How to Delete Notifications on Facebook

Stop being notified from your computer, tablet, or phone

What to Know

  • Facebook.com: Select the bell. Hover over a notification, select the three-dot icon, and choose Remove this notification.
  • Facebook mobile app: Select the bell icon. Tap the three-dot icon and then tap Remove this notification.
  • Stop Messenger notifications: Click Messenger icon > See All in Messenger > select friend > Privacy & Support > Mute Conversation.

This article explains how to delete notifications on Facebook on a desktop browser or the Facebook mobile app. It includes information on limiting notifications in general. Also included is information on stopping notifications from specific individuals when using the Messenger app.

Delete Facebook Notifications in a Browser

If you have many Facebook friends or follow several Facebook Pages, the notifications you receive can be overwhelming. You can delete Facebook notifications from a web browser or the mobile app.

To delete Facebook notifications in a computer browser:

  1. Sign in to Facebook.com in a web browser.

  2. Select Notifications (bell icon) in the upper-right corner on Facebook.com.

    Desktop Facebook with the Notifications bell icon highlighted
  3. Hover the cursor over the notification you want to delete and select More (three dots).

    Desktop Facebook with the Notification list shown and a More menu highlighted
  4. In the menu that appears, select Remove this notification to clear it from your notifications. You have a few seconds to select Undo if you change your mind.

    Remove this notification highlighted in Facebook Notifications

    If you'd rather keep the notification but label it to separate it from your newest ones, select Mark as Read. This changes the background color of the notification to white. You can only do this on Facebook.com, not on the app.

  5. Depending on the type of notification, you have additional menu options that reduce unnecessary notifications. These include:

    • Get fewer notifications like this: These notifications won't stop completely, but you won't see as many of them.
    • Turn off notifications about [name's] updates: Reduces the number of alerts you receive from a specific person's updates to a post.
    • Turn off these notifications: You'll no longer see a particular kind of notification, such as less important ones from Pages rather than direct interactions from friends.
    • Turn off all notifications from this Page: You'll no longer receive any alerts from this specific Page, whether it's a Page you've liked or it's a Page you manage from your account.
  6. If you selected any of the options listed in the previous step, you can still select Remove this notification afterward to clear it from your alerts.

Delete Facebook Notifications in the App

You can also delete Facebook notifications in the mobile Facebook app.

  1. Select Notifications (bell icon) in the bottom menu to display your notifications.

  2. Tap More (three dots) next to a notification you want to delete.

  3. In the menu that appears, select Remove this notification to clear it from your notifications.

    Facebook app with Notifications (bell icon), More (three dots), and Remove this Notification highlighted
  4. Select from any of the additional options to limit your notifications.

Facebook doesn't have a feature that allows you to delete your account notifications in bulk. Follow the steps above for each one to delete it. Facebook only maintains a certain number of your recent notifications and automatically deletes the older ones.

Stop Unnecessary Notifications in a Browser

You can make it easier on yourself by turning off or limiting certain notifications that you know you're going to end up deleting. Although you can't turn them all off, you can cut them down.

Here's how to cut back on notifications at Facebook.com in a browser.

  1. On Facebook.com, select Account (down arrow) in the upper-right corner.

    Facebook on the desktop with Account (down arrow) highlighted
  2. Select Settings & Privacy.

    Facebook on a desktop with Settings & Privacy highlighted
  3. Select Settings.

    Facebook on a desktop with Settings highlighted
  4. Select Notifications from the menu on the left to open the Notifications Settings screen.

    Facebook Settings with Notifications highlighted in the sidebar
  5. Select the arrow beside any of the notification types to display the options.

    Notifications Settings in Facebook with the drop-down menu highlighted
  6. Next to Allow Notifications on Facebook in any notification category, toggle off the switch to stop receiving these notifications.

    Facebook Notifications settings with "Allow Notifications on Facebook" and the toggle highlighted

Stop Unnecessary Notifications in the App

To cut back on notifications in the mobile app:

  1. On the Facebook app, tap Menu (three lines) from the bottom menu.

  2. Scroll down and select Settings & Privacy.

  3. Tap Settings.

    Facebook app with Menu, Settings & Privacy, and Settings highlighted
  4. Under Preferences, tap Notifications.

  5. Under What Notifications You Receive, tap any category to change your preferences. Or, toggle on Mute Push Notifications to stop receiving many notifications.

  6. Next to Allow Notifications on Facebook, set the toggle off to stop receiving notifications in that category. Optionally, adjust permissions on where you receive notifications, such as via Push, email, or SMS.

    Facebook Notification settings showing notifications types, highlighting Allow Notifications on Facebook

Stop Notifications From Messenger in a Browser

Facebook Messenger notifications are separate from other alerts you receive on Facebook. Whether you use Messenger on Facebook.com or via the Messenger mobile app, you can configure your notification settings so you don't receive as many.

If you're on Facebook.com, you can stop notifications from specified individuals. Follow these steps.

  1. On Facebook.com, select the Messenger icon in the upper-right corner.

    The Messenger icon highlighted at Facebook.com
  2. Select See All in Messenger at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

    See All in Messenger highlighted from Facebook newsfeed
  3. Select a friend in the left column or search for a friend's name and select it from the automatic suggestions.

  4. Under the friend's picture in the column at the right side of the screen, select Privacy & Support.

    Messenger menu with Privacy & Support highlighted
  5. Select Mute Conversation from the menu.

    Messenger menu with Mute Conversation highlighted
  6. Choose Until I turn it back on to stop the notifications from that friend in Messenger and select Mute.

    Messenger Mute conversion option with "until I turn it back on" highlighted

    Choose one of the other options to pause messages temporarily.

Pause Notifications From Messenger in the App

You can pause notifications from the Messenger app on your mobile device temporarily. Here's how:

  1. In the Messenger app, tap your profile picture at the top of the screen, and then tap Notifications & Sounds.

  2. Tap Do Not Disturb.

  3. Select the length of time to pause your notifications. You won't receive Messenger notifications on your mobile device for the time you specify.

    Messenger app with Notifications & Sounds, Do Not Disturb, and time increments highlighted
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