Where to find notification settings in Facebook

Open Facebook on your phone or computer and tap or click the menu icon — three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner on mobile, or the downward arrow in the top right on desktop. Scroll down and select Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Look for Notifications in the menu on the left side (desktop) or scroll down to find it (mobile).

Once you're in Notifications, you'll see a list of notification types: Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, Posts from Friends, Events, and others. Each one has a toggle switch next to it. If the switch is gray or off, that notification type is currently turned off. If it's blue or on, you're receiving those notifications.

Key Takeaways

  • Notification settings are in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Notifications on both mobile and desktop versions of Facebook.
  • Each notification type — Messages, Comments, Likes, Friend Requests — has its own toggle switch you can turn on or off independently.
  • You can choose how you receive notifications: push notifications on your phone, email, or both, depending on the type.
  • Turning on notifications for Messages will alert you to new direct messages, while turning on Comments will notify you when someone replies to your posts.

Turning on notifications for messages and comments

Messages and Comments are the two most commonly toggled notification types. To turn on Messages, find that row in your Notifications settings and switch the toggle to on. You'll then see options for how you want to be notified — push notification to your phone, email, or both. Choose what works for you and save.

Comments work the same way. When you turn on Comments notifications, Facebook will alert you whenever someone replies to a post you've made or commented on. You can set it to notify you for all comments, or only for comments from friends. Some people turn this on but set it to email only, so they're not interrupted by phone alerts all day.

Choosing between push, email, and in-app notifications

Facebook gives you three ways to receive the same notification. A push notification appears on your phone's lock screen or home screen even when you're not in the app. An email notification arrives in your inbox hours or days later, depending on Facebook's batching. An in-app notification shows only when you open Facebook — you'll see a red number badge on the app icon or a bell icon with a count.

Most people turn on push notifications for Messages (so they see direct messages right away) but leave Comments and Likes on email or in-app only. This keeps your phone from buzzing constantly while still letting you know what's happening. You can adjust each notification type separately, so Messages can be push while Likes is email-only.

Notifications for friend requests and events

Friend Requests and Events are usually turned on by default, but you can toggle them off if you don't want alerts. If you turn on Friend Requests, you'll be notified when someone sends you a request. If you turn on Events, you'll get reminders about upcoming events you've been invited to or that friends are attending.

Event notifications are particularly useful if you tend to forget about gatherings. You can set Facebook to remind you a day before, an hour before, or at the time of the event. If you're not interested in event reminders, turning off Events notifications will silence those alerts without affecting other notification types.

Turning on notifications for posts from specific people

If you want notifications only from certain friends' posts, go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right, and select Turn on notifications for this person. This creates a custom notification just for that person's activity, separate from your general Posts from Friends setting.

This is useful if you have close friends or family whose posts you don't want to miss, but you don't want notifications from everyone. You can turn on notifications for as many individual people as you want, and each one will alert you independently when they post.

Adjusting notification timing and frequency

Facebook doesn't let you set specific times for notifications the way some apps do, but you can control how often you receive them. In Notifications settings, look for Notification Frequency or Digest Notifications. Some notification types can be set to send you a summary email once a day instead of individual alerts throughout the day.

If you want fewer interruptions during work or sleep, consider turning off push notifications for non-urgent types like Likes and Comments, and leaving only Messages on push. You can always check in-app notifications when you open Facebook yourself, giving you control over when you see them.

What to do if notifications aren't working

If you've turned on notifications but aren't receiving them, check two places: Facebook's settings (which we covered above) and your phone's settings. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and make sure Allow Notifications is turned on. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and toggle it on.

You should also check that Facebook has permission to send notifications. On both iPhone and Android, this is usually in the same phone settings menu. If notifications are on in both places and you're still not receiving them, try logging out of Facebook and logging back in, or uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn on notifications for only certain types of messages?

Facebook doesn't let you filter Messages notifications by sender within the app settings. However, you can mute individual conversations by opening a chat, tapping the person's name at the top, and selecting Mute Notifications. This silences that specific conversation while keeping Messages notifications on for everyone else.

Will turning on notifications drain my phone battery?

Push notifications use very little battery. The bigger drain comes from your phone's screen turning on to display them. If battery life is a concern, use email or in-app notifications instead of push, or turn off push for less important notification types like Likes and Comments.

How do I stop getting notifications from a specific person without unfriending them?

Go to that person's profile, tap the three dots, and select Turn off notifications for this person. You'll stay friends and see their posts in your feed, but you won't get alerts when they post or comment. You can turn notifications back on anytime by visiting their profile again.

What's the difference between turning off a notification type and muting it?

Turning off a notification type in Settings stops all alerts for that category. Muting is more specific — you can mute one conversation, one person, or one post while keeping notifications on for everything else in that category. Muting is temporary; unmute anytime by going back to that conversation or post.