Clear your notification badge and history

Facebook shows a red number badge on the app icon and a bell icon in the top menu when you have unread notifications. To clear these, open Facebook and tap or click the bell icon in the top navigation. A dropdown menu appears showing your recent notifications — read through them or ignore them entirely. The badge disappears once you have opened the notification center, even if you do not read individual items.

If you want to delete specific notifications from your history, hover over or long-press each one. A small X or trash icon appears on the right side. Click or tap it to remove that notification from your list. This does not affect future notifications of the same type — it only removes the one you selected from view.

On mobile, you can also swipe left on a notification to reveal a delete button. On desktop, the delete option appears when you move your mouse over the notification. Neither action stops Facebook from sending you similar notifications later.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the bell icon in Facebook's top menu to see all notifications and clear the red badge from your app.
  • Delete individual notifications by clicking the X or trash icon next to each one, though this does not prevent future notifications.
  • Turn off entire categories of notifications — like comments, likes, or friend requests — in your notification settings.
  • Mute notifications from specific people or groups so you see their activity only when you visit their page.
  • Adjust how Facebook sends notifications to you: in-app only, email only, or both, depending on what distracts you most.

Turn off notification categories in settings

To stop receiving certain types of notifications altogether, go to your notification settings. On mobile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Scroll to Notifications and tap it. On desktop, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings, and find Notifications in the left sidebar.

Once in Notifications, you will see categories like Likes and Reactions, Comments, Friend Requests, Messages, Group Activity, and Events. Tap or click each category to see your options. For most categories, you can choose Off to stop notifications entirely, or select a specific delivery method like In-App Only (notifications appear only when you open Facebook) or Email Only (you receive an email instead of an in-app alert).

Some categories have more detailed options. For example, under Comments, you can choose to be notified only when someone replies to your own comments, not when others comment on the same post. These granular controls let you keep notifications you find useful while silencing the ones that interrupt you.

Mute notifications from specific people and groups

If one person or group sends you too many notifications, you can mute them without unfriending or leaving. On mobile, go to that person's profile or group page, tap the three dots in the top right, and select Mute. A menu appears asking what you want to mute: Posts, Stories, or Notifications. Choose Notifications to stop alerts from that person or group while still seeing their activity when you visit their page or profile.

On desktop, click the three dots on a person's profile or group page and select Mute [Name] or Mute Group. You will see the same options to mute posts, stories, or notifications. Muting is temporary — you can unmute the same person or group at any time by returning to their profile and selecting Unmute.

This approach is useful when a friend posts frequently or a group is very active, but you do not want to lose the connection entirely. The person or group will not know you have muted them.

Choose how Facebook delivers notifications to you

Facebook can send notifications in three ways: as alerts within the app, as emails to your inbox, or both. Your delivery preference applies to all notification types unless you override it in individual category settings. On mobile, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Notifications and look for Where You Receive Notifications. On desktop, the same path leads to a section showing your delivery options.

If in-app notifications distract you while you are using Facebook, switch to Email Only. You will still receive alerts, but they arrive in your email inbox instead of popping up on your screen. If you receive too many emails, switch to In-App Only so notifications appear only when you open the app. Some people choose Both to may support they see important alerts, then turn off specific categories they do not care about.

Email notifications can also be customized. When you receive a Facebook notification email, look for an Unsubscribe link at the bottom. Clicking it stops that specific type of email without affecting in-app notifications or other email categories.

Disable notifications for specific apps and websites

Facebook also sends notifications when you use Facebook Login to sign into other apps and websites, or when apps you have connected to Facebook take actions on your behalf. To control these, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Apps and Websites on mobile, or the same path on desktop. Look for Active Apps and Websites to see which apps have permission to send you notifications.

Tap or click an app to see its notification settings. You can usually toggle notifications off for that app alone, or remove the app's access to your Facebook account entirely by selecting Remove. Removing an app means you will need to reconnect it if you want to use it again, but it stops all notifications from that source when ready.

Stop browser notifications on desktop

If you use Facebook in a web browser on your computer, your browser itself may be sending notifications even when you are not on the Facebook website. These appear as small pop-ups in the corner of your screen. To turn them off, go to your browser settings. In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, select Settings, then Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Notifications. Find facebook.com in the list and click it, then change the setting from Allow to Block.

In Firefox, click the menu button (three horizontal lines), select Settings, go to Privacy & Security, scroll to Permissions, and find Notifications. Click Settings next to it, find facebook.com, and change it to Block. In Safari on Mac, go to Safari > Settings, click Websites, select Notifications from the left sidebar, find Facebook, and change the setting to Deny.

Blocking browser notifications does not affect in-app or email notifications — it only stops the pop-ups that appear while you are using your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know if I turn off notifications from them?

No. Muting notifications from a person or group is private — they cannot see that you have done it. They will still be able to message you, comment on your posts, and see your activity normally. You straightforward will not receive alerts when they do these things.

Can I turn notifications back on after turning them off?

Yes. Any notification setting you change can be reversed by going back to the same menu and selecting a different option. If you mute someone, you can unmute them from their profile. If you turn off a notification category, you can turn it back on in Settings > Notifications.

What is the difference between muting and unfriending?

Muting stops notifications and hides posts from your feed, but you remain friends and can still message each other. Unfriending removes the friendship entirely — they cannot see your posts or message you unless you are mutual friends with someone else. Muting is temporary and reversible; unfriending is more permanent.

Why do I still get notifications after turning them off?

Check that you turned off the right category. Some notifications come from multiple sources — for example, you might receive alerts for both friend requests and messages. Also verify that you changed the setting for all devices. If you use Facebook on both your phone and computer, you may need to adjust settings on each one separately.

Can I turn off notifications just during certain hours?

Facebook does not have a built-in quiet hours or do-not-disturb feature for notifications. Your best option is to switch to Email Only delivery and then mute email notifications in your email client during times you do not want to be interrupted. Some phones have system-wide do-not-disturb settings that silence all app notifications during specific hours.