Where Outlook notifications live and how to find them

Outlook stores its notification settings in three places: your account settings within the app itself, your operating system's notification panel, and your email rules. Most people need to change only the first one, but if you've turned notifications off in Outlook and they still appear, the problem is usually in your system settings or a rule you created earlier.

On Windows, open Outlook and go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Notification Settings. On Mac, open Outlook and go to Outlook > Preferences > Notifications. The web version (Outlook.com) has a separate notification menu in your account settings that does not sync with the desktop app, so you may need to turn notifications off in both places if you use both.

Before you change anything, write down which notifications are currently on. That way, if you turn something off and regret it later, you'll know exactly what to turn back on instead of guessing.

Key Takeaways

  • Outlook notifications can be turned off in the app itself, in your operating system settings, or both — you may need to check both places if notifications keep appearing after you've disabled them in Outlook.
  • The desktop app (Windows and Mac) has more granular controls than the web version, letting you turn off notifications for new mail, meeting reminders, and task reminders separately.
  • If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, you can create rules that mute specific senders or folders instead of turning off all notifications at once.
  • Notification settings in Outlook do not sync across devices, so turning off notifications on your phone does not turn them off on your computer.

Turning off all notifications in the desktop app

In Outlook for Windows, the quickest way to silence everything is to uncheck Display a Desktop Alert under File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Notification Settings. This stops the small pop-up window that appears when a new email arrives. If you also want to stop the sound, uncheck Play a Sound on the same screen.

In Outlook for Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Notifications and uncheck Show notifications. You can also turn off notifications for specific types of events — new mail, meeting reminders, task reminders — by unchecking only the boxes next to those items.

After you make changes in either version, close and reopen Outlook to make sure the settings take effect. Sometimes the app needs to restart before it stops showing notifications.

Turning off notifications in Windows and Mac system settings

Even if you turn off notifications in Outlook itself, your operating system can still show them. On Windows 10 and 11, go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions and scroll down to find Outlook in the list. Toggle off Show notifications from this app. You can also turn off notifications for specific types of alerts — like meeting reminders — by clicking on Outlook and unchecking individual notification types.

On Mac, go to System Preferences > Notifications, find Outlook in the list on the left, and change Allow Notifications to Off. If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, you can set the notification style to Banners (which disappear on their own) instead of Alerts (which stay on screen until you dismiss them).

The web version of Outlook (Outlook.com) uses your browser's notification settings, not your operating system's. If you use Outlook in a web browser, check your browser's settings — in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Notifications and remove Outlook.com from the allowed list.

Silencing notifications from specific people or folders

If you want to keep notifications for most emails but silence them for certain senders or folders, use Outlook's rules feature instead of turning off all notifications. In Outlook for Windows, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules and Alerts. Click New Rule and choose explore Rule on Messages I Receive.

Set the condition to match the sender or folder you want to mute — for example, "From [person's name]" or "Assigned to [folder name]" — and then set the action to Do Not Show Desktop Alert. This stops notifications for that sender or folder while leaving notifications on for everything else. You can create as many rules as you need, and they take effect when ready.

In Outlook for Mac, the rules feature works the same way but is located under Outlook > Preferences > Rules. The web version does not have a rules feature for notifications, so you'll need to use the desktop app if you want granular control over which senders trigger alerts.

Turning off meeting and task reminders separately

Outlook sends three types of notifications: new mail alerts, meeting reminders, and task reminders. You can turn off any of these independently. In Outlook for Windows, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Notification Settings and look for separate checkboxes for each type. Uncheck only the ones you want to silence.

Meeting reminders are especially useful to keep on if you attend video calls, since missing a notification might mean missing the meeting. Task reminders are less critical for most people, so many users turn those off while keeping mail and meeting alerts on. You can experiment with different combinations to find what works for your workflow.

In Outlook for Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Notifications and you'll see checkboxes for New Mail, Meeting Reminders, and Task Reminders. Uncheck whichever you want to disable. The web version does not offer this level of control, so if you need to silence specific notification types, use the desktop app.

Notifications on your phone and tablet

Outlook on iPhone, iPad, and Android has its own notification settings that do not sync with your desktop app. If you turn off notifications on your computer but still see them on your phone, you need to change your phone's settings separately.

On iPhone and iPad, open the Outlook app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), go to Settings > Notifications, and toggle off Allow Notifications. On Android, open Outlook, tap your profile picture, go to Settings > Notifications, and toggle off Show Notifications. You can also adjust notification sounds and badges from the same menu.

If you turn off notifications in the app but your phone still shows alerts, check your phone's system settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Outlook and toggle off Allow Notifications. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Outlook > Notifications and toggle off Show Notifications.

What to do if notifications keep appearing after you've turned them off

If you've turned off notifications in Outlook but they still appear, the problem is usually one of three things: your system settings are overriding your app settings, you have multiple email accounts and only disabled notifications for one of them, or a rule you created earlier is still active.

Start by checking your operating system's notification settings — Windows and Mac can show notifications even if the app has them disabled. Then check whether you have multiple email accounts in Outlook. Each account has its own notification settings, so you may need to turn off notifications for each one separately. Finally, go to your rules list and look for any rules that show notifications or do not have the Do Not Show Desktop Alert action applied.

If you're using both the desktop app and the web version, remember that they have separate notification settings. Turning off notifications in Outlook.com does not turn them off in the desktop app, and vice versa. You may need to disable notifications in both places.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications for new mail but keep meeting reminders?

Yes. In Outlook for Windows, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Notification Settings and uncheck Display a Desktop Alert for new mail while leaving the meeting reminder checkbox on. In Outlook for Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Notifications and uncheck New Mail while keeping Meeting Reminders checked.

Why do I still see notifications after turning them off in Outlook?

Your operating system's notification settings may be overriding Outlook's settings. Check Windows Settings or Mac System Preferences and look for Outlook in the notification list. You may also have multiple email accounts, and notifications are still on for one of them. Check each account's settings separately.

Do notification settings sync across my devices?

No. Turning off notifications on your computer does not turn them off on your phone or tablet. You need to change notification settings on each device separately. The desktop app, web version, and mobile app all have independent notification controls.

Can I silence notifications from one person without turning off all notifications?

Yes, using rules. In Outlook for Windows, go to File > Options > Mail > Rules and Alerts, create a new rule with the condition "From [person's name]", and set the action to Do Not Show Desktop Alert. In Outlook for Mac, use Outlook > Preferences > Rules to do the same thing.

What's the difference between turning off notifications in Outlook and in my system settings?

Outlook's settings control whether the app sends notifications to your system. Your system settings control whether your operating system displays those notifications. You need to turn them off in both places to completely silence alerts. If either one is on, you'll see notifications.