Push notifications on Facebook are messages that pop up on your phone or computer whether or not you have the Facebook app open

A push notification is a small alert that arrives on your device outside the Facebook app itself. On your phone, it appears as a banner at the top of your screen or in your notification center. On your computer, it's a small box that slides in from the corner of your screen. Facebook sends these to tell you someone commented on your post, liked your photo, sent you a message, or that a friend you follow posted something new.

The key difference from other notifications: push notifications reach you even when you're not using Facebook. You could be reading email, scrolling Instagram, or doing something else entirely, and a push notification will interrupt you. That's why they're powerful for getting your attention — and why controlling them matters.

Key Takeaways

  • Push notifications arrive on your lock screen or home screen whether the Facebook app is open or not, making them more intrusive than in-app alerts.
  • Facebook sends push notifications for comments, likes, messages, friend requests, and content from pages or groups you follow, depending on what you've allowed.
  • You can turn off push notifications entirely, or customize which types of activity trigger them — this is different from muting or unfollowing.
  • Turning off push notifications does not delete your account, hide your posts, or stop Facebook from collecting data about you.
  • The settings are in different places on mobile phones versus computers, so you may need to adjust them in both places separately.

Where push notifications come from on Facebook

Facebook decides what to send you based on two things: what you've done on the platform, and what you've allowed in your notification settings. If you've commented on a post before, Facebook may send you a push notification when someone replies. If you follow a page, you might get notified when that page posts. If you're in a group, you could be notified about new messages or posts in that group.

Facebook also sends push notifications for direct messages from people you know, friend requests, and sometimes suggestions about content it thinks you'll engage with. The more you interact with something on Facebook, the more likely you are to receive push notifications about similar activity.

How to turn off push notifications on iPhone

On an iPhone, you control push notifications through your phone's settings, not through Facebook itself. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Facebook, then tap Notifications. You'll see a toggle for Allow Notifications — turn this off to stop all push notifications from Facebook.

If you want to keep some notifications but not others, keep Allow Notifications on and scroll down to customize. You can turn off Sounds, Badges (the red number on the app icon), or Banners (the alerts that pop up). You can also choose whether notifications appear on your lock screen, in your notification center, or both. These changes affect all Facebook notifications, not just certain types.

How to turn off push notifications on Android

On Android, open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner, scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Scroll to Notifications and tap it. You'll see Notifications at the top — tap this and toggle it off to stop all push notifications.

If you want finer control, stay in the Notifications menu and you'll see options like Messages, Comments, Likes, and Friend Requests. You can turn each of these on or off individually. Some Android phones also let you manage Facebook notifications through your phone's main Settings app under Apps or Notifications, similar to iPhone.

How to turn off push notifications on a computer

On a computer, push notifications work differently depending on your browser. In Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, Facebook can send notifications even when you're not on the Facebook website — but only if you've given the browser permission to do so.

To stop them, open Facebook in your browser and look for a bell icon or notification icon in the address bar (it may have a slash through it). Click it and select Block or Don't Allow. If you don't see this icon, go to your browser's settings: in Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, select Settings, click Privacy and Security, then Site Settings, then Notifications. Find Facebook in the list and click Block.

The difference between push notifications and other Facebook alerts

Facebook has several ways to reach you, and they work independently. Push notifications are separate from email notifications, in-app notifications (alerts you see only when the app is open), and SMS text messages. You can turn off push notifications but still receive emails about activity on your account. You can turn off emails but still get push notifications. Each type has its own on-off switch.

Muting a person or unfollowing a page is also different from turning off push notifications. When you mute someone, you won't see their posts in your feed, but you might still get notified if they comment on something you posted. When you unfollow a page, you won't see their posts, but you might still get notified about messages from that page. Turning off push notifications stops the alerts themselves, regardless of who they're from.

What happens when you turn off push notifications

Turning off push notifications does not hide your posts, delete your account, change your privacy settings, or stop Facebook from collecting data about your activity. It only stops the alerts from reaching your phone or computer. You can still use Facebook normally — you just won't be interrupted by notifications when you're not using the app.

If you turn off push notifications and then change your mind, you can turn them back on the same way you turned them off. There's no waiting period or penalty. You can also turn them off for a while and turn them back on later, or adjust which types of notifications you receive as your preferences change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know if I turn off push notifications?

No. Turning off push notifications is a setting only you can see. Other people cannot tell whether you receive notifications about their activity. Facebook does not notify anyone when you change your notification settings.

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

You won't receive alerts, but the messages will still be in your Facebook inbox. When you open the app or website, you'll see them. If you're concerned about missing urgent messages from specific people, you can turn off notifications for most activity but keep them on for direct messages, or ask those people to text you instead.

Can I turn off notifications from one person but keep them from others?

Not through push notifications directly. But you can mute a specific person so their posts don't appear in your feed, or you can turn off notifications for a specific group or page. For messages, you can mute a conversation so you don't get notified when that person messages you, even though the conversation stays in your inbox.

Do I need to turn off push notifications on both my phone and my computer?

Yes. Phone settings and computer browser settings are separate. If you turn off push notifications on your iPhone but not in Chrome on your computer, you'll still receive notifications on your computer. You need to adjust the settings in each place where you use Facebook.

What's the difference between turning off notifications and deleting the Facebook app?

Turning off notifications stops the alerts but leaves the app on your phone so you can still use it whenever you want. Deleting the app removes it entirely, but you can still access Facebook through a web browser. Turning off notifications is a middle ground if you want to use Facebook but don't want constant interruptions.