Turn off all Facebook notifications at once, or silence only the ones that bother you

Facebook sends notifications through your phone, email, and the website itself. You can turn them all off, turn off specific types (like friend requests or comments), or keep only the ones you want. The fastest way is to go to your phone's settings and block Facebook notifications there — that stops them all without touching Facebook's own settings. If you want more control, Facebook's notification menu lets you pick which types to keep and which to mute.

The steps differ slightly between iPhone, Android, and the website, but the idea is the same: find the notification settings and toggle off what you do not want to see or hear.

Key Takeaways

  • Turning off notifications in your phone's settings stops all Facebook alerts at once, without needing to change anything inside the Facebook app.
  • Facebook's own notification settings let you keep some types of alerts (like messages from close friends) while muting others (like suggested posts).
  • Email notifications are controlled separately from push notifications, so you may need to turn off both if you want Facebook to stop contacting you entirely.
  • Muting a person or a group stops their notifications without unfriending them or leaving the group.

Turn off notifications on iPhone

Open Settings on your iPhone, scroll down and tap Facebook, then tap Notifications. You will see a toggle for Allow Notifications — turn it off. This stops all Facebook alerts from appearing on your lock screen, in your notification center, and in the app itself.

If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, leave Allow Notifications on and scroll down to see the options below it. You can turn off badges (the red number on the app icon), sounds, and banners separately. Tap Notification Style to choose whether notifications appear as banners, alerts, or not at all.

Turn off notifications on Android

Open Settings, tap Apps or process Manager, find and tap Facebook, then tap Notifications. Toggle off Show Notifications. This stops all push notifications from Facebook.

If you want finer control, some Android phones let you tap Advanced or Advanced Settings to choose notification channels — you can silence specific types like Messages or Friend Requests while keeping others. The exact menu names vary by phone brand, but the idea is the same: find Facebook in your app settings and toggle notifications off or choose which channels to mute.

Control notifications inside the Facebook app

Open Facebook, tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the bottom right, scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings. Tap Notifications. You will see a list of notification types: Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, and others.

Tap each type to see your options. For most types, you can choose Push Notifications (alerts on your phone), Email, or both. Toggle off the ones you do not want. If you want to keep messages from close friends but mute everyone else, tap Messages, then tap Preferences, and choose Close Friends Only.

Some notification types have a Mute option instead of an on-off toggle — this means Facebook will still send them, but you will not see a badge or hear a sound. If you see Mute, tap it to silence that type without turning it off completely.

Turn off email notifications from Facebook

Email notifications are separate from push notifications on your phone. Even if you turn off all phone alerts, Facebook can still email you. Open Facebook, go to Settings and Privacy, tap Settings, then tap Notifications. Scroll down to Email and tap it.

You will see a list of email notification types: Reminders, Recommendations, Updates from Apps and Websites, and others. Tap each one and choose No Email, or toggle off the ones you want to stop. If you want to stop all Facebook emails at once, look for an Unsubscribe from All Emails option at the bottom — tap it and confirm.

Mute notifications from specific people or groups

If you want to keep Facebook notifications but silence one person, go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right, and tap Mute. Choose whether to mute their posts, stories, or both, and for how long. You will not see notifications from them, but you remain friends and they cannot tell you muted them.

To mute a group, open the group, tap the three dots, and tap Mute Group. Choose whether to mute all posts, notifications, or both. You stay in the group but will not see alerts from it.

What happens when you turn off notifications

When you turn off notifications, Facebook stops sending you alerts, but the activity still happens. If someone comments on your post, the comment appears on Facebook — you just will not get a notification about it. If you turn off notifications in your phone's settings, you will not see them anywhere, including inside the Facebook app. If you turn them off only inside Facebook, you might still get email notifications.

You can turn notifications back on at any time by reversing the same steps. There is no waiting period or penalty for turning them off and on again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know I turned off notifications?

No. Turning off notifications only affects what you see and hear — it does not change what you post, like, or comment on, and it does not tell anyone you have muted them. The only exception is if you mute someone's posts; they cannot see that you muted them, but if they check your activity they might notice you stopped liking their posts.

Can I turn off notifications for just one type of alert?

Yes. Inside the Facebook app, go to Settings and Privacy, tap Settings, then Notifications. You can toggle off individual types like Friend Requests, Suggested Posts, or Likes while keeping others on. You can also mute specific people or groups without muting everyone.

Why am I still getting Facebook emails if I turned off notifications?

Push notifications and email notifications are controlled separately. Turning off notifications in your phone's settings stops push alerts but not emails. Go to Facebook Settings, tap Notifications, scroll to Email, and toggle off the types you do not want, or tap Unsubscribe from All Emails.

Do I need to turn off notifications in both my phone settings and the Facebook app?

No. Turning them off in your phone's settings stops all Facebook notifications everywhere. If you want more control — like keeping messages but muting friend requests — turn them off only inside the Facebook app instead. You do not need to do both.

Can I turn off notifications temporarily and turn them back on later?

Yes. You can turn notifications off and back on whenever you want. There is no time limit or penalty. Some people turn them off during work or before bed and turn them back on later.