A push notification on Facebook is a message that appears on your phone or computer screen, even when you're not in the Facebook app
Facebook sends these notifications to alert you about activity on your account: someone commented on your post, a friend went live, a group you follow posted something new, or someone sent you a message. The notification pops up as a small banner on your phone's home screen, in your computer's system tray, or on your lock screen — you don't have to open Facebook to see it.
The key difference between a push notification and other alerts is that push notifications reach you outside the app itself. An in-app notification only shows up when you're already scrolling through Facebook. A push notification interrupts whatever you're doing to tell you something happened.
Facebook decides what to send you based on your settings, your past behavior on the platform, and what the company thinks will bring you back to the app. The more you interact with certain types of posts or people, the more notifications Facebook sends about similar activity.
Key Takeaways
- Push notifications appear on your phone's lock screen or computer desktop even when the Facebook app is closed, unlike in-app alerts that only show inside the app.
- Facebook sends notifications about comments, messages, friend requests, group activity, and live streams based on your settings and engagement history.
- You can turn off push notifications entirely or customize which types of activity trigger them through your phone's settings or Facebook's notification menu.
- Disabling push notifications does not delete your account or hide your activity from others — it only stops the alerts from reaching your device.
Where push notifications come from on Facebook
Facebook generates push notifications from several sources. The most common are comments and reactions on your posts, messages from friends, friend requests, and activity in groups you've joined. Facebook also sends notifications when someone you follow goes live, when a page you follow posts something new, or when there's activity in a chat group.
The platform also sends notifications about things you didn't directly create: if someone tags you in a photo, mentions you in a comment, or shares your post. Birthday reminders and event invitations also trigger push notifications.
Less obvious sources include notifications about people you may know, suggestions to join groups, and alerts about your own account security or login activity. Facebook can also send notifications about content recommendations — posts the algorithm thinks you'll want to see.
How to turn off push notifications on iPhone
On an iPhone, you control Facebook push notifications through your phone's Settings app, not through Facebook itself. Open Settings, scroll down to find Facebook, and tap it. Select Notifications. You'll see a toggle for "Allow Notifications" — turn it off to stop all push notifications from Facebook.
If you want to keep some notifications but block others, keep "Allow Notifications" on and scroll down. You can turn off notifications for specific types of alerts: badges (the red number on the app icon), sounds, and banners (the pop-ups that appear on screen). You can also choose whether notifications appear on your lock screen, in the notification center, or both.
After you change these settings, the changes take effect when ready. Facebook will stop sending push notifications to your phone within a few minutes.
How to turn off push notifications on Android
On Android, open your Settings app and find Apps or Applications (the name varies by phone brand). Scroll to find Facebook and tap it. Select Notifications. Toggle off "Show Notifications" to stop all push notifications from Facebook.
If you want finer control, keep notifications on but tap "Notification Categories" or a similar option. You can then turn off notifications for specific types of activity — messages, comments, friend requests, and so on. Some Android phones also let you control the notification sound and whether notifications appear on your lock screen.
Changes take effect when ready. If you later want to turn notifications back on, follow the same steps and toggle the setting back on.
How to manage push notifications in Facebook's settings
You can also adjust notifications from inside the Facebook app itself, though the phone's settings are more powerful. Open Facebook, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Select Notifications. You'll see options for different notification types: messages, comments, friend requests, group activity, and more.
For each type, you can choose whether to receive notifications, how often, and through which channels (push, email, or in-app only). Some notification types let you choose "All," "Important," or "Off." If you choose "Off" here, Facebook won't send push notifications for that activity, but you'll still see in-app alerts when you open the app.
These Facebook settings work alongside your phone's settings. If you turn off push notifications in your phone's settings, Facebook's settings won't override that choice. But if you turn off a specific notification type in Facebook's settings, you won't receive it even if push notifications are on in your phone's settings.
Why Facebook sends you so many notifications
Facebook's business model depends on keeping you engaged with the platform. Every notification is designed to pull you back into the app. The more time you spend on Facebook, the more ads you see, and the more data Facebook collects about your behavior. Notifications are one of the most effective tools for this.
Facebook's algorithm learns what kinds of activity make you open the app. If you tend to respond to notifications about comments on your posts, Facebook will send you more of those. If you ignore notifications about group activity, Facebook may send fewer of them — or it may send them at different times to try to catch your attention.
The company also sends notifications about things you didn't ask for: suggestions to join groups, recommendations to follow pages, and alerts about people you may know. These are designed to expand your activity on the platform and create more reasons for you to return.
What happens when you turn off push notifications
Turning off push notifications does not affect your Facebook account or your privacy. Your posts remain visible to whoever you shared them with. Your messages still arrive in your inbox. People can still comment on your posts and tag you in photos. The only thing that changes is that you stop receiving alerts about these activities on your phone or computer.
You can still see all activity when you open the Facebook app — it just won't interrupt you with notifications. Some people check Facebook on their own schedule instead of waiting for notifications to prompt them. Others turn off notifications but keep email alerts on, so they receive updates through email instead of push notifications.
If you turn notifications back on later, you won't see notifications for activity that happened while they were off. Facebook doesn't send retroactive notifications. You'll only receive alerts about new activity going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off notifications for one person but keep them for others?
Facebook doesn't offer a way to block notifications from specific people. You can turn off notifications for entire categories (messages, comments, friend requests) but not for individual friends. If someone sends you many unwanted notifications, you can mute their posts so they don't appear in your feed, but you'll still receive notifications if they message you directly.
Will people know if I turn off push notifications?
No. Turning off push notifications is a setting on your device only. Other people cannot see whether you have notifications on or off. They won't know if you read their message when ready or hours later.
What's the difference between turning off notifications on my phone versus in Facebook's settings?
Your phone's settings are the master switch — if you turn off notifications there, Facebook cannot send them no matter what. Facebook's settings let you choose which types of activity trigger notifications. Using both together gives you the most control: turn off notifications on your phone for complete silence, or use Facebook's settings to keep notifications for messages but turn off notifications for comments and friend requests.
If I turn off notifications, will I miss important messages?
You won't miss messages — they'll still arrive in your inbox. You just won't be alerted when they arrive. You can check your messages whenever you open the app. If you need to stay reachable for urgent messages, consider turning off notifications for everything except direct messages, or keeping notifications on but muting your phone's sound.
Can I schedule notifications to stop at certain times?
Facebook doesn't have a built-in quiet hours feature, but your phone does. On iPhone, use Focus modes to silence notifications during specific times. On Android, use Do Not Disturb. These settings will silence Facebook notifications along with other alerts during your chosen hours.