Turn off all Snapchat notifications in your phone's settings
The fastest way to stop Snapchat notifications is to disable them at the phone level, not inside the app. On both iPhone and Android, your phone's notification settings override what Snapchat itself is set to do. Go to your phone's Settings app, find Snapchat in the list of installed apps, and toggle off the notification permission entirely. This stops every type of Snapchat alert — messages, stories, friend requests, everything.
If you want to keep some notifications but block others, this method is too blunt. But if Snapchat notifications are interrupting you constantly and you check the app on your own schedule anyway, this is the simplest solution. You can turn them back on the same way whenever you want.
Key Takeaways
- Disabling notifications in your phone's Settings app stops all Snapchat alerts at once, which is faster than changing settings inside Snapchat itself.
- If you want to keep some notifications but block others, use Snapchat's own notification menu to choose which types of alerts you receive.
- On iPhone, you can allow notifications but turn off sounds and badges separately, so you see alerts only when you open the app.
- Android lets you create a notification schedule so Snapchat can alert you during certain hours but stay silent at other times.
- Muting individual friends or group chats stops notifications from those conversations without affecting notifications from everyone else.
Choose which types of Snapchat notifications to receive
Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. Here you see toggles for Messages, Stories, Spotlight, Friend Activity, and other alert types. Turn off the ones you do not want to see. For example, you might want message notifications but not Story notifications, or vice versa.
This approach takes more time than blocking notifications at the phone level, but it gives you control over what reaches you. You can also adjust notification settings for specific friends by opening a chat with them, tapping their name at the top, and toggling notifications for that conversation off.
Turn off notification sounds and badges on iPhone
If you want to see that someone messaged you but do not want your phone buzzing or making noise, iPhone lets you separate sounds from visual alerts. Go to your phone's Settings, find Notifications, then Snapchat. Toggle on Allow Notifications so you still get alerts, but toggle off Sounds and Badges. You will see a small red dot on the Snapchat icon when someone messages you, but your phone will stay silent.
You can also choose to allow notifications only when you unlock your phone (Lock Screen setting) or only in the Notification Center that you pull down from the top. This way, Snapchat can send alerts, but they will not interrupt you with sound or vibration.
Set notification quiet hours on Android
Android phones have a Do Not Disturb feature that silences notifications during times you choose. Open your phone's Settings, go to Sound and Vibration (or similar, depending on your phone model), and find Do Not Disturb or Quiet Hours. Set the times when you want notifications blocked — for example, 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. During those hours, Snapchat will not alert you, but messages will still arrive and you can read them when you open the app.
You can also allow certain contacts to bypass Do Not Disturb if you want close friends or family to reach you even during quiet hours. This keeps Snapchat silent without turning off notifications entirely.
Mute notifications from specific friends or group chats
If one friend or group chat is sending too many notifications, you do not have to block all Snapchat alerts. Open the chat, tap the friend's name or group name at the top, and look for a Mute option. You can mute notifications for that chat for a set time — usually 1 hour, 8 hours, 24 hours, or until you unmute it manually. The messages still arrive and you can read them, but you will not get pinged.
This is useful when a group chat is active but you need to focus on something else. You can unmute the same way whenever you want to start receiving notifications again.
Stop notifications from Snapchat Stories and Spotlight
Snapchat sends notifications when friends post Stories or when content appears in Spotlight (Snapchat's algorithm-driven feed). If these notifications clutter your phone, turn them off separately. In Snapchat Settings under Notifications, toggle off Stories and Spotlight. You can still watch Stories and Spotlight whenever you open the app — you just will not be alerted when new content arrives.
Some people keep message notifications on but turn off Story and Spotlight notifications, since messages are usually time-sensitive but Stories can wait. Adjust these based on what matters to you.
Manage notifications when you reinstall Snapchat
When you uninstall and reinstall Snapchat, your phone will ask for permission to send notifications again. If you do not want notifications, tap Deny or Do Not Allow when the prompt appears. If you tap Allow by mistake, go back to your phone's Settings and disable Snapchat notifications there. The app will not ask again unless you uninstall it.
This also applies if you switch to a new phone. During setup, you control which apps can send notifications. You can always change your mind later in Settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will people know I turned off notifications?
No. Turning off notifications only affects what your phone shows you. Friends cannot see whether you have notifications on or off, and messages will still arrive in your chat. You will just see them when you open Snapchat instead of being alerted.
Can I turn off notifications for one friend but keep them for others?
Yes. Open a chat with that friend, tap their name at the top, and toggle notifications off for that conversation. Everyone else's messages will still alert you normally. You can also mute the chat for a set time instead of turning notifications off permanently.
What happens to messages if I have notifications off?
Messages arrive normally and stay in your chat. You just will not be alerted when they come in. When you open Snapchat, you will see them waiting for you. Nothing is deleted or hidden.
Can I turn off notifications only at night?
Yes. On Android, use Do Not Disturb to silence notifications during specific hours. On iPhone, you can use Focus modes to silence Snapchat during certain times. Both let Snapchat send messages, but your phone stays quiet during the hours you choose.
If I turn off notifications, will I miss important messages?
You will not miss messages — they will be waiting in your chat when you open the app. If you are worried about missing urgent contact from specific people, mute notifications from everyone else but keep notifications on for close friends or family.