Twitter sends notifications for direct messages by default, but you control where and how often you see them

When someone sends you a direct message on Twitter (now called X), you will receive a notification unless you have turned notifications off for that contact or for all DMs. The notification appears as a badge on your phone, a browser alert, or an email — depending on which notification channels you have enabled in your settings. Twitter does not ask your permission each time; it follows the rules you set once in your account.

The key difference from other apps is that Twitter separates DM notifications from your general Twitter notifications. You can mute all tweets and retweets but still get alerted for messages, or vice versa. This matters because many people want to know when someone reaches out directly but do not want constant alerts about what is trending.

Key Takeaways

  • Twitter sends DM notifications to your phone, browser, or email based on your notification settings — you do not receive a prompt for each message.
  • You can turn off DM notifications entirely, or mute them from specific people while keeping them on for others.
  • Notification settings are separate for mobile, desktop, and email, so you may receive alerts on one device but not another.
  • Muting a conversation stops notifications without blocking the person or deleting the message thread.

Where Twitter sends DM notifications

Twitter can send DM notifications to three places: your phone (if you have the app installed), your web browser (if you use Twitter in a browser and have notifications enabled), and your email address on file. Each channel is controlled separately, so you might get a phone notification but not an email, or vice versa.

On your phone, DM notifications appear as a badge on the Twitter app icon and as a banner or alert depending on your phone's settings. On desktop, you see a small notification box in the corner of your screen if you have the Twitter tab open. Email notifications arrive in your inbox and include a preview of the message and the sender's name.

How to turn off DM notifications on your phone

Open the Twitter app and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings and Privacy, then Notifications. Scroll down to Messages and tap it. You will see options to turn notifications on or off for all messages, or to customize by conversation.

If you want to keep DM notifications but silence them from one person, go back to your Messages tab, find the conversation, swipe left on it (iPhone) or long-press it (Android), and select Mute Notifications. The person can still message you, but you will not be alerted. To unmute, swipe or long-press again and select Unmute Notifications.

How to turn off DM notifications on desktop

Log into Twitter in your browser and click your profile icon in the top right. Click Settings and Privacy, then Notifications. Under Preferences, find Messages and toggle it off to stop all DM notifications. If you want to keep notifications but silence a specific conversation, open your Messages, find the chat, click the three dots next to the person's name, and select Mute Notifications.

Browser notifications also depend on your browser's permission settings. Even if Twitter is set to send notifications, your browser may block them if you denied permission when you first logged in. To fix this, check your browser settings: in Chrome, click the lock icon next to the URL, find Notifications, and change it from Block to Allow.

How to turn off DM notifications in email

Go to Settings and Privacy, then Notifications, and scroll to Email Notifications. Look for the Messages section and uncheck the box next to Direct Messages. This stops Twitter from sending DM alerts to your email address, but you will still get notifications on your phone or browser if those are turned on.

Some people leave email notifications on but turn off phone and browser alerts, so they see messages in batches when they check email rather than being interrupted throughout the day. Others do the opposite. The choice depends on how quickly you want to know about incoming messages.

What happens when you mute someone's messages

Muting a conversation is different from blocking or reporting. When you mute someone, their messages still arrive in your inbox, but you do not get a notification. The conversation stays in your Messages list, and you can read it whenever you open Twitter. The other person does not know you have muted them — they see no change on their end.

This is useful for group chats where one person sends many messages, or for contacts you want to stay in touch with but do not need to hear from urgently. You can unmute at any time by going back to the conversation and selecting Unmute Notifications.

Why you might not be getting DM notifications

If you expect a notification but do not receive one, check three things: first, confirm that DM notifications are actually turned on in your settings (they are on by default, but you may have turned them off and forgotten). Second, check whether you have muted that specific conversation. Third, verify that your phone or browser has permission to send notifications from Twitter — many people deny this permission without realizing it blocks all alerts.

Another common reason is that you have Do Not Disturb or Focus Mode turned on in your phone's settings. These silence all notifications, including from Twitter, even if Twitter itself is set to send them. Check your phone's notification settings separately from Twitter's settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get DM notifications on my phone but not my email?

Yes. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Notifications. Turn on Messages for phone notifications and turn off Messages under Email Notifications. Each channel is independent, so you can mix and match.

If I mute someone's messages, can they tell?

No. Muting only stops your notifications — the person sees no change. They can still send you messages and see that their messages were delivered. Only you know the conversation is muted.

Do group DM notifications work the same way as one-on-one messages?

Yes. You can mute notifications for a group chat just as you would for a single person. You will still be in the group and can read messages, but you will not be alerted when new ones arrive.

What if I turn off all DM notifications but want to know about messages from one specific person?

Turn off DM notifications in your settings, then go to that person's conversation, click the three dots, and select Unmute Notifications. This creates an exception — you will get alerts from them but not from anyone else.

Do DM notifications work the same on the Twitter website and the app?

The settings are the same account-wide, but the delivery is different. Phone app notifications appear as badges and banners. Website notifications appear as browser alerts only if you have given Twitter permission and have the tab open or your browser set to show notifications in the background.