Stop Random Facebook Notifications: Full Guide

This guide walks you through the exact steps to stop receiving random notifications from friends on Facebook—whether it’s game invites, event suggestions, or people you barely know. You’ll learn how to adjust your notification settings on both the mobile app and desktop, so you can finally get only the alerts you actually care about.

What You’ll Need

Your Facebook account login (on the app or browser)
Access to your notification settings (no special tools required)
About 5–10 minutes to review and adjust your preferences

Step-by-Step

Open Facebook and go to Settings. On the mobile app, tap your profile picture (bottom-right on iOS, top-right on Android), then scroll down and tap Settings & privacy > Settings. On desktop, click your profile picture in the top-right, then select Settings & privacy > Settings.
Find the Notifications section. In the left sidebar (desktop) or the menu list (mobile), tap Notifications. This is the main hub for all notification controls.
Turn off “Random” friend activity. Under What you get notifications about, look for options like Friends, Groups, Events, and Games. Tap each one and set it to Off or Only on Facebook (so you don’t get push alerts). Specifically, turn off Friend requests, People you may know, Birthdays, and Videos if they’re not important to you.
Mute a specific friend’s notifications. If you keep getting notifications from one person (e.g., they tag you or post constantly), go to their profile, tap the Following button (on desktop) or the Friends button (on mobile), and select Unfollow or Mute. This stops their posts from appearing in your feed and reduces related notifications.
Adjust push notification settings. In the Notifications settings, scroll to Where you get notifications. Here you can turn off Push (mobile alerts), Email, and SMS entirely, or choose to only receive them for highlights. Set Push to On for important things only, or turn it off completely to stop random alerts.
Turn off game and app invites. Go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Apps and websites (or Business Integrations). Review the list and remove any apps you don’t use. Also, in the Notifications settings, under What you get notifications about, find Games and set it to Off.
Use “Snooze” for temporary relief. If you want a break without changing permanent settings, go to a friend’s profile, tap the Following button, and select Snooze for 30 days. This pauses their posts and notifications temporarily.
Check your activity log. If you’re still getting notifications from a specific post, go to the post, tap the three-dot menu, and select Turn off notifications for this post.

Common Mistakes

Only adjusting push settings: Turning off push alerts but leaving in-app notifications on means you’ll still see red badges and pop-ups when you open Facebook.
Unfollowing vs. unfriending: Unfollowing is enough to stop notifications; unfriending is more drastic and may cause awkwardness. Use unfollow first.
Forgetting about groups: Many “random” notifications come from groups you joined years ago. Check your group notification settings separately.
Not saving changes: On some screens, you need to tap Save or Done after toggling switches. If you just back out, your changes may not apply.

Tips

Use “Highlights” mode: Instead of turning off all notifications, set Facebook to only send you highlights (important updates from close friends). This is a good middle ground.
Review your “Close Friends” list: Facebook prioritizes notifications from people on this list. Keep it short and accurate.
Do a monthly cleanup: Spend two minutes each month reviewing your notification settings, especially after installing new apps or joining new groups.
Use the “See less” option: When you see a random notification in your feed, tap the three-dot menu next to it and select See less to train Facebook to show fewer of those.

Troubleshooting

Still getting notifications after turning them off: Go back to the Notifications settings and make sure you’ve turned off both Push and In-app for the specific category. Sometimes there are separate toggles for each.
Notifications from a specific app: If you get alerts like “Your friend just played [Game],” go to the game’s page, click the Settings icon, and turn off notifications for that game. You can also block the app entirely in Apps and websites.
Notifications from a group you left: If you left the group but still get notifications, it may be because you’re still a member of a sub-group or event. Check your Groups settings and leave any related groups.
Changes not saving on mobile: Force-close the Facebook app and reopen it. If the issue persists, try making the changes on a desktop browser instead.
Random notifications from people you don’t know: This is often due to “People You May Know” notifications. Turn that off in the Notifications settings under Friends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get notifications from friends I never interact with?

Facebook’s algorithm sends notifications based on your past interactions, mutual friends, and profile views. If you’ve ever clicked on their profile or liked a mutual friend’s post, Facebook may assume you’re interested.

Will turning off notifications unfriend or unfollow the person?

No. Turning off notifications only stops alerts. You’ll still be friends, and you can still see their posts when you visit their profile or your feed.

Can I turn off all notifications at once?

Yes. In the Notifications settings, you can turn off Push, Email, and SMS entirely. But you’ll still see in-app notifications unless you turn those off individually.

What’s the difference between “Unfollow” and “Mute”?

Unfollow stops seeing a person’s posts in your feed and reduces notifications. Mute is a temporary version—you can mute for 30 days, after which you’ll start seeing their posts again.

Why do I still get email notifications after turning them off?

Check the Email tab in your Notifications settings. Sometimes there’s a separate setting for “Facebook updates” emails that isn’t covered by the general toggle. Also, check your spam folder—some emails may be sent from a different address.

How do I stop notifications from a specific post?

Go to the post, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, and select Turn off notifications. This stops alerts for that post only.

Will these settings sync across all my devices?

Yes, your notification preferences are tied to your Facebook account, so changes made on your phone will apply to your desktop and tablet as well.

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

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