Where Chrome notifications live and how to find them

Chrome notifications appear in the bottom right corner of your screen (on Windows) or top right (on Mac). They come from websites you've visited, not from Chrome itself — a site asks permission the first time it wants to send you alerts, and if you said yes, those notifications keep coming until you stop them.

The control panel for all of this is in Chrome's settings, under the Notifications section. You can block notifications from specific sites, clear old permission decisions, or change what happens when a notification arrives. The steps are the same whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome notifications come from websites, not from Chrome itself, and you control them through Chrome Settings > Privacy and Security > Notifications.
  • You can block a site's notifications when ready by clicking the X on any notification, or remove permission for a site you previously allowed.
  • The "Default behavior" setting controls what happens to notifications from sites you haven't made a choice about yet — set it to "Block" to stop new notification requests.
  • Clearing your browsing data can erase notification permissions you've given in the past, though this also clears cookies and other site data.

Block notifications from a single website right now

The fastest way to stop notifications from one site is to click the X button on the notification itself when it appears. This removes that site's permission to send you notifications in the future.

If you don't see the notification anymore but remember which site was sending them, open Chrome and go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Notifications. Look for the site name in the "Allow" list, click the three dots next to it, and select "Remove". The site can ask for permission again the next time you visit, but it won't send notifications until you say yes again.

Stop new notification requests before they start

Websites often ask permission to send notifications the moment you land on them. You can change what Chrome does with these requests by adjusting the default behavior.

Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Notifications and look at the top of the page. You'll see a section called "Default behavior" with a toggle next to "Sites can ask to send notifications". Turn this toggle off, and Chrome will automatically block all new notification requests without asking you. Sites can still try to ask, but you won't see the permission prompt.

If you want to be more selective — allowing notifications from some sites but not others — leave this toggle on and instead add sites to the "Block" list as you encounter them. This takes more work over time, but gives you finer control.

Review and remove permissions you gave in the past

Open Settings > Privacy and Security > Notifications. Under the "Allow" section, you'll see every website that currently has permission to send you notifications. Scan this list for sites you no longer want to hear from.

Click the three dots next to any site name and select "Remove". You can remove multiple sites this way. The site will no longer send you notifications, though it can ask for permission again if you visit it in the future.

If the list is long and you want to start fresh, you can clear all notification permissions at once by going to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear browsing data. Set the time range to "All time" and make sure "Cookies and other site data" is checked. This will erase all your notification permissions, but it will also clear cookies, which means you may have to log back into websites. Use this option only if you're willing to accept that trade-off.

Understand what "Block" and "Allow" actually mean

The "Allow" list shows sites that have active permission to send notifications. These notifications will reach your screen (or your notification center, depending on your operating system settings).

The "Block" list shows sites that you have explicitly told Chrome to never send notifications from. If you add a site to the Block list, it cannot send notifications and cannot ask for permission again unless you remove it from the Block list later.

Sites not on either list are in a neutral state. If the "Default behavior" toggle is on, they can ask for permission. If it's off, Chrome will silently reject their requests without showing you a prompt.

What to do if a site keeps asking for notification permission

Some websites ask for notification permission repeatedly, even after you've declined. The most reliable way to stop this is to add the site to your Block list. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Notifications, scroll to the bottom, and click "Add" under the "Block" section. Type the website's address (for example, example.com) and click "Add".

Once a site is blocked, it cannot send notifications and will not be able to ask for permission again. If you change your mind later, you can remove it from the Block list and the site will be able to ask again.

Notifications on your phone versus your computer

If you use Chrome on both a phone and a computer, notification settings are separate for each device. Turning off notifications on your computer does not affect your phone, and vice versa. You'll need to adjust settings on each device individually.

On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Chrome > Notifications and turn off the toggle. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Chrome and turn off "Allow Notifications". These steps control whether Chrome itself can send you notifications; they don't control website notifications within Chrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications from Chrome but keep them from other apps?

Yes. Notification settings in Chrome only affect websites that send notifications through Chrome. Other apps on your computer or phone have their own notification settings. You can turn off Chrome notifications without touching notifications from email, messaging apps, or anything else.

What's the difference between blocking a site and removing it from the Allow list?

Removing a site from the Allow list stops its current notifications, but the site can ask for permission again the next time you visit. Blocking a site prevents it from sending notifications and prevents it from asking for permission again, unless you manually unblock it later.

If I clear my browsing data, will I lose my passwords too?

Only if you check the "Passwords and other sign-in data" box when clearing. You can clear notification permissions without clearing passwords by unchecking that box and making sure only "Cookies and other site data" is selected.

Do I need to restart Chrome after changing notification settings?

No. Changes to notification settings take effect when ready. You don't need to close and reopen Chrome or restart your computer.

Why does a site still send notifications even though I blocked it?

Make sure you blocked the correct website address. Some sites use different domains for different sections (for example, mail.example.com versus example.com). You may need to block both versions separately. Also check that the site is actually in your Block list and not just removed from your Allow list.