Where to find Facebook notification settings

Facebook notification settings live in one place: your account menu. Open Facebook on any device, click the downward arrow in the top right corner (next to your profile picture), then select Settings and privacy. From there, click Settings. On the left side, you'll see a menu — click Notifications. This is where every notification choice lives.

The Notifications page shows you categories: messages, friend requests, comments, posts you're tagged in, events, and dozens more. Each category has its own controls. You don't have to change them all at once — you can adjust one type and leave the rest as they are.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Notifications in the left menu to reach all notification controls in one place.
  • Each notification type (messages, comments, friend requests, events) has separate on/off switches and delivery method choices.
  • You can choose how Facebook sends notifications: push notifications on your phone, email, or both, or turn them off entirely.
  • Mobile app notifications are controlled separately from email notifications, so you may need to adjust both if you want to silence your phone but keep email alerts.
  • Muting a person or page stops their notifications without unfriending them or unfollowing them.

Turning notification types on and off

Each notification category has an on/off toggle. If you don't want to hear about friend requests, find Friend requests in the list and toggle it off. The same works for comments, likes, event invitations, and group activity. When you toggle something off, Facebook stops sending you notifications for that activity — but the activity still happens on your account. You just won't be told about it.

Some categories have subcategories. For example, under Comments, you can turn on notifications for comments on your own posts but turn off notifications for comments on posts you've commented on. This gives you control over which conversations you want to follow.

Choosing how notifications reach you

Facebook can send notifications three ways: as push notifications on your phone, as emails, or both. When you click into a notification category, you'll see checkboxes for Push notifications and Email. Check the box for each method you want to use. Uncheck it to stop that method.

This matters because some people want their phone to buzz but don't want email cluttering their inbox. Others want email but don't want phone interruptions. You control both separately. If you turn off push notifications but leave email on, you'll only get emails about that activity.

Silencing notifications from specific people or pages

You don't have to change your settings for everyone. You can mute one person or one page and keep notifications from everyone else. To mute a person, go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select Mute. Choose whether to mute their posts, their stories, or both. To mute a page, do the same from the page's profile.

Muting is quieter than unfriending or unfollowing. The person doesn't know you muted them. You can unmute them anytime by going back to their profile and clicking Unmute. This is useful when someone posts a lot but you don't want to lose the friendship.

Mobile app notification controls

Your phone's operating system also controls notifications. Even if you turn on push notifications in Facebook settings, your phone's settings can override that choice. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and make sure notifications are allowed. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and check that notifications are on.

If Facebook notifications aren't reaching your phone, check both places: Facebook's settings and your phone's settings. Sometimes one is off while the other is on, and nothing gets through. You need both turned on for push notifications to work.

Turning off all notifications at once

If you want to stop almost all Facebook notifications without deleting your account, go to Notifications settings and toggle off the categories you don't want. You can leave on only the ones that matter — maybe messages and close friends' posts, but nothing else.

There is no single "mute everything" button, so you'll need to go through the list. But you only have to do this once. After that, Facebook remembers your choices.

Notification settings on Facebook Messenger

Messenger has its own notification controls separate from the main Facebook app. Open Messenger, tap your profile picture in the top left, scroll down to Notifications and sounds, and adjust what you want. You can turn on or off notifications for messages, calls, and group chats independently. You can also choose a notification sound or turn sound off entirely.

Some people turn off Messenger notifications on their phone but keep them on in the app itself, so they see messages when they open Messenger but don't get interrupted by buzzes throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I still getting notifications after I turned them off?

Check two places: Facebook settings and your phone's settings. Facebook might be off but your phone might still be sending alerts, or vice versa. Also check whether you turned off the right category — you may have turned off comments but left on likes, for example.

Can I turn off notifications for one friend without unfriending them?

Yes. Go to their profile, click the three dots, and select Mute. Choose to mute their posts, stories, or both. They won't know you muted them, and you can unmute anytime. You stay friends; you just don't see their activity in your feed or get notified about it.

Do notification settings sync across my phone and computer?

Yes. Your choices in Facebook settings explore everywhere you use Facebook — phone, tablet, computer. If you turn off email notifications on your phone, you won't get emails on your computer either. But your phone's operating system settings are separate and only affect that device.

What's the difference between muting and unfollowing?

Unfollowing removes someone's posts from your feed but you stay friends and still get notifications about them. Muting stops both their posts and notifications. You can follow someone again anytime, and they won't know you unfollowed them.

Can I get notifications for only one person's posts?

Not directly through notification settings. But you can turn off most notifications and then go to that person's profile, click the three dots, and select See first. This puts their posts at the top of your feed so you see them first, though you won't get a notification alert.