Delete notifications you've already received, or stop new ones from arriving
Facebook notifications pile up fast — friend requests, comments, messages, event reminders. You can clear the ones already sitting in your notification center, or you can stop Facebook from sending new ones altogether. The steps differ depending on whether you use Facebook on your phone, computer, or both.
The quickest fix is to clear your notification history: tap or click the bell icon, then remove individual notifications or clear them all at once. If you want to stop notifications from arriving in the first place, you'll adjust your notification settings so Facebook stops sending them for specific activities — or stops sending them entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Clearing notifications from your notification center removes them from your view but doesn't stop Facebook from sending new ones.
- To stop notifications permanently, go to your notification settings and turn off the types of alerts you don't want — friend requests, comments, messages, or all notifications.
- Phone notifications and browser notifications are controlled separately, so you may need to adjust settings in two places.
- On iPhone, you can also manage Facebook notifications through your phone's Settings app under Notifications.
- Muting a person or group stops their notifications without unfriending or leaving the group.
Clear notifications from your phone's notification center
When you receive a Facebook notification on your phone, it appears in your notification center — the place where all your app alerts collect. Clearing it from there removes it from your view, but Facebook can still send you more.
On an iPhone, swipe left on the Facebook notification and tap the trash icon. On Android, press and hold the notification, then tap "Remove" or the trash icon. You can also open your notification center, find all Facebook notifications, and swipe or delete them in bulk.
If you want to stop seeing notifications in your notification center entirely, you'll need to change your phone's settings, not Facebook's app. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and turn off "Allow Notifications". On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and toggle off "Show Notifications".
Turn off notifications in the Facebook app
The Facebook app itself has a notification center — the bell icon at the bottom of the screen. Tapping it shows all your recent alerts: friend requests, comments, likes, messages, and event invitations. You can delete individual notifications by swiping left on them (iPhone) or pressing and holding them (Android), then tapping delete.
To stop Facebook from sending specific types of notifications, open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines). Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Notifications. You'll see a list of notification types: Comments, Friend Requests, Messages, Events, and others. Tap each one and choose "Off" to stop receiving that type of alert.
If you want to turn off all notifications at once, look for an option like "Notification Sounds" or "Vibration" and toggle it off. This silences the sound and vibration but may not stop the notifications from appearing in your notification center — you may need to adjust your phone's settings as well.
Manage notifications on your computer or web browser
On a computer, click the bell icon in the top right corner of Facebook to see your recent notifications. Hover over any notification and an X will appear — click it to delete that single alert. To clear all notifications at once, look for a "Clear All" option at the bottom of the notification menu.
To stop notifications from arriving, click the downward arrow next to your name in the top right, then select Settings and Privacy > Settings. On the left side, click Notifications. You'll see options for different notification types: Comments, Friend Requests, Messages, Events, and more. Click each one and choose "Off" or "Don't Notify" to stop receiving those alerts.
If you use Facebook in your web browser, your browser may also send you notifications even when you're not on the Facebook website. To turn these off, click the lock icon next to the web address in your browser's address bar, find "Notifications", and change it to "Block" or "Don't Allow".
Mute notifications from specific people or groups
You don't have to turn off all notifications to reduce clutter. If one person or group sends you too many alerts, you can mute just them. Go to that person's profile or group page, click the three dots menu, and select "Mute". You can choose to mute notifications, posts, or both for a set time — usually 30 days, 3 months, or indefinitely.
Muting is different from unfriending or leaving a group. The person or group can still see your posts and message you, but you won't see their notifications or posts in your feed. You can unmute them at any time by going back to their profile or group and clicking "Unmute".
Stop message notifications separately
Facebook Messages (also called Messenger) sends its own notifications, separate from your main Facebook notifications. If you want to turn off message alerts but keep other Facebook notifications, you'll need to adjust Messenger settings separately.
Open the Messenger app and tap your profile icon in the top left. Go to Notifications and Sounds, then toggle off "Show Notifications" or "Message Notifications". On a computer, open Messenger, click your profile icon, select Settings, then Notifications, and turn off the types of message alerts you don't want.
You can also mute individual conversations in Messenger. Open a conversation, tap the person's name at the top, scroll down to "Mute Notifications", and choose how long to mute it for.
What to do if notifications keep coming back
Sometimes after you turn off notifications, Facebook turns them back on during an app update or when you change your phone's settings. Check your notification settings every few weeks to make sure they're still off.
If notifications keep reappearing, try logging out of Facebook completely and logging back in. On your phone, you can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the Facebook app — this clears out old settings that might be causing the problem. On a computer, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then log back into Facebook.
If you're getting notifications from a specific type of activity — like every time someone comments on a post you liked — go back to your notification settings and look for that specific option. Facebook adds new notification types regularly, so there may be a setting you missed the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off notifications for just one type of activity, like comments?
Yes. In your notification settings, you'll see a list of different alert types: Comments, Likes, Friend Requests, Messages, Events, and others. You can turn off any single type while keeping the rest on. This way you might still get notified about messages but not about every comment on your posts.
If I turn off notifications, will people know I'm not getting their alerts?
No. Turning off notifications only affects what you see on your phone or computer. It doesn't change anything about your account or how you appear to other people. They won't know whether you're receiving notifications or not.
What's the difference between muting and unfriending someone?
Muting stops you from seeing their notifications and posts in your feed, but you stay friends and they can still message you. Unfriending removes them from your friends list entirely. Muting is temporary and reversible; unfriending is more permanent and they may notice.
Why do I still get notifications after turning them off?
Your phone's settings and Facebook's settings work together. You may have turned off notifications in the Facebook app but left them on in your phone's Settings app, or vice versa. Check both places. Also, Messenger notifications are controlled separately from main Facebook notifications.
Can I turn off notifications just during certain hours?
Facebook doesn't have a built-in "quiet hours" feature, but your phone does. On iPhone, use Focus modes to silence notifications during specific times. On Android, use Do Not Disturb. These will silence all notifications from all apps during the hours you set, including Facebook.