Where to find and remove notifications
Notifications live in different places depending on what device you use. On most phones and computers, they stack up in a notification center or panel that you can clear all at once, or you can delete them one by one as they arrive. The fastest way is usually to clear everything in bulk, but if you want to keep some notifications and remove only others, you can do that too.
The location of your notification center depends on your operating system. On an iPhone, swipe down from the top of the screen. On Android, swipe down from the top twice — the first swipe shows quick settings, the second shows your full notification list. On Windows, click the time in the bottom right corner. On Mac, click the time in the top right corner and select "Notifications".
Once you open the notification center, you will see all the notifications that have arrived but you have not yet dismissed. Some are from apps, some are from your system itself, and some are from websites if you use a computer. You can delete individual notifications by swiping left on a phone or clicking the X next to each one on a computer.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhones, pull down from the top of the screen to see all notifications; on Android phones, pull down twice; on Windows computers, click the time in the bottom right; on Mac, click the time in the top right.
- You can delete notifications one at a time by swiping or clicking the X, or clear them all at once with a single button.
- Deleting a notification does not stop future notifications from the same app — you need to change app settings to do that.
- Notifications that have already been dismissed disappear on their own after a few hours or days, depending on your device.
Clearing all notifications at once
If your notification center is full and you want to start fresh, most devices let you clear everything in one action. On iPhone, open the notification center by swiping down from the top, then tap "Clear" in the top right corner. On Android, open the notification panel by swiping down twice, then look for "Clear all" — the exact location varies by phone maker, but it is usually at the top or bottom of the list.
On Windows, open the notification panel by clicking the time in the bottom right corner, then click "Clear all" near the top. On Mac, open Notifications by clicking the time in the top right, then click "Clear" next to the notification type you want to remove, or scroll to the bottom and click "Clear All".
Clearing all notifications removes them from your view, but it does not turn off future notifications from those apps. If you want to stop notifications from arriving in the first place, you need to change the notification settings in each app.
Removing notifications from specific apps
If one app sends too many notifications and you want to delete them as they come in, you can turn off notifications for just that app instead of clearing them manually each time. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap Notifications, find the app in the list, and tap it. Then toggle off "Allow Notifications" to stop all notifications from that app, or keep it on and adjust which types of notifications you see — for example, you can turn off sounds but keep badges, or turn off badges but keep banners.
On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps or process Manager, find the app, tap Notifications, and toggle off "Show notifications". Some Android phones also let you long-press the app icon on your home screen, tap "App info", then tap Notifications to change these settings.
On Windows, go to Settings, click System, then Notifications. Scroll down to find the app and toggle it off, or click it to adjust which types of notifications it sends. On Mac, go to System Settings, click Notifications, find the app in the list on the left, and uncheck "Allow notifications" or adjust the alert style.
Deleting notifications one at a time
If you want to keep some notifications but remove others, you can delete them individually without clearing everything. On iPhone, swipe left on the notification you want to remove, then tap the trash icon. On Android, swipe left or right on the notification, or long-press it and tap the trash or delete icon — the exact gesture depends on your phone maker.
On Windows, hover over the notification and click the X button that appears. On Mac, hover over the notification and click the X button. If you want to keep a notification but just hide it from the list temporarily, you can also swipe it away on a phone without deleting it — it will reappear if the app sends an update.
Deleting individual notifications is useful when you want to keep your notification center clean but still receive future notifications from that app. It does not change any settings; it just removes the notification from your view.
What happens to old notifications
Notifications do not stay in your notification center forever. On most devices, they disappear automatically after a few hours or a few days, depending on how many new notifications arrive and how much space your device has. You do not need to manually delete old notifications — your device will clear them out on its own.
If you want to see an old notification that has already disappeared, you may be able to find it in the app itself. For example, if you delete a text message notification, you can still see the message in your Messages app. If you delete an email notification, the email is still in your inbox. Deleting the notification does not delete the actual message or email.
Stopping notifications from websites
If you use a computer and websites send you notifications, you can remove them from your notification center the same way you remove app notifications — by clicking the X. To stop future notifications from a specific website, you need to change your browser settings.
In Chrome, go to Settings, click Privacy and Security, then Site Settings, then Notifications. You will see a list of websites that send notifications. Click the one you want to remove and toggle off "Allowed", or click the three dots next to it and select "Remove". In Firefox, go to Settings, click Privacy and Security, scroll to Permissions, click Notifications, and remove websites from the list. In Safari on Mac, go to System Settings, click Notifications, find the website in the list, and uncheck "Allow notifications".
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a notification delete the message or email?
No. Deleting a notification removes only the alert from your notification center. The actual message, email, or content stays in the app. If you delete a text message notification, the text is still in your Messages app. If you delete an email notification, the email is still in your inbox.
Can I delete notifications without opening the notification center?
On most phones, yes. You can swipe left or right on a notification that appears on your lock screen or home screen to delete it without opening the notification center. On computers, you can click the X on a notification as soon as it pops up.
Why do notifications keep coming back after I delete them?
Deleting a notification does not stop the app from sending future notifications. If the same app keeps sending notifications you do not want, you need to turn off notifications for that app in your device settings, not just delete the individual notifications.
Will clearing all notifications affect my apps or data?
No. Clearing notifications only removes the alerts from your notification center. It does not delete any data, change any settings, or affect how your apps work. All your messages, emails, and other content remain untouched.
How do I delete notifications from my lock screen?
On iPhone, swipe left on the notification and tap the X or trash icon. On Android, swipe left or right on the notification. On Windows and Mac, you cannot delete notifications directly from the lock screen — you need to open the notification center first.