Delete a single notification from your notification center

Open Facebook and look for the bell icon in the top left corner of the page (on mobile, it's at the bottom of the screen). Tap or click the bell to open your notification list. Find the notification you want to remove, hover your cursor over it, and a small X will appear on the right side. Click the X to delete that one notification.

The notification disappears when ready, but this only removes it from your list — it does not change any settings about what Facebook sends you in the future. If you keep getting the same type of notification, you may want to adjust your notification settings instead of deleting them one at a time.

Key Takeaways

  • Single notifications can be deleted by clicking the X that appears when you hover over them in your notification center.
  • Deleting a notification does not stop Facebook from sending you similar ones — you need to change your settings to do that.
  • You can turn off notifications by type (comments, friend requests, messages) in your settings menu under Notifications.
  • On mobile, swipe left on a notification to reveal a delete button without opening your full settings.
  • Muting a person or page stops their notifications without unfriending or unfollowing them.

Turn off entire categories of notifications in settings

If you are tired of a specific type of notification — say, every time someone comments on a post you liked three weeks ago — you can disable that category entirely. On desktop, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, then select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On mobile, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu), scroll down, and tap Settings and Privacy.

Look for the Notifications section in the left sidebar (desktop) or scroll until you find it (mobile). You will see a list of notification types: Comments, Likes, Friend Requests, Messages, Events, and others. Click or tap each one to see your options. You can choose to receive notifications always, sometimes, or never. Select Never to stop that type entirely.

Facebook remembers these choices, so you only have to set them once. If you change your mind later, you can come back to this same menu and turn them back on.

Mute notifications from a specific person or page

Sometimes you do not want to delete a notification — you want to stop hearing from one particular person or page. Find a notification from that person or page, hover over it, and click the three dots that appear. Select Mute [Person's Name] or Mute [Page Name]. You will no longer receive notifications from them, but you remain friends or followers.

Muting is temporary and reversible. You can unmute someone by going to their profile, clicking the three dots next to their name, and selecting Unmute. This is useful when someone is posting a lot but you do not want to unfriend them or unfollow their page.

Clear all notifications at once

If your notification list is long and you want to start fresh, you can clear them all without changing any settings. Open your notification center by clicking the bell icon. At the top of the notification list, you will see a small settings icon (it looks like a gear or three dots). Click it and select Mark all as read or Clear all notifications, depending on what your version of Facebook offers.

This removes all the notifications from your list but does not turn off future notifications. Facebook will continue sending you new ones based on your current settings. This is a quick way to reset your notification center without digging into the settings menu.

Stop notifications on your phone without changing desktop settings

If you want to keep notifications on your computer but silence them on your phone, you do not have to change your Facebook settings. Instead, adjust your phone's notification permissions. On iPhone, go to Settings, find Facebook in your apps list, tap Notifications, and toggle Allow Notifications off. On Android, go to Settings, Apps, Facebook, Notifications, and turn off Allow Notifications.

This stops all Facebook notifications on that device only. You will still receive them on your computer or other devices. If you want to keep some notifications (like messages from close friends) but silence others (like page updates), you will need to use Facebook's notification settings instead of your phone's system settings.

Understand notification badges and red dots

The small red circle with a number on the Facebook icon itself is a notification badge. It shows how many unread notifications you have. Clearing notifications from your notification center will remove the badge, but it does not stop Facebook from sending you new ones. Some people find the badge itself distracting and want to know how to hide it.

Unfortunately, Facebook does not offer a built-in way to hide the badge while keeping notifications on. Your options are to either delete notifications regularly to keep the badge count low, or turn off the notification type entirely in your settings. If the badge bothers you but you want to stay informed, deleting notifications as you read them is the middle ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting a notification stop Facebook from sending me more like it?

No. Deleting a notification only removes it from your list. Facebook will continue sending you that type of notification based on your settings. To stop them, you need to go to Settings and Privacy, then Notifications, and turn off that category.

Can I delete notifications from just one person without unfriending them?

Yes. Find a notification from that person, click the three dots, and select Mute. You stay friends, but you will not see their notifications. You can unmute them anytime by visiting their profile and selecting Unmute.

What is the difference between muting and unfollowing?

Muting stops notifications but you remain friends or followers and can still see their posts if you visit their profile. Unfollowing removes their posts from your feed but you stay friends. Both let you stay connected without hearing from them constantly.

If I turn off notifications for comments, will I still see comments on my posts?

Yes. Turning off comment notifications means Facebook will not send you alerts when someone comments. You can still see the comments on your post if you visit it, but you will not get a notification about them.

Why do I still get notifications after I turned them off in settings?

Check your phone's system settings. If your phone's notification permission for Facebook is turned on, notifications will come through even if you turned them off in Facebook's settings. Go to your phone's Settings app, find Facebook, and check Notifications.