Stop Duplicate App Notifications on Android & Desktop

Duplicate notifications from the same app on your Android phone and desktop can be annoying and confusing. This guide shows you how to stop apps from sending the same alert to multiple devices or from showing repeated notifications on a single device. You’ll learn the settings to check on Android, Windows, and macOS, and how to fix the most common causes.

What You’ll Need

Access to the settings on your Android device (phone or tablet)
Access to the settings on your Windows PC or Mac
The app that is sending duplicates installed on both devices (for cross-device sync)
Your login credentials for the app (if you need to sign out and back in)

Step-by-Step

Part 1: Stop Duplicates on a Single Android Device

Open Android Settings. Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the gear icon, or find the Settings app in your app drawer.
Go to Apps or Notifications. The exact name varies by phone brand. Look for “Apps,” “App management,” or “Notifications.”
Find the app that’s duplicating. Tap “See all apps” or scroll through the list. Select the app that sends duplicate notifications.
Open App Notifications. Tap “Notifications” or “App notifications.”
Check for duplicate channels. Many apps use multiple notification categories (e.g., “Messages,” “Alerts,” “Promotions”). If you see two categories that seem to do the same thing, turn one off. For example, if you get two alerts for every new email, disable the “Promotions” channel if it’s showing the same content as “Messages.”
Turn off notification categories you don’t need. Toggle off any category that is redundant. You can also tap a category to customize its sound, vibration, and importance.

Part 2: Stop Duplicates Across Android and Desktop (Sync Issues)

Check the app’s own settings. Open the app on your phone. Look for a settings menu (usually a gear icon or “Settings” in the menu). Look for options like “Notifications,” “Sync,” or “Devices.”
Turn off cross-device notifications. If the app has a feature that pushes notifications to all your devices, you can usually disable it. For example, in messaging apps, look for “Sync notifications across devices” or “Mirror notifications.” Turn this off if you don’t want alerts on both your phone and computer.
Sign out of one device. If you don’t need the app on both devices, sign out of the one you use less. This stops notifications from that device entirely.
Check the app’s web or desktop settings. Some apps have separate notification settings for their web or desktop version. Log in to the app on your computer and look for similar notification toggles. Disable any that mirror your phone’s alerts.

Part 3: Stop Duplicates on Windows 10/11

Open Windows Settings. Press Windows + I.
Go to System > Notifications. Click “System” then “Notifications & actions” (Windows 10) or “Notifications” (Windows 11).
Find the app. Scroll through the list of apps under “Notifications from apps and other senders.”
Turn off duplicate notification types. Click on the app name. You’ll see toggles for different notification types (e.g., “Banners,” “Sounds,” “Notifications on action center”). If you’re getting two alerts, check if both “Banners” and “Notifications on action center” are on. You can turn off one or both if you prefer.

Part 4: Stop Duplicates on macOS

Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS). Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select “System Settings” (or “System Preferences”).
Click Notifications. In System Settings, look for “Notifications” in the sidebar. In System Preferences, click “Notifications.”
Select the app. Find the app that’s duplicating in the list on the left.
Adjust notification style. You can turn off “Allow notifications” entirely, or uncheck “Show notifications on lock screen” and “Show in Notification Center” to reduce duplicates. If you’re getting both a banner and a sound, you can turn off the sound if you want.

Common Mistakes

Turning off all notifications. This stops duplicates but also stops all alerts from the app, which may cause you to miss important messages.
Ignoring the app’s own settings. Many apps have their own notification settings that override the system settings. Always check the app’s settings first.
Forgetting about multiple accounts. If you’re logged into the same app with two different accounts (e.g., personal and work), you may get duplicate notifications for each account. Sign out of one account or adjust its notification settings.
Not restarting the app after changing settings. Sometimes the app needs a restart to apply the new notification settings. Force-stop the app or restart your device.

Tips

Use Do Not Disturb for quiet hours. Instead of turning off notifications, schedule Do Not Disturb on your phone and computer to silence duplicates during specific times.
Group notifications. On Android, you can enable “Notification grouping” in the app’s notification settings. This groups multiple notifications from the same app into one, reducing visual clutter.
Check for third-party notification managers. Some apps like Pushbullet or Join intentionally mirror notifications. If you have such an app installed, check its settings to disable mirroring for specific apps.
Update your apps. Duplicate notification bugs are often fixed in app updates. Make sure your apps are up to date on all devices.

Troubleshooting

If you still get duplicates after following the steps:

Restart your devices. A simple restart can clear temporary glitches that cause duplicate notifications.
Clear the app’s cache. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > [App] > Storage > Clear Cache. On Windows, you can try resetting the app (Settings > Apps > [App] > Advanced options > Reset). On macOS, you may need to delete and reinstall the app.
Sign out and sign back in. This can reset the app’s sync state and fix duplicate notification issues.
Check if the duplicate is from a different app. Sometimes two different apps (e.g., the official app and a third-party client) both show the same message. Identify the source by checking the app name in the notification.
Check your email or messaging settings. If you’re getting duplicate emails or messages, the issue might be on the server side. Check your email client’s settings for “show as conversation” or “group by thread” options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I getting duplicate notifications from the same app on my Android phone?

This often happens because the app has multiple notification categories enabled. For example, a news app might send both a “Breaking News” and a “Top Stories” alert for the same story. Check the app’s notification settings and disable any redundant categories.

How do I stop notifications from appearing on both my phone and computer?

Look for a “sync” or “mirror” setting in the app’s own settings. Turn off cross-device notification mirroring. If the app doesn’t have that option, you may need to sign out of one device.

Will turning off notifications on one device affect the other?

No, notification settings are usually per-device. Turning off notifications on your phone won’t affect your computer, unless the app has a global setting that syncs across devices.

Why do I get two notifications for the same message in Slack?

Slack can send notifications for both direct messages and mentions in channels. If you’re mentioned in a channel and also receive a direct message about it, you may get two alerts. Check Slack’s notification settings to customize which events trigger alerts.

Can I stop duplicate notifications without turning off all notifications?

Yes, you can usually turn off specific notification categories or types. For example, you can disable the sound for one type of notification while keeping the banner. On Android, you can also set notifications to be “Silent” instead of turning them off completely.

What if the app doesn’t have notification settings?

If the app doesn’t have granular notification settings, you can only control notifications at the system level. You can turn off all notifications for that app, or use the system’s notification management tools to group or prioritize them.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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