Where to find notification settings on your device
Notifications live in different places depending on what device you use. On most phones and computers, you'll find them in Settings — usually a gear icon or the word "Settings" in your main menu. The exact path changes by device, so the steps below cover the most common ones.
Before you start, know that you have choices at three different levels: turn off all notifications from your device, turn off notifications from one app only, or turn off just one type of notification (like sounds or badges). Most people want to silence one specific app rather than everything, so start there first.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications and tap the app name to turn off alerts, sounds, or badges individually.
- On Android, open Settings > Apps > Notifications, find the app, and toggle off the notifications switch.
- On Windows, go to Settings > System > Notifications and turn off notifications for specific apps or all of them.
- On Mac, open System Settings > Notifications, select the app, and uncheck "Allow notifications".
- You can silence notifications without deleting them — they'll still show in your notification center if you want to check later.
Turn off notifications on iPhone
Open Settings on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Notifications. You'll see a list of every app that sends you alerts. Tap the app you want to silence.
Once you're in that app's notification settings, you have three main controls. Toggle off "Allow Notifications" to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep some notifications but not others, leave "Allow Notifications" on and instead toggle off "Sounds" to mute the noise, or toggle off "Badges" to remove the red number circles on the app icon. You can also turn off "Lock Screen" to prevent notifications from showing on your lock screen while still getting them in Notification Center.
If you want to turn off notifications from everything at once, go back to Settings > Notifications and scroll to the very bottom. Tap "Siri Suggestions" and toggle off "Show on Lock Screen" — this stops the most intrusive notifications system-wide, though individual apps can still send alerts to your Notification Center.
Turn off notifications on Android
Open Settings and look for "Apps" or "Application Manager" — the exact name varies by phone maker. Tap Notifications. You'll see a list of apps. Find the one you want to silence and tap it.
Toggle off the switch next to "Notifications" or "Show Notifications". Some phones also let you tap "Advanced" to control individual notification channels — for example, you might silence message alerts but keep call alerts from the same app. If you see channel options, tap the channel you want to turn off and toggle its switch.
On some Android phones, you can also long-press the app icon on your home screen, tap "Notifications", and toggle them off from there. This is faster if you already know which app is bothering you.
Turn off notifications on Windows
Click the Start button and type "Notifications". Click "Notifications & actions settings" when it appears. You'll see a list of apps with toggles next to each one.
Find the app you want to silence and toggle its switch to off. If you want to turn off all notifications at once, scroll to the top and toggle off "Get notifications from apps and other senders". You can also scroll down to "Advanced settings" to control whether notifications show on your lock screen or in your notification center separately.
If an app doesn't appear in this list, it may not send notifications through Windows' main system. Check the app's own settings instead — open the app, look for Settings or Preferences, and search for "notifications" or "alerts".
Turn off notifications on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select "System Settings". Click "Notifications" in the sidebar. You'll see a list of apps on the left side.
Click the app you want to silence. Uncheck "Allow notifications" to stop all alerts from that app. If you want to keep notifications but change how they appear, leave "Allow notifications" checked and instead uncheck "Banners" to remove pop-ups, or uncheck "Sounds" to mute the noise. You can also change the notification style from "Banners" to "Alerts" — alerts stay on screen until you dismiss them, while banners disappear after a few seconds.
Turn off notifications in specific apps
Some apps have their own notification settings separate from your device settings. If you've turned off notifications in your device settings but an app is still bothering you, open the app itself and look for Settings, Preferences, or Account Settings in the menu.
Search for "notifications" or "alerts" within that app's settings. You might find options to turn off email notifications, push notifications, or in-app messages. This is especially common with social media apps, email clients, and messaging apps — they often have notification controls both in your device settings and inside the app itself. Turning them off in the app won't affect other apps, so this is useful if you want to keep notifications from everything else but silence just one.
What happens when you turn notifications off
When you turn off notifications, the app stops sending you alerts, sounds, and badges. You won't see pop-ups or hear notification sounds. However, the app itself keeps running normally — it just stops trying to get your attention.
Your notification center or notification history will still show past notifications you received before turning them off. You can still open the app manually and see new messages or updates whenever you want. Turning off notifications doesn't delete anything or prevent the app from working — it just stops the interruptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off notifications for just one contact or sender?
Some apps let you mute specific people. In most messaging apps, you can long-press a conversation and select "Mute" or "Silence notifications". In email apps, you can often create filters or rules to send certain senders to a folder without notifying you. Check your app's settings for mute, filter, or rule options.
Will I still get notifications if I turn off sounds?
Yes. Turning off sounds means you won't hear a noise or vibration, but you'll still see visual notifications like badges, banners, or alerts on your screen. If you want to turn off all notifications completely, toggle off "Allow Notifications" instead of just the sound.
How do I turn notifications back on?
Go back to the same settings where you turned them off and toggle the switch back on. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications, tap the app, and toggle "Allow Notifications" back on. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Notifications, find the app, and toggle "Notifications" back on. The process is the same for Windows and Mac.
Why am I still getting notifications after turning them off?
The app may have its own notification settings separate from your device settings. Open the app, find its Settings or Preferences, and search for "notifications" to turn them off there too. Some apps also send notifications through email or SMS instead of through your device's notification system — check those settings in the app as well.
Can I schedule notifications to turn off at certain times?
Most devices have a "Do Not Disturb" or "Focus" mode that silences notifications during hours you set. On iPhone, go to Settings > Focus and create a new focus mode. On Android, look for "Do Not Disturb" in Settings. On Windows and Mac, search for "Focus Assist" or "Focus" in Settings. These modes let you keep notifications on but silent during work, sleep, or other times you choose.