Learn How to Stop Notifications on Your Devices

Understanding Why You Receive Notifications

Notifications are messages that appear on your devices to inform you about updates, messages, reminders, and activity. They come from apps, websites, and your device's operating system. According to research from the Pew Research Center, the average smartphone user receives between 50 to 100 notifications per day, though this number varies greatly depending on how many apps are installed and which services are enabled.

These notifications serve different purposes. Some are essential — like emergency alerts or calendar reminders for important appointments. Others are marketing messages designed to bring you back into apps to increase engagement. Studies show that app developers send more notifications when they want to boost user activity and advertising exposure. Knowing the source and purpose of your notifications is the first step toward managing them effectively.

Different types of notifications include: push notifications from mobile apps, email alerts, text message alerts, social media notifications, calendar reminders, news updates, and system notifications from your device itself. Each type has its own settings and controls. Understanding which notifications matter to you and which ones create unnecessary distraction helps you decide what to disable or allow.

The American Psychological Association notes that constant notifications can interrupt focus and increase stress levels. Research published in the Journal of Social Media in Society found that people who turn off notifications report feeling less anxious and more productive. This is because notifications create what researchers call "cognitive switching costs" — the mental effort required to shift attention from one task to another.

Takeaway: Before changing any settings, spend a few days noticing which notifications actually matter to you and which ones interrupt your work or relaxation without providing real value.

Managing Notifications on iPhone and iPad Devices

Apple devices offer detailed notification controls built directly into the Settings app. To begin managing notifications on an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and select "Notifications." This section displays every app that has permission to send notifications, organized alphabetically. You'll see apps with notification badges, sounds, and other alert styles listed here.

For each app, you can make several choices. First, you can turn notifications off entirely by toggling the switch next to the app name. Second, you can choose how alerts appear — as banners that appear at the top of your screen, as lock screen alerts, in the notification center (the panel you access by swiping down from the top), or as badges (the red numbers that appear on app icons). Third, you can control sounds and vibrations associated with that app's notifications.

Here's the process for customizing notifications for a single app on iPhone or iPad:

Open the Settings app and tap "Notifications"
Scroll through the list and find the app you want to adjust
Tap the app name to open its notification settings
Toggle "Allow Notifications" on or off depending on your preference
If allowing notifications, choose which notification center options to enable
Select whether you want sounds and haptic feedback (vibration)
Choose a notification grouping style — by app or by time
Decide whether to show notification previews on the lock screen
Return to the previous menu and repeat for other apps

Apple also provides a "Focus" feature (formerly called "Do Not Disturb") that lets you create custom profiles. You can set up a "Work" focus that allows notifications only from certain contacts and apps, a "Sleep" focus for nighttime, or a "Driving" focus. When a Focus is active, notifications from other apps are silenced until you turn it off or the scheduled time ends.

Takeaway: Start by disabling notifications for apps you use less frequently, then enable them only for apps that send time-sensitive or important information you actually need.

Controlling Notifications on Android Phones and Tablets

Android devices handle notifications through the Settings app, but the exact location and options vary depending on which version of Android you're using (versions 10 through 14 are currently common). Generally, open Settings and look for "Apps" or "Applications," then select "Notifications" or "App Notifications." Some Android phones also allow you to long-press on a notification itself and select options from there.

Unlike iPhone's centralized notification settings, Android lets you manage notifications directly from the notification shade — the panel that appears when you swipe down from the top of your screen. When a notification appears, you can long-press it to see options like "Turn off notifications," "Make silent," or "Show less." These quick actions affect how that app sends future notifications without requiring you to go into Settings.

The detailed notification control process on Android includes these steps:

Open Settings and locate the "Apps" or "Application Manager" section
Find the app whose notifications you want to control
Tap the app name to open its information page
Select "Notifications" or "Permissions"
Toggle notification permissions on or off
For some apps, you may see additional options like notification importance level (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
Choose whether to allow notification sounds and vibration
Some phones let you choose specific notification channels within an app

Android also has a "Do Not Disturb" feature similar to iPhone's Focus. Access it through Settings > Sound and Vibration > Do Not Disturb (the exact path varies by phone model). You can set schedules, customize which contacts can reach you, and adjust how interruptions are handled. Some Android phones also feature "Notification Importance" levels that determine whether notifications show on your lock screen, in your notification shade, or trigger sounds.

For specific popular apps like Gmail, Facebook, or WhatsApp, you may need to look inside the app itself for additional notification settings that override system settings. Open the app, go to Settings or Preferences within that app, and search for notification options there.

Takeaway: Use the quick action method by long-pressing notifications in your notification shade to make immediate changes, then visit Settings to fine-tune apps that repeatedly send unwanted alerts.

Reducing Email and Web-Based Notifications

Email notification settings work differently than app notifications because many people access email through multiple devices — phones, tablets, and computers. Most email providers including Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo Mail allow notification controls both within the email app and through browser settings.

For Gmail on a phone, open the app and tap your profile picture, then select "Manage your Google Account" and go to the "Notifications" tab. Here you can control notifications for new email, priority inbox alerts, and other Gmail features. You can choose to receive notifications for all mail, only priority mail, or no notifications at all. Similarly, on a computer, Gmail's settings menu includes notification preferences that control whether desktop alerts appear when new mail arrives.

Website notifications are increasingly common. Many news sites, shopping websites, and social media platforms ask for permission to send browser notifications. These appear on your computer screen or lock screen on phones even when you're not actively viewing the website. To disable these:

On Chrome: Open Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Notifications. This shows all websites with notification permission. Click any site and toggle notifications off.
On Firefox: Open Preferences > Privacy & Security > Permissions > Notifications. Review the list of approved sites and remove those you don't need.
On Safari: Preferences > Websites > Notifications. Uncheck sites in the "Allow" list or move them to "Deny."
On Edge: Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services > Website Permissions > Notifications.

Many websites ask for notification permission when you first visit them. Instead of clicking "Allow," you can select "Don't allow" or dismiss the prompt. Future visits may ask again. Subscription-based services like newsletters from news outlets typically manage their notifications through email preferences on their account settings page rather than through browser notifications.

Takeaway: Review your browser's notification settings monthly since new websites may request permission, and delete any website notification permissions you don't actively use.

Managing Social Media and Messaging App Notifications

Social media platforms — including Facebook,