Where to find notification settings on Facebook

Facebook notifications live in your account settings, not in your phone's settings. Open Facebook on a computer or phone, look for the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, a downward arrow on desktop in the top right), and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, you'll see Notifications — that's where you control what Facebook tells you about.

The notifications menu is organized by type: messages, friend requests, comments, posts you're tagged in, and dozens of others. Each one has its own on-off switch. You don't turn notifications "on" all at once — you turn on the specific things you actually want to hear about.

Key Takeaways

  • Facebook notifications are controlled inside your account settings under Notifications, not in your phone's system settings.
  • Each notification type (messages, comments, friend requests) has its own toggle switch, so you can turn on only what matters to you.
  • You can choose how Facebook reaches you for each notification: push notification, email, or both.
  • Turning on notifications for messages is usually the first step, since many people want to know when someone sends them a direct message.

Turning on notifications for messages and direct contact

If you want to know when someone sends you a message, find Messages in your Notifications settings. Toggle it on. You'll then see options for how you want to be notified: Push notifications (alerts on your phone), Email, or both. Most people choose push notifications so they see the message right away.

Below Messages, you'll find Message Requests — these are messages from people you're not connected with. Many people leave this off because it's usually spam or unwanted contact. Turn it on only if you want to know about every message from strangers.

Turning on notifications for activity on your posts

When someone comments on your post, likes it, or replies to your comment, Facebook can tell you. In Notifications settings, look for Comments, Likes and Reactions, and Replies to Comments. Each has its own toggle. Turn on whichever ones you want to follow — most people turn on Comments and Replies but leave Likes off, since getting notified about every like creates too much noise.

You can also control notifications for Posts You're Tagged In — when someone puts your name in a photo or post. This is useful if you want to know when you're mentioned, but you can turn it off if you find it distracting.

Turning on notifications for friend activity

Facebook can notify you when someone sends a friend request, when a friend has a birthday, or when someone you know goes live. These are all separate toggles in your Notifications settings. Friend Requests is usually worth turning on so you don't miss someone trying to connect with you. Birthdays is optional — turn it on if you want reminders to wish friends happy birthday.

Friends Going Live tells you when someone in your network starts a live video. This creates a lot of notifications if you have many friends, so most people leave it off.

Choosing how Facebook reaches you

For each notification type you turn on, you'll see a dropdown menu asking Where to notify you. Your options are usually Push notification (alert on your phone), Email, or Both. Push notifications arrive when ready but can feel intrusive. Email notifications batch together and arrive less often, usually once a day or once a week depending on what you choose.

A common setup is push notifications for messages (so you see direct contact right away) and email for everything else (so you stay informed without constant interruptions). You can change this for each notification type separately.

Turning on notifications for specific people or groups

You can also get notifications for a specific person's activity. Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and look for Turn on notifications for this person or See first. This means you'll get a notification whenever they post, comment, or go live — useful for close friends or family you don't want to miss updates from.

For groups, you can turn on notifications so you're alerted when someone posts in a group you're part of. Open the group, tap the bell icon, and choose how often you want to be notified: All Posts, Highlights (important posts only), or Off.

Testing your notification settings

After you turn on notifications, test them by having someone send you a message or comment on a post. This tells you whether the notification actually arrived and how it looks on your phone. If you don't see it, go back to settings and check that both the notification type and the delivery method (push or email) are turned on.

If notifications aren't arriving, check your phone's system settings too — your phone might be blocking Facebook notifications at the operating system level. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications. Make sure notifications are allowed there as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I not getting notifications even though I turned them on?

Check two places: Facebook's notification settings (under Settings > Notifications) and your phone's system settings (Settings > Notifications on iPhone, or Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications on Android). Both have to allow notifications for you to receive them. Also check that you chose a delivery method — push notification, email, or both.

Can I turn on notifications for just one person?

Yes. Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select Turn on notifications for this person. You'll get alerts when they post or comment, even if you have notifications turned off for everyone else.

What's the difference between push notifications and email notifications?

Push notifications arrive when ready as alerts on your phone. Email notifications are sent to your email address and usually arrive in batches once a day or once a week. Push is faster but can feel intrusive; email is less frequent but you might miss time-sensitive messages.

Do I have to turn on all notification types or can I pick and choose?

You can pick and choose. Each notification type has its own toggle switch. Many people turn on Messages and Comments but leave Likes and Birthdays off. Set it up based on what you actually want to know about.

Will turning on notifications use a lot of my phone's battery?

Push notifications use very little battery — they're small alerts that arrive when something happens. Email notifications use even less because they're sent less frequently. The battery impact is negligible compared to other phone activities.