Chrome notifications are the pop-up messages websites send to your desktop or phone, separate from your browser tab
When you visit a news site, social media platform, or shopping site, you may see a prompt asking "Allow notifications?" If you click Allow, that website can send you messages even when you are not looking at it. These appear as small boxes in the corner of your screen, or on your phone's lock screen. You can turn off notifications in three ways: block them before they arrive, remove permission from sites that already have it, or turn off all Chrome notifications at once.
The fastest method depends on whether you want to stop one website or all websites. If a single site sends too many notifications, you can block just that site in seconds. If you want Chrome to stop asking about notifications altogether, you can change one setting that applies everywhere.
Key Takeaways
- You can block notifications from a single website by clicking the lock icon next to the web address and changing the notification setting to Block.
- To remove notifications from a site that already has permission, go to Chrome Settings, find Privacy and Security, then Site Settings, then Notifications, and remove the site from the Allowed list.
- You can prevent Chrome from asking about notifications at all by turning off the notification permission request in Chrome Settings under Privacy and Security.
- On Android phones, notification settings are in the same place but you may also need to check your phone's app permissions for Chrome itself.
Block notifications from one website right now
The quickest way to stop a website from sending notifications is to block it before you even see a notification prompt. Look at the web address bar at the top of Chrome. On the left side, you will see a small lock icon (if the site is find) or an information icon (if it is not). Click that icon.
A small menu will drop down. Look for the word "Notifications" in that menu. If you see it, click the dropdown next to it and select "Block". If you do not see Notifications listed, the site has not asked for permission yet, so this step is not necessary. Once you select Block, that website will never send you notifications and will never ask again.
Remove notifications from sites that already have permission
If you already clicked Allow on a notification prompt and now want to stop it, you need to go into Chrome Settings. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome and select "Settings".
On the left side of the Settings page, click "Privacy and security". Then click "Site settings". You will see a list of different permissions — Camera, Microphone, Location, and others. Find and click "Notifications".
You will now see two lists: "Allowed" and "Blocked". Under the Allowed list, find the website you want to stop. Click the three dots next to it and select "Remove". That website will no longer be able to send you notifications. If you want to block it from asking again in the future, click the three dots again and select "Block".
Turn off all notification permission requests in Chrome
If you do not want Chrome to ask about notifications from any website, you can change the default setting. Go to Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Notifications again.
At the top of the Notifications page, you will see a toggle or dropdown that says "Sites can ask for permission" or similar wording depending on your Chrome version. Click that toggle to turn it off, or change the dropdown to "Don't allow". Now no website will be able to ask you for notification permission, and you will not see those prompts anymore.
This does not remove notifications from sites that already have permission — those will keep sending until you remove them individually using the method in the previous section.
Stop notifications on your Android phone
On Android, the steps are similar but the Settings menu is slightly different. Open Chrome and tap the three dots in the bottom right corner. Tap "Settings", then "Site settings", then "Notifications".
You will see the same Allowed and Blocked lists. Remove any site you do not want notifications from by tapping it and selecting "Clear and reset". You can also turn off all notification requests by tapping the toggle at the top.
On Android, you may also need to check your phone's own notification settings for Chrome. Go to your phone's Settings app, find Apps or process Manager, search for Chrome, and tap "Notifications". Make sure Chrome notifications are turned on at the phone level, or you will not see any notifications even if a website has permission. If you want to block notifications completely, you can turn off Chrome notifications here instead of in Chrome Settings.
What to do if a website keeps asking after you blocked it
Sometimes a website will ask about notifications again even after you selected Block. This usually happens because the website's code was updated or because you cleared your browsing data. If this happens, you have two options: block it again using the lock icon method, or go back to Site Settings and make sure the site is in your Blocked list, not just removed from Allowed.
If a website is particularly aggressive about asking, you can also consider using a browser extension that blocks notification prompts automatically. However, the built-in Chrome settings are usually enough for most people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications stop me from getting important alerts?
Notifications from websites are different from alerts within the website itself. If you turn off notifications, you will still see messages and alerts when you are actually on the website. You will only miss notifications that arrive when you are not looking at that tab. Important services like email and banking usually have in-app alerts that work separately from notifications.
Can I turn off notifications from just one type of website, like social media?
You have to remove or block notifications one website at a time — there is no way to block by category. However, you can go through your Allowed list in Site Settings and remove all the sites you do not want. It takes a few minutes but is a one-time task.
What is the difference between Block and Remove?
Remove takes away a site's current permission to send notifications. Block prevents that site from ever asking for permission again. If you just Remove a site, it can ask you again later. If you Block it, it cannot ask. Use Block for sites you are sure you never want notifications from.
Do I need to turn off notifications on my phone and computer separately?
Yes. Chrome on your phone and Chrome on your computer are separate. Changing settings on one does not affect the other. You will need to go through the same steps on each device if you want to block notifications everywhere.
Why do websites ask for notification permission in the first place?
Websites use notifications to send you messages about sales, new posts, messages from other users, or breaking news. They ask for permission because browsers require it — websites cannot send notifications without your consent. Blocking notifications does not break the website; it just means you will not receive those messages.