Turn off notifications in Instagram settings on any device

Open Instagram and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right. Go to Settings and privacy, then Notifications. You will see a list of notification types: push notifications, email notifications, and SMS notifications. Each one has a toggle you can switch off individually.

If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, you do not have to turn everything off at once. For example, you might want direct messages to come through but mute likes and comments. Toggle only the ones you want to stop.

On desktop, the path is the same: click your profile icon, select Settings and privacy, then Notifications. The toggles work identically.

Key Takeaways

  • Instagram notifications are controlled in Settings and privacy > Notifications, where you can turn off push, email, and SMS alerts separately.
  • You can silence specific notification types (likes, comments, follows, messages) without turning off all notifications at once.
  • Your phone's operating system also controls whether Instagram can send notifications, so check both Instagram settings and your phone settings if notifications still arrive.
  • Muting individual accounts or hashtags stops notifications from those sources without changing your overall notification settings.
  • Scheduled quiet hours let you keep notifications on during the day but silent at night without manually toggling them.

Use quiet hours to silence notifications on a schedule

Instagram has a built-in quiet hours feature that automatically mutes notifications during times you choose. In Settings and privacy > Notifications, scroll down to Quiet hours and turn it on. Set a start time and end time — for example, 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

During quiet hours, Instagram will not send you push notifications, but the activity will still happen on your account. When quiet hours end, you may see a summary of what you missed, or you can check your activity tab manually. This is useful if you want notifications during work hours but silence at night without having to remember to toggle them.

Mute notifications from specific accounts or hashtags

You do not have to turn off all notifications to stop hearing from accounts that post constantly. Find the account or hashtag that is sending too many notifications, and mute it. On an account's profile, tap the three dots in the top right, then select Mute. Choose whether to mute posts, stories, reels, or all of them. You can also choose to mute notifications only, which means you will still see their posts but will not get alerts when they post.

To mute a hashtag, go to the hashtag page, tap the three dots, and select Mute hashtag. You will no longer see posts with that hashtag in your feed or get notifications about it.

Check your phone's notification settings for Instagram

Even if you turn off notifications in Instagram, your phone's operating system may still allow Instagram to send alerts. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Instagram and make sure Allow Notifications is turned off. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Instagram > Notifications and turn off Allow notifications.

If you want to keep some notifications but silence others, you can also adjust the notification style here. On iPhone, you can choose None for the alert style, or Badges only (a small number on the app icon) without sounds or banners. On Android, you can turn off sound and vibration while keeping visual notifications.

Turn off email and SMS notifications separately

Instagram can send notifications by email and text message in addition to push notifications on your phone. In Settings and privacy > Notifications, scroll to Email notifications and SMS notifications and turn them off if you do not want them.

Email notifications include activity summaries, messages from accounts you follow, and promotional content. SMS notifications are less common but may include security alerts or messages from Instagram. Turning these off will not affect push notifications on your phone — you control them separately.

Disable notifications for specific activity types

Instagram lets you turn off notifications for individual actions. In Settings and privacy > Notifications, you will see categories like Likes, Comments, Follows, Messages, Story replies, and Suggested posts. Toggle off any category you do not want to hear about.

For example, you might want to keep message notifications on so you do not miss direct messages, but turn off likes and comments. Or you might turn off suggested posts and recommendations but keep follows and messages. The choice is yours for each type.

What to do if notifications still arrive after you turn them off

If you have turned off notifications in Instagram but they still come through, the problem is usually in your phone's settings, not Instagram's. Check your phone's notification settings for Instagram again and make sure Allow Notifications is actually off, not just set to silent.

On iPhone, also check Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb or any other Focus mode you use — these can override app-level settings. On Android, check whether you have a Do Not Disturb schedule that is allowing Instagram notifications through. If you have recently updated Instagram or your phone's operating system, the settings may have reset to defaults, so check them again after any update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people know I turned off notifications from them?

No. Turning off notifications is private. The person will not know you muted them or turned off their alerts. They can still message you, post, and interact with your account normally — you just will not get a notification about it.

Can I turn off notifications for one type of post but keep others?

Yes. In Settings and privacy > Notifications, you can toggle each notification type on or off separately. You can also mute individual accounts or hashtags without affecting notifications from other accounts.

What is the difference between muting and turning off notifications?

Muting an account or hashtag hides their posts from your feed and stops notifications about them. Turning off a notification type in settings stops all notifications of that type from all accounts. Muting is more targeted; turning off notifications is broader.

Do quiet hours affect notifications on my phone from other apps?

No. Instagram's quiet hours only affect Instagram notifications. Your phone's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode affects all apps. If you want to silence all notifications at night, use your phone's settings instead of Instagram's quiet hours.

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

You can turn off notifications but still check Instagram manually whenever you want. Messages will still arrive in your inbox — you just will not get an alert. If you want to keep message notifications but turn off everything else, toggle off the other notification types and leave messages on.