Where Facebook notifications live and how to find them

Facebook sends notifications through four separate channels: your phone's lock screen and home screen, the Facebook app itself, your email inbox, and your web browser. To stop them, you need to know where each one lives. The fastest route is your phone's settings, not Facebook's app — your phone controls whether any app can interrupt you, and Facebook's own settings only control what Facebook *wants* to send.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications. This is where you block notifications at the source, before they ever reach your screen. If you turn them off here, Facebook cannot override your choice.

Facebook's own notification controls are inside the app and on the web. These let you pick which types of notifications still get through — for example, you might allow messages from close friends but block everything else. This is useful if you want some notifications but not all of them.

Key Takeaways

  • Your phone's settings control whether Facebook can send notifications at all; turning them off there stops all Facebook interruptions on that device.
  • Facebook's in-app settings let you choose which types of notifications to receive — messages, friend requests, comments — without blocking the app entirely.
  • Email and browser notifications are controlled separately from phone notifications and require their own steps to disable.
  • You can turn off notifications on one device (like your phone) while keeping them on another (like your computer) by adjusting each one separately.

Turning off notifications on your phone

On iPhone: Open Settings, tap Notifications, scroll down to Facebook, and tap it. Toggle off "Allow Notifications" at the top. This stops all Facebook notifications on your lock screen and home screen. If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, keep "Allow Notifications" on and scroll down to turn off specific types — for example, you can turn off "Badges" (the red number on the app icon) while keeping message notifications.

On Android: Open Settings, go to Apps (or process Manager on older phones), find Facebook, tap Notifications, and toggle off "Show Notifications." If your phone uses Android 12 or newer, you may also see a toggle for "Conversation Notifications" — turn that off too if you want silence from all Facebook sources. Some Android phones also let you long-press the Facebook app icon and tap "Notifications" directly from there.

After you change these settings, Facebook will still send notifications to your account — you just won't see them on your phone. If you later want to turn them back on, follow the same steps and toggle them on again.

Controlling notifications inside the Facebook app

If you want to keep your phone's notifications on but choose which types of Facebook alerts reach you, use Facebook's own settings. Open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines (menu) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings & Privacy, tap Settings, then tap Notifications.

You will see categories like Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, Events, and Groups. Tap each one to see your options. For Messages, you might choose "All Messages," "Messages from Friends Only," or "Off." For Comments, you might turn off notifications entirely or keep them on only for comments on your own posts. This approach lets you stay connected to what matters without being interrupted by everything.

The same settings exist on Facebook's website. Log in, click the question mark icon in the top right, click Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Notifications on the left sidebar. The options are identical to the app version.

Stopping email notifications from Facebook

Facebook sends emails about comments, friend requests, event invitations, and group activity. These are separate from your phone and app notifications. To turn them off, log into Facebook on a web browser, click the question mark icon in the top right, click Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left sidebar, click Emails. You will see a list of email types: Comments, Friend Requests, Events, Groups, and others.

Click each category and choose "Off" or "Only Important." Most people choose "Off" for everything except messages from close friends. If you want to receive some emails but not others, you can set each one individually — for example, you might keep event invitations on but turn off group digests.

Facebook also sends marketing and promotional emails. These are controlled in the same Emails section under "Other Emails." Toggle off anything you do not want to receive.

Disabling browser notifications on your computer

When you use Facebook in a web browser like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, your browser can show notifications even when you are not on the Facebook website. These appear as small popups in the corner of your screen. To stop them, you need to tell your browser to block Facebook notifications.

In Chrome: Click the three vertical dots in the top right, go to Settings, click Privacy and Security on the left, then Site Settings, then Notifications. Look for facebook.com in the list and click it. Change the setting from "Allow" to "Block."

In Safari: Go to Safari > Settings, click Websites on the top, then Notifications on the left sidebar. Find facebook.com and change the dropdown from "Allow" to "Deny."

In Firefox: Click the three horizontal lines in the top right, go to Settings, click Privacy & Security on the left, scroll down to Permissions, find Notifications, and click Settings. Look for facebook.com and change it to "Block."

What happens when you turn off notifications

Turning off notifications does not delete your Facebook account or hide your profile. It only stops the alerts from reaching you. You can still log in and check Facebook whenever you want — you just will not be interrupted by pings and buzzes throughout the day.

If someone sends you a message, it will still arrive in your inbox. If someone comments on your post, the comment will still be there. You straightforward will not be notified about it until you open the app or website yourself. This is often the point: you check Facebook on your schedule, not on Facebook's schedule.

If you change your mind later, you can turn notifications back on by reversing these steps. There is no penalty for turning them off and on again.

Handling notifications from Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is a separate app from Facebook, and its notifications are controlled separately. If you have Messenger installed, you need to adjust its settings too. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Messenger and toggle off "Allow Notifications." On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Messenger > Notifications and toggle off "Show Notifications."

Inside the Messenger app itself, you can also choose which types of messages trigger notifications. Open Messenger, tap your profile picture in the top left, scroll down to Notifications & Sounds, and choose your preference. You can set it to notify you only for messages from close friends, or turn off notifications entirely while keeping the app installed.

Many people turn off Messenger notifications but keep Facebook notifications on, or vice versa. Since they are separate apps, you can customize each one to match your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know I turned off notifications?

No. Turning off notifications is private — it only affects what you see on your device. Facebook does not tell other users whether you have notifications on or off, and your read receipts or response time will not change.

Can I turn off notifications for just one person or one group?

Yes. On the Facebook app, go to the person's profile or the group's page, tap the three dots in the top right, and look for "Mute" or "Mute Notifications." You can mute someone for 15 minutes, one hour, eight hours, one day, or permanently. This silences that person or group without affecting notifications from everyone else.

What if I only want notifications when someone messages me directly?

Open the Facebook app, tap the menu, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Notifications, and find Messages. Change it to "Messages from Friends Only" or "Off." Then open Messenger separately and set it to notify you for all messages. This way you get alerts only for direct messages, not for comments or other activity.

Do I need to turn off notifications on every device I use?

Yes. If you use Facebook on your phone, tablet, and computer, you need to adjust notifications on each device separately. Turning them off on your phone does not affect your computer. This is useful if you want notifications on your computer at work but silence on your phone at home.

Can Facebook override my phone's notification settings?

No. Your phone's settings are the final word. If you turn off notifications in your phone's settings, Facebook cannot send them to your lock screen or home screen, no matter what Facebook's own settings say. Your phone always has the last say.