A push notification is a message Facebook sends to your phone or computer even when you are not using the app
When someone comments on your post, Facebook wants to tell you right away. Instead of waiting for you to open the app, it sends a small alert to your device — that is a push notification. The message pops up on your lock screen, in your notification center, or as a banner across the top of your screen, depending on your device and settings.
Facebook controls what triggers these alerts. It decides which actions are "important enough" to interrupt you: a friend request, a comment, a message, a tagged photo, a birthday reminder, or someone reacting to something you posted. You do not have to receive all of them. Each type can be turned on or off separately, and you can silence notifications entirely during certain hours.
Key Takeaways
- Push notifications are alerts sent to your device by Facebook, separate from messages you see only when you open the app.
- You can turn off notifications by type — comments, messages, friend requests, tags — rather than all or nothing.
- On iPhone, Facebook notifications also depend on settings in your phone's Settings app under Notifications, which can override what you set in Facebook itself.
- Turning off push notifications does not delete your messages or hide your activity from others; it only stops the alerts to your device.
- Notification badges (the red number on the Facebook icon) can be hidden separately from the alerts themselves.
Where push notifications come from on your phone
Facebook sends notifications through your phone's operating system, not through the app alone. On an iPhone, this means Facebook has to ask your permission first — you see a prompt asking "Allow Facebook to send you notifications?" When you tap Allow, iOS passes those notifications through to you. On Android, Facebook has similar permission requirements, though the prompt may look different.
This matters because your phone's settings can block notifications even if you turned them on inside Facebook. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook. You will see toggles for "Allow Notifications" and "Show on Lock Screen". If either is off, you will not receive alerts no matter what Facebook's settings say. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and check that notifications are enabled there as well.
How to turn off notifications by type in Facebook
Open Facebook on your phone and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Look for Notifications. You will see a list of notification types: Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Tags, Reactions, and others depending on your version of the app.
Tap each one to see your options. Most will let you choose between "All", "Important", "Friends Only", or "Off". For example, you might set Comments to "Important" so you only hear about comments on your own posts, not every comment in groups you follow. You might set Friend Requests to "Off" entirely. The changes take effect when ready.
If you want to keep notifications but silence them during sleep or work hours, look for "Quiet Hours" or "Do Not Disturb" in the same Notifications menu. You can set a time range — say, 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. — and Facebook will hold notifications until that window closes. The alerts still arrive; they just do not make a sound or light up your screen.
The difference between push notifications and in-app notifications
A push notification reaches you outside the app — on your lock screen, in your notification center, or as a banner while you are using another app. An in-app notification only appears when you are already inside Facebook. You might see a red badge with a number on the Facebook icon itself; that is also separate from push notifications.
You can turn off push notifications but still see in-app alerts, or vice versa. Some people silence push notifications entirely but leave in-app notifications on, so they see updates only when they choose to open Facebook. Others do the opposite: they want the alert on their lock screen but do not want to see a badge on the app icon. Each setting controls a different layer.
Why Facebook sends notifications and what it tracks
Facebook sends notifications to bring you back into the app. The more often you open it, the more ads you see, and the more data Facebook collects about your behavior. A notification about a comment on your post is designed to feel personal and urgent, even if the comment came from someone you barely know.
Facebook also uses your notification settings to learn what kinds of activity interest you. If you turn off notifications about group posts but keep notifications about messages, Facebook notes that preference and may adjust what it shows you in your feed. This does not change what data Facebook collects about you — it collects that regardless — but it does shape what you see and how often you are interrupted.
What happens when you turn off all notifications
Turning off push notifications does not hide your activity from other people. Your friends can still see your posts, comment on them, and send you messages. You will not receive alerts about any of it, but the activity still happens. When you open Facebook later, you will see all the comments, messages, and tags waiting for you in your notification center inside the app.
Turning off notifications also does not change your privacy settings or who can contact you. A friend can still message you; you just will not get a notification that they did. If you are worried about missing something important, you can turn off most notifications but keep Messages or Close Friends turned on, so only the people who matter most can interrupt you.
Notification badges and how to hide them
The red circle with a number on your Facebook app icon is a notification badge. It tells you how many unread messages, comments, or other alerts are waiting. Some people find this badge stressful because it creates a visual reminder that something needs attention. You can hide it without turning off notifications entirely.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and turn off "Badge App Icon". On Android, the process varies by phone, but usually you go to Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications and look for "Show notification badges" or similar. The badge will disappear, but you will still receive push notifications and in-app alerts. You just will not see the number on the icon.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I turn off notifications, will people know I am ignoring them?
No. Turning off notifications only affects what your device shows you. Other people cannot see your notification settings. If someone sends you a message and you do not reply for hours, they might assume you are busy or ignoring them, but that is true whether you have notifications on or off.
Can I get notifications from only certain people?
Yes, partially. You can set notifications to "Friends Only" for some types, which filters out notifications from pages and groups. You can also customize notifications for specific people by going to their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting "Notifications". Some versions of Facebook let you choose "All Posts", "Important Only", or "Off" for individual people.
Why am I still getting notifications after I turned them off?
Check your phone's settings, not just Facebook's. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Facebook and make sure "Allow Notifications" is toggled on if you want them, or off if you do not. On Android, check Settings > Apps > Facebook > Notifications. Your phone's settings override Facebook's settings.
Do notifications use data or battery?
Push notifications use very little data — usually just a few kilobytes per alert. They do use some battery, but the drain is minimal. If you are trying to save battery, turning off notifications will help slightly, but closing unused apps or lowering screen brightness makes a bigger difference.
Can Facebook send notifications if I uninstalled the app?
No. Push notifications require the Facebook app to be installed. If you uninstalled it, you will not receive any notifications. You can still access Facebook through a web browser, but you will not get alerts unless you reinstall the app.