Facebook sends notification emails by default — here's how to turn them off
Facebook automatically emails you about likes, comments, friend requests, and activity in groups you belong to. These emails arrive separately from the notifications you see on Facebook itself. You can turn off any or all of these emails without affecting the notifications that appear when you log in to Facebook.
The settings live in one place: your Facebook email notification preferences. You can reach them from your account settings or by clicking a link at the bottom of any notification email Facebook sends you. Most people find it faster to go through settings, since you can control multiple notification types at once instead of one email at a time.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook email notifications are separate from in-app notifications and can be turned off without affecting what you see when you log in.
- You can disable all Facebook emails at once or turn off only specific types, like group digests or tag notifications.
- The fastest route is Facebook Settings > Notifications > Email, where you can see every notification type and toggle each one.
- If you only want to stop one type of email, scroll to the bottom of that email and click the unsubscribe link instead of going to settings.
Turn off all Facebook email notifications at once
If you want to stop receiving any emails from Facebook about notifications, you can disable them all in one step. Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of your screen (on mobile, this is the three horizontal lines). Select Settings and privacy, then Settings.
On the left side of the screen, click Notifications. You will see a list of notification types — scroll down until you find Email. Click on Email to open your email notification settings. At the top of this section, you will see a toggle or dropdown that says something like "All notifications" or "Email notifications." Click it and select Off or None. Facebook will stop sending you notification emails when ready.
On mobile, the path is the same: tap the three lines, go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Notifications > Email, then turn off the master toggle at the top. The screen may look slightly different depending on whether you use iPhone or Android, but the option to disable all email notifications is in the same place on both.
Turn off specific types of Facebook emails instead
You might want to keep some notification emails — for example, messages from friends — but stop others, like digests from groups you follow. Facebook lets you control each notification type separately. Go to Settings > Notifications > Email, just as you would to turn off all emails.
Instead of using the master toggle at the top, scroll down and look for the individual notification types. You will see options like "Messages," "Friend requests," "Comments on your posts," "Group digests," "Event invitations," and others. Each one has its own toggle. Click the toggle next to any notification type you want to stop receiving. You can turn off five and leave three on, or any other combination.
This approach takes a bit longer than disabling everything at once, but it is useful if you want to stay in the loop about certain things — like when someone messages you — without getting emails about every like or comment.
Unsubscribe from a single email using the link at the bottom
If you have already received a Facebook notification email and want to stop that specific type, you do not have to go to settings. Scroll to the very bottom of the email. You will see a line that says something like "Unsubscribe from these emails" or "Manage your notifications." Click that link.
Facebook will open a page showing you that notification type and a toggle to turn it off. Click the toggle, and Facebook will stop sending you emails of that kind. This method works if you only want to disable one or two notification types and do not want to navigate the full settings menu. It is also the fastest way if you are reading the email on your phone and do not want to switch to the Facebook app or website.
What happens after you turn off email notifications
Turning off Facebook email notifications does not turn off notifications inside Facebook itself. You will still see notifications when you log in — the red number badge on the Facebook app, the notification bell at the top of the website, and notifications in your browser. Only the emails stop.
If you later decide you want email notifications again, you can turn them back on the same way you turned them off. Go to Settings > Notifications > Email and toggle the notification types back on. There is no waiting period or approval process — the change takes effect right away.
Reduce email without turning notifications completely off
Facebook also offers a middle ground: you can keep email notifications but receive them less often. In your Email notification settings, look for an option that says "Digest" or "Frequency." Some notification types let you choose between getting an email every time something happens, getting a daily digest, or getting a weekly summary. Choose the frequency that works for you.
For example, you might turn off when ready emails about every comment but keep a weekly digest of group activity. This way you stay informed without your inbox filling up with individual emails throughout the day. The exact options depend on the notification type — messages might only offer on or off, while group digests might offer daily, weekly, or off.
Check your email filter if you still see Facebook emails
After you turn off email notifications, Facebook should stop sending them within a few minutes. If you continue to receive Facebook emails, check whether your email provider is filtering them. Open your email inbox and search for recent emails from Facebook. If they are in your spam or promotions folder instead of your main inbox, your email provider may be sorting them automatically.
You can move these emails to your main inbox or mark them as "not spam" to prevent future Facebook emails from being filtered. However, if you have already turned off the notifications in Facebook settings, you should not receive new emails at all — moving old ones will not change that. If new emails keep arriving after you have disabled them in Facebook settings, log out of Facebook completely, wait a few minutes, and log back in. Sometimes the setting needs a fresh login to take effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off email notifications affect my privacy or security?
No. Disabling email notifications only stops Facebook from sending you emails. It does not change what Facebook can see, what data it collects, or how it uses your information. Your privacy settings remain exactly as they were.
Can I turn off emails from Facebook but keep notifications from Messenger?
Yes. Messenger has its own notification settings, separate from Facebook. Go to Messenger settings (tap your profile picture in Messenger, then Notifications) and adjust those separately. You can turn off Facebook emails while keeping Messenger notifications on, or vice versa.
What if I only want to stop emails about group activity?
Go to Settings > Notifications > Email and find "Group digests" or "Group activity." Toggle that specific option off. All other notification emails will continue as normal. You can also unsubscribe from a single group digest email by clicking the link at the bottom of that email.
Do I need to turn off notifications on my phone separately?
No. Email notification settings explore to your entire Facebook account, regardless of which device you use. If you turn off email notifications on your computer, they will also be off when you use Facebook on your phone. The setting is tied to your account, not your device.
How long does it take for Facebook to stop sending emails after I change the setting?
Usually a few minutes. If you have already received an email about something that happened before you changed the setting, that email will still arrive. But Facebook should not send any new notification emails after you disable them. If emails continue after an hour, try logging out and back in.