Where Mac Stores Text Notification Settings

Text notifications on Mac come through the Messages app, and the controls live in two places: the Messages app itself and your Mac's main notification settings. Most people need to adjust only the Messages app settings to stop the alerts, but if you want to block notifications entirely — even the badge on the app icon — you'll need to visit both places.

The reason there are two locations is that Messages can notify you in different ways: a banner that slides down from the top of your screen, a sound, a badge showing unread message count, or a red dot on the app icon. You can turn off some of these without turning off others, so you have real control over what interrupts you.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Messages, then go to Messages menu > Settings > Notifications to turn off banners, sounds, and badges for text messages.
  • If notifications still appear after changing Messages settings, check System Settings > Notifications > Messages and toggle off "Allow Notifications".
  • You can silence notifications from specific people by opening a conversation, clicking the info icon, and toggling off notifications for that thread.
  • Turning off notifications in Messages does not delete messages or prevent them from arriving — they straightforward won't alert you.
  • If you use iCloud to sync Messages across devices, changing settings on your Mac will not automatically change them on your iPhone or iPad.

Turn Off Notifications in the Messages App

Open the Messages app on your Mac. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click Messages, then select Settings (or Preferences on older Mac versions). A window will open with several tabs across the top.

Click the Notifications tab. You will see options for how Messages alerts you. The main controls are:

  • Play sound for notifications — uncheck this to stop the alert sound.
  • Show notifications — uncheck this to stop banners from appearing on your screen.
  • Badge app icon — uncheck this to remove the red number showing unread messages.

Uncheck whichever options you want to disable. If you want to turn off all three, Messages will still receive texts, but you won't be alerted in any way. Close the Settings window when you're done.

Check System Settings If Notifications Still Appear

If you've turned off notifications in Messages but alerts still pop up on your screen, your Mac's main notification settings may be overriding the app's own settings. This happens sometimes after macOS updates.

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, click Notifications. Scroll down the list on the left side until you find Messages.

Click Messages. You will see a toggle for Allow Notifications at the top. If it is turned on (blue), click it to turn it off. You can also scroll down to see other notification options like Sounds, Badges, and Banner Style — turn off or adjust these as you prefer.

Close System Settings. Notifications should now stop appearing.

Silence Notifications From One Person or Group

If you want to keep text notifications on overall but silence them from a specific person or group chat, you don't need to change your settings. Open the conversation you want to mute in Messages. In the top-right corner of the conversation window, click the info icon (it looks like a circle with an "i" inside).

A panel will open on the right side. Near the top, you'll see a toggle for Hide Alerts or Notifications (the exact wording depends on your macOS version). Click it to turn off notifications for just that conversation. Messages from this person or group will still arrive and appear in your inbox, but they won't trigger any alerts.

To turn notifications back on for that conversation, open it again, click the info icon, and toggle the setting back on.

What Happens When You Turn Off Notifications

Turning off text notifications does not delete your messages, prevent new texts from arriving, or change anything about how Messages works. The app will still sync messages across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad if you use iCloud. You straightforward won't be alerted when a new message comes in.

If someone sends you a text while notifications are off, the message will sit in your inbox unread until you open Messages and read it. The sender won't know that notifications are off — they'll see the message as delivered, just like normal.

Turn Notifications Back On

If you change your mind and want notifications again, follow the same steps: open Messages > Settings > Notifications and check the boxes you want to re-enable. Or go to System Settings > Notifications > Messages and toggle Allow Notifications back on.

For a single conversation you muted, open it again, click the info icon, and toggle Hide Alerts back off.

Notifications on Your Other Devices

If you own an iPhone or iPad, turning off notifications on your Mac does not affect those devices. Each device has its own notification settings. If you want to silence texts everywhere, you'll need to change settings on each device separately.

On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and adjust the same options you changed on your Mac. You can also use Do Not Disturb mode on any device to pause all notifications temporarily without changing your settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person texting me know that I turned off notifications?

No. Turning off notifications is invisible to the sender. They will see their message as delivered, and they have no way to know whether you have alerts turned on or off.

Can I turn off notifications for texts but keep them for other apps?

Yes. Each app has its own notification settings. Changing Messages notifications does not affect Mail, Calendar, Slack, or any other app. Go to System Settings > Notifications and adjust each app separately.

What if I only want to turn off the sound but keep seeing message banners?

Open Messages > Settings > Notifications and uncheck only Play sound for notifications. Leave Show notifications checked. You'll see banners pop up but won't hear a sound.

If I turn off notifications, will I miss important messages?

You won't miss the messages themselves — they'll arrive and stay in your inbox. You just won't be alerted. If you need to know about urgent texts, consider muting only specific people or group chats instead of turning off all notifications.

Do I need to restart my Mac after changing notification settings?

No. Changes take effect when ready. If you've just changed a setting and a notification still appears, wait a few seconds — sometimes the change takes a moment to register.