Push notifications are messages Facebook sends to your device outside the app itself

A push notification is a message that appears on your phone, tablet, or computer even when you are not inside the Facebook app. It pops up as a small alert — usually at the top of your screen on a phone, or in the corner on a computer — and tells you something happened: someone commented on your post, a friend went live, a group you joined has new activity, or an event is coming up.

The word "push" means Facebook is sending the message to you, rather than you going into the app to look for it. That is the key difference between a push notification and a regular in-app message. A push notification reaches you whether the app is open, closed, or not even installed — as long as you have a web browser or the Facebook app on your device and you have not turned notifications off.

Push notifications exist because Facebook wants to pull you back into the app. Each notification is designed to make you curious enough to tap it, which opens Facebook and shows you the thing that triggered the alert. This is why they can feel relentless if you do not control them — Facebook has financial incentive to send as many as possible.

Key Takeaways

  • Push notifications are alerts that appear outside the Facebook app, on your device's home screen or lock screen, and are designed to bring you back into the app.
  • Facebook sends push notifications for comments, likes, friend requests, group activity, event reminders, and live video — but you can turn off each type separately.
  • Turning off push notifications does not delete your Facebook account or hide your posts; it only stops the alerts from reaching your device.
  • You can control push notifications through Facebook settings on your phone, through your device's operating system settings, or by turning off notifications for the entire app.
  • Different devices handle push notifications differently — an iPhone, Android phone, and computer may each need separate adjustments.

Where push notifications come from on Facebook

Facebook sends push notifications for specific events. The most common ones are: someone comments on your post or photo, someone likes something you shared, a friend sends you a friend request, someone tags you in a post or comment, a group you joined has new posts, an event you are attending is coming up, a page you follow posts something new, or a friend goes live with video.

Facebook also sends notifications about things you did not ask for — suggestions to reconnect with old friends, reminders that you have not posted in a while, or alerts that a friend's birthday is today. These are designed to keep you thinking about Facebook throughout the day, even when you have not opened the app.

The notifications appear differently depending on your device. On an iPhone, they show up on your lock screen and in the notification center. On Android, they appear in the notification shade at the top of the screen. On a computer, they usually show up as a small box in the corner of your screen, or sometimes as a number badge on the Facebook icon in your browser.

How push notifications reach your device

When you install the Facebook app or log into Facebook on a web browser, you give the app or browser permission to send you notifications. Your device then creates a connection to Facebook's servers. Every time something happens on your account — a comment, a like, a message — Facebook's system checks whether that event should trigger a notification based on your settings.

If it should, Facebook sends a message through that connection to your device, and your device displays it. This happens whether you are using Facebook or doing something else entirely. The notification does not require you to be online or to have the app open; it arrives as long as your device is turned on and connected to the internet.

This is why push notifications can feel intrusive. They interrupt whatever you are doing. Unlike an email, which sits in your inbox until you check it, a push notification demands your attention right now by appearing on your screen.

The difference between push notifications and other Facebook alerts

Facebook has several ways to reach you, and they work differently. A push notification appears on your device outside the app. An in-app notification is a small red number or bell icon that appears only when you are inside the Facebook app. An email notification arrives in your email inbox and you see it when you check email. An SMS notification is a text message to your phone.

You can turn off push notifications but still receive emails, or turn off emails but still get push notifications. Each type has its own on-off switch in your settings. Many people turn off push notifications because they are the most disruptive, but keep email notifications because they can read those on their own schedule.

Some notifications are also in-app only, meaning they never reach you outside the app. For example, if someone comments on your post while you are inside Facebook, you might see a small notification inside the app, but you will not get a push notification to your home screen.

Why Facebook sends so many notifications

Facebook's business model depends on how much time you spend in the app. The more you use Facebook, the more ads you see, and the more money Facebook makes from advertisers. Push notifications are one of the most effective tools for pulling people back into the app throughout the day.

A notification that says "Sarah commented on your post" is designed to make you curious. You tap it, Facebook opens, and now you are in the app. While you are there, you might scroll through your feed, see ads, and spend fifteen minutes instead of the thirty seconds it would have taken to read Sarah's comment. That extra time is valuable to Facebook.

This is why the default settings send you a lot of notifications. Facebook wants you to receive them. If you find yourself getting too many, that is not a bug — it is the system working as designed. Turning them off requires you to actively change your settings, which most people never do.

What happens when you turn off push notifications

Turning off push notifications does not affect your Facebook account in any way. Your posts stay visible, your messages still arrive, your friends can still see your profile, and nothing changes about how Facebook works. The only thing that stops is the alerts reaching your device.

If you turn off notifications for comments, you will not get a push alert when someone comments on your post. But the comment still appears on your post, and you can still see it if you open Facebook and look. You just will not be interrupted by an alert telling you it happened.

You can also turn off notifications for specific types of activity while keeping others on. For example, you might turn off notifications for likes and friend suggestions, but keep notifications for direct messages and comments. This way you still hear about things that matter to you, but not about things you do not care about.

Push notifications across different devices

If you use Facebook on multiple devices — a phone, a tablet, and a computer — each device can have different notification settings. Turning off notifications on your iPhone does not turn them off on your Android tablet or your computer. You have to adjust settings on each device separately.

This is important to know because you might think you have turned off notifications, but then you still get them on a different device. For example, you might turn off Facebook notifications in your iPhone settings, but still receive them on your computer because you never changed the settings there.

Some people prefer to turn off push notifications on their phone but keep them on their computer, since a computer notification is less intrusive than a phone notification. Others do the opposite. The choice depends on which device you use most and which interruptions bother you most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off notifications for just one person or one type of activity?

Yes. In Facebook settings, you can turn off notifications for comments, likes, friend requests, group activity, event reminders, and many other specific types of alerts. You can also mute notifications from specific people or pages without unfriending or unfollowing them. This lets you stay connected without being interrupted by things you do not care about.

If I turn off push notifications, will people know I am ignoring them?

No. Turning off notifications is invisible to other people. They cannot see your notification settings, and there is no way for them to know whether you received an alert about their message or comment. It only affects what appears on your device.

Why do I still get notifications after I turned them off?

You might have turned them off on one device but not another, or you might have turned off one type of notification but not the one that is bothering you. Check your settings on every device you use Facebook on. Also check your phone or computer's operating system settings — sometimes the device itself blocks notifications even if Facebook is set to send them.

Do push notifications use data or battery?

Push notifications use very little data — just a few kilobytes per notification. They do use a tiny amount of battery because your device has to wake up to display the alert, but the impact is usually too small to notice. If you are trying to save battery, turning off notifications will help slightly, but closing apps or reducing screen brightness makes a bigger difference.

What is the difference between muting someone and turning off their notifications?

Muting someone hides their posts from your feed, so you do not see what they share. Turning off notifications from them stops you from getting alerts about their activity, but you can still see their posts if you visit their profile. Muting is stronger — it removes them from your feed entirely.