to manage them vary by device type.
Where push notifications appear on your device
On an iPhone or iPad, push notifications show up on your lock screen, in the notification center (swipe down from the top), and as a red badge with a number on the Facebook app icon. On Android phones, they appear in the notification shade (swipe down from the top) and as a badge on the app icon. On a computer, push notifications appear as a small box in the corner of your screen, usually the bottom right on Windows or top right on Mac.
You can tap or click a push notification to jump straight into Facebook at the exact post, message, or request it is about. If you ignore it, the notification stays in your notification center until you clear it or until Facebook removes it after a few days.
What types of activity trigger push notifications
Facebook can send push notifications for a wide range of activities. The most common are new messages from friends, friend requests, comments on your posts, replies to your comments, tags in photos or posts, activity in groups you are a member of, birthdays of people in your contacts, and notifications when someone you follow posts something new.
Facebook also sends push notifications for things like event reminders, marketplace activity if you buy or sell items, and notifications about your own posts — for example, when a post you made gets a lot of engagement. The exact types of notifications you receive depend on what you have turned on in your settings.
How push notifications differ from other Facebook alerts
Facebook has three main ways to alert you: push notifications, email notifications, and in-app notifications. Push notifications are the most intrusive because they reach you on your device screen. Email notifications go to your email inbox and are usually a summary of activity, often sent hours or days later. In-app notifications only appear when you are actively using Facebook — they show as a small red dot or number on the bell icon at the top of the screen.
You can manage each type separately. You might turn off push notifications to reduce interruptions but keep email notifications so you get a daily summary. Or you might turn off both and rely only on in-app notifications when you choose to open Facebook yourself.
Why Facebook sends push notifications
Push notifications bring you back into Facebook. When you get a notification that someone commented on your post or sent you a message, you are more likely to open the app and spend time there. This keeps you engaged with the platform and gives Facebook more opportunities to show you ads.
From a practical standpoint, push notifications also serve a real purpose: they let you know about messages and interactions without having to check Facebook constantly. If someone sends you an urgent message, a push notification gets it to you faster than checking your inbox manually. The trade-off is that more notifications can feel like interruptions.
The difference between turning off notifications and muting someone
Turning off push notifications for a specific person or group is different from muting them. When you mute someone, you still receive notifications about their activity, but they do not appear in your feed — you only see their posts if you visit their profile directly. When you turn off notifications for someone, you still see their posts in your feed, but you do not get alerted when they comment or message you.
You can also snooze notifications from a person or group for a set amount of time — 15 minutes, 1 hour, 8 hours, or 1 day — which temporarily stops notifications without permanently changing your settings. After the snooze period ends, notifications resume.
What happens when you turn off push notifications
Turning off push notifications does not delete your messages, hide your activity, or change what Facebook knows about you. It only stops the pop-up alerts from reaching your device. You can still see all your messages, comments, and activity inside Facebook — you just will not be notified about them unless you open the app and check manually.
If you turn off push notifications entirely, Facebook will not send any alerts to your device. If you customize which types of notifications you receive, Facebook will only send alerts for the activities you have turned on. Either way, nothing is lost or hidden — you are just controlling when and how Facebook gets your attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off push notifications for one person but keep them for everyone else?
Yes. On both iPhone and Android, you can open a conversation with that person, tap their name at the top, and turn off notifications for just that chat. On Facebook's website, you can do the same by opening the message thread and adjusting notification settings. You can also mute someone's posts from their profile without affecting message notifications.
Do push notifications use data or battery?
Push notifications use very little data — usually just a few kilobytes per notification. They do use a small amount of battery because your device has to wake up to display them, but the impact is minimal. If you are concerned about battery life, turning off push notifications will help slightly, but other settings like screen brightness and location services have a much bigger effect.
Why am I getting push notifications when I turned them off?
Check your device settings, not just Facebook settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and make sure notifications are turned on at the device level. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications. You may have turned off notifications in Facebook but left them on in your device settings, or vice versa. Both need to be on for notifications to appear.
Can I get push notifications on my computer?
Yes, if you use Facebook in a web browser on Windows or Mac. Your browser must have permission to send notifications, and you must have turned on notifications in Facebook settings. On Windows, notifications appear in the bottom right corner. On Mac, they appear in the top right. You can manage these separately from your phone notifications.
What is the difference between a badge and a push notification?
A badge is the small red circle with a number on the Facebook app icon — it shows you have unread messages or notifications without sending an alert. A push notification is the actual alert that pops up on your screen. You can turn off push notifications but keep badges on, so you see there is activity without being interrupted by alerts.