Turn off notifications in Facebook's settings
The fastest way to stop Facebook notifications is to go into the app itself and disable them by notification type. Open Facebook on your phone or computer, go to Settings, then find Notifications. You will see a list of things Facebook can alert you about — comments, friend requests, messages, likes, event reminders, and others. Each one has a toggle you can switch off individually.
On iPhone, open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings & Privacy, tap Settings, then Notifications. On Android, the path is the same: three lines, Settings & Privacy, Settings, then Notifications. On a computer, click the down arrow at the top right of Facebook, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Notifications on the left sidebar.
You do not have to turn off all notifications. Most people keep Messages on but turn off Likes and Comments. You can also set notification frequency — Facebook lets you choose between All, Most, or Only Important for many categories, so you get alerts only for things that matter to you.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook's own notification settings let you turn off specific types of alerts — comments, likes, friend requests, messages — without deleting your account.
- You can choose between All, Most, or Only Important for most notification types, so you see alerts only for what matters to you.
- Phone notifications and email notifications are controlled separately, so you may need to turn off both to stop all alerts.
- If you turn off notifications in the Facebook app but still get alerts on your phone, check your phone's system settings — Facebook may have permission to send notifications there too.
Block notifications at the phone level
Even if you turn off notifications in Facebook's settings, your phone's operating system may still let Facebook send alerts. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Notifications, scroll down to Facebook, and tap it. You will see options to turn off notifications entirely or choose which types of alerts come through. Set Allow Notifications to Off, or choose a notification style (None, Badges, Sounds, Banners) that suits you.
On Android, go to Settings, then Apps or process Manager, find Facebook, tap Notifications, and toggle off Allow Notifications. Some Android phones also let you long-press the Facebook app icon on your home screen, tap App Info, then Notifications, to control alerts from there.
This second layer of control matters because Facebook can request permission to send notifications even after you disable them in the app. Turning them off at the phone level ensures nothing gets through, even if Facebook updates its permissions later.
Turn off email notifications from Facebook
Facebook also sends email notifications for messages, friend requests, comments, and activity summaries. These arrive in your inbox separately from phone alerts. To stop them, go to Facebook Settings, then Emails on the left sidebar. You will see a list of email types — Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, Event Invitations, and others. Click the Unsubscribe link next to each one you do not want to receive.
Some emails come from Facebook's notification system, and others come from specific features like Marketplace or Groups. If you see emails from Facebook that are not in the main Emails section, look for an Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email itself and click it. This tells Facebook to stop sending that specific type of email.
Email notifications can pile up quickly if you have many Facebook friends or follow active groups. Turning them off is usually the easiest way to reclaim your inbox without changing your phone settings.
Mute specific people, groups, or pages
If you want to keep Facebook notifications on but stop hearing from one person, group, or page, use the Mute feature instead of turning off all alerts. On Facebook, find the person, group, or page, click the three dots next to their name or post, and select Mute. You can choose to mute them for 30 days or indefinitely. They will not know you muted them, and you can still see their posts if you visit their profile — you just will not get notifications about their activity.
Muting is useful when you want to stay connected to someone but do not need constant alerts about their posts. You can mute a friend, a group you are in, or a page you follow, all from the same menu.
Stop notification badges and red dots
Facebook also shows red notification badges — the small circles with numbers on the app icon — even when sound and vibration are off. These badges tell you how many unread messages or alerts you have. To stop them, go to your phone's Settings, find Facebook in the Notifications section, and toggle off Badge App Icon (on iPhone) or Badge (on Android). This removes the red dot from the Facebook app icon on your home screen.
Badges are separate from sound and vibration, so you may have turned off audio alerts but still see the red number. Disabling badges removes one more visual trigger to open the app.
Use Do Not Disturb or Focus modes
If you want to keep notifications on but silence them during certain hours, use your phone's built-in Do Not Disturb (iPhone) or Focus (iPhone 15 and newer) or Do Not Disturb (Android) feature. Set a schedule — for example, 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. — and your phone will silence all notifications during those times, including Facebook alerts. You can allow notifications from specific people or apps if you want to stay reachable for emergencies.
This approach keeps notifications working during the day but stops them from interrupting sleep or work. You can create multiple Focus modes — one for work, one for sleep, one for family time — and switch between them as needed.
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 log in on a new device. Check your notification settings every few months to make sure they stayed off. If you find notifications have been re-enabled, go back to Settings and turn them off again.
If you use Facebook on multiple devices — phone, tablet, computer — you may need to turn off notifications on each one separately. A notification setting on your iPhone does not automatically explore to your Android tablet or your computer. Log into each device and disable notifications there.
If you have turned off notifications everywhere and still receive alerts, check whether you are logged into Facebook in a web browser on your computer. Some browsers send their own notifications even when the app is silent. Go to your browser settings and disable notifications for facebook.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications affect my messages?
No. Turning off notifications just stops the alerts — your messages will still arrive and stay in your inbox. You can read them whenever you open Facebook. If you want to keep message notifications but turn off everything else, go to Notifications settings and toggle off each type individually while leaving Messages on.
Can I turn off notifications for one person but keep them for others?
Yes. Use the Mute feature to silence notifications from a specific person, group, or page without affecting alerts from everyone else. Find their profile or page, click the three dots, and select Mute. You can mute them for 30 days or indefinitely, and they will not be notified.
Why do I still get notifications after turning them off in Facebook?
Your phone's operating system may have permission to send notifications even after you disable them in the app. Go to your phone's Settings, find Notifications, locate Facebook, and toggle off Allow Notifications. You may also be logged into Facebook in a web browser — check your browser settings and disable notifications for facebook.com there too.
Do I need to turn off notifications on my computer and phone separately?
Yes. Notification settings do not sync across devices. If you use Facebook on your iPhone, Android phone, and computer, you need to turn off notifications on each one. Log into each device and go to its Notifications settings to disable alerts.
What is the difference between muting and unfollowing?
Muting stops notifications from someone but keeps their posts in your feed — you just will not get alerts about their activity. Unfollowing removes their posts from your feed entirely. Muting is gentler if you want to stay loosely connected without constant alerts.