Where notifications live and how to turn them off
Notifications come from three places: your operating system (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android), individual apps, and your web browser. To remove them, you need to find the right settings for each source. The fastest way is usually to start in the app itself — most apps have a notifications section in their settings menu. If an app doesn't offer the control you need, you can block it at the system level instead.
On phones and tablets, notifications are managed through your device settings, not the app settings. On computers, you have both options: turn off notifications in the app, or turn them off in your operating system's notification center. The system-level approach works even if the app doesn't have its own notification controls.
Web browsers send notifications separately from app notifications. These appear as pop-ups in the corner of your screen even when you're not on the website. Removing them requires visiting your browser's site permissions settings, not your device settings.
Key Takeaways
- Most apps let you turn off notifications in their own settings menu, usually under Notifications or Alerts — start there before changing system settings.
- On phones and tablets, go to your device settings (not the app), find the app name, and toggle notifications off completely or choose which types to allow.
- On Windows and macOS, you can block notifications from specific apps through your system notification center without uninstalling the app.
- Website notifications are managed in your browser's site permissions, not your device settings, and you can block them per website or globally.
- Removing a notification does not delete the app or stop it from working — it only stops the alerts from appearing on your screen.
Turning off notifications on iPhone and iPad
Open Settings, then scroll down and tap the app name. Tap Notifications. You will see a toggle for "Allow Notifications" — turn it off to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep some notifications but not others, leave "Allow Notifications" on and scroll down to see options like Sounds, Badges, and Banner Style. You can turn off individual types without blocking the app entirely.
If you want to remove notifications from multiple apps at once, go to Settings > Notifications and you will see a list of every app that sends alerts. Tap each one and toggle off "Allow Notifications." This is faster than going into each app individually.
Notifications that have already appeared in your lock screen or notification center do not disappear when you change these settings — they stay until you manually swipe them away. Changing the setting only stops new notifications from arriving.
Turning off notifications on Android phones and tablets
Open Settings and go to Apps or process Manager (the exact name varies by phone brand). Find the app you want to silence. Tap Notifications or Notification Settings. Toggle off "Show Notifications" or "Allow Notifications," depending on what your phone calls it. Some phones also let you choose notification types — you can turn off sounds but keep badges, for example.
On newer Android phones, you can also long-press a notification when it appears and select "Turn off notifications for this app." This takes you directly to the app's notification settings without hunting through menus.
If an app does not have a notifications toggle in its settings, go back to the Apps menu, find the app, and look for a Notifications section at the top of the app details page. Not every app offers granular controls, but the system-level toggle will always work.
Removing notifications on Windows 10 and 11
Open Settings and go to System > Notifications. You will see a list of every app that sends notifications. Find the app you want to silence and toggle it off. You can also scroll down to see options like "Show notifications on the lock screen" and "Show notifications in the notification center" — turning these off removes notifications globally, not just from one app.
If you want to keep notifications from an app but change how they appear, toggle the app on and then click it to see more options. You can turn off sounds, banners, or badges individually.
Some apps send notifications through Windows itself rather than through their own settings. If you turn off an app in the Notifications settings and it still sends alerts, open the app and look for its own notification preferences. The app's settings override the system settings.
Removing notifications on Mac
Click the Apple menu, go to System Settings, then Notifications. You will see a list of apps on the left side. Click the app you want to silence. Toggle off "Allow notifications" to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep some types of notifications, leave it on and uncheck individual options like "Sounds" or "Badges."
You can also manage notifications from the Notification Center itself. Click the Notification Center icon in the top right corner of your screen (it looks like three horizontal lines). Find a notification from the app you want to silence, click the three dots next to it, and select "Turn Off" or "Manage." This takes you to the app's notification settings.
If an app is not listed in System Settings > Notifications, it either does not send notifications or it sends them through a different system. Open the app itself and look for Preferences or Settings to find its notification controls.
Blocking website notifications in your browser
Website notifications appear as pop-ups in the corner of your screen and are separate from app notifications. In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Notifications. You will see a list of websites that have permission to send notifications. Click the website name and select "Block" or click the trash icon to remove it. To block all website notifications going forward, toggle off "Sites can ask to send notifications."
In Firefox, click the menu button (three horizontal lines), go to Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to Permissions, and click Settings next to Notifications. You will see a list of websites. Click the website and select "Remove" or "Block." To prevent new notification requests, uncheck "Warn you when websites try to send push notifications."
In Safari on Mac, go to Safari > Settings > Websites > Notifications. Select a website from the list and choose "Deny" from the dropdown. To block all notification requests, select "Deny" in the dropdown at the bottom right.
If a website asks for permission to send notifications and you do not want to see the request again, click "Block" instead of "Allow." Most browsers will remember your choice and stop asking.
Stopping notifications from specific contacts or groups
If you want to keep notifications from an app but silence specific people, most messaging and social apps let you mute individual conversations. In Messages on iPhone, swipe left on the conversation and tap the bell icon. On Android, long-press the conversation and tap the bell icon or look for a Mute option. In most apps, you can choose to mute for one hour, eight hours, one day, or indefinitely.
For group chats, the process is the same — muting a group conversation stops notifications from that group without leaving the chat or affecting notifications from other conversations. You will still see messages when you open the app; you just will not get alerts on your lock screen or home screen.
Some apps also let you mute notifications from a specific person across all conversations. Look in the app's settings under Notifications or Privacy to see if this option is available.
What to do if an app keeps sending notifications after you turn them off
If an app is still sending notifications after you have toggled them off in settings, the notification might be coming from a different source. Check both the app's own settings and your device's system settings — sometimes one overrides the other. If the app has a settings menu inside the app itself, open it and look for Notifications, Alerts, or Reminders.
Some apps send notifications through email instead of through your device. If you are receiving email notifications from an app, go to your email settings and create a filter to send those emails to trash automatically, or unsubscribe from the notification emails in the app's account settings.
If none of this works, try uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Sometimes notification settings get stuck, and a fresh install resets them. Before you uninstall, make sure you know your login information for the app so you can sign back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off notifications stop the app from working?
No. Turning off notifications only stops the alerts from appearing on your screen. The app will continue to work normally in the background. You can still open the app and use it — you just will not get pop-ups or sounds when something happens.
Can I turn off notifications for just one type of alert?
Yes, most apps let you choose which types of notifications to allow. You might be able to turn off sounds but keep badges, or turn off lock screen notifications but keep banner notifications. Look in the app's notification settings to see what options are available — not every app offers all types.
Why do I still see notifications after I turned them off?
The notification might be coming from a different source. Check both your app settings and your device settings to make sure you turned them off in both places. Some apps also send notifications through email or your web browser instead of through your device — check those too.
How do I stop a website from asking for notification permission?
When a website asks for permission to send notifications, click "Block" instead of "Allow." Your browser will remember your choice and stop asking. If you already clicked "Allow," go to your browser's site permissions settings and change the website from "Allow" to "Block."
Can I remove notifications from my lock screen but keep them in my notification center?
Yes, on most devices. On iPhone, go to the app's notification settings and change the Banner Style or turn off "Show on Lock Screen." On Android, look for options like "Show on lock screen" or "Lockscreen visibility." On Windows and Mac, you can uncheck "Show on lock screen" while keeping notifications in the notification center.