How do I turn off notifications for one app on Android?
Touch and hold one of the app's notifications, tap the settings gear, and turn its notifications off. Or open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications, pick the app, and switch it off. If you only want fewer alerts, turn off just the types you do not want, or set them to Silent.
Steps to check
Start from the notification itself
This is the quickest way, and it also tells you which app sent the alert. Swipe down from the top of the screen to see your notifications. Touch and hold the one you want to stop until options appear, then tap the settings gear. The app's name is shown at the top. Turn off its notifications there.
- Samsung Swipe down → touch and hold the notification → Settings (gear) → turn off notifications for the app
- Pixel Swipe down → touch and hold the notification → turn the app's notifications off, or tap the gear for more choices
Or turn it off in Settings
If the notification has already gone, use the Settings app instead. Open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications. Apps that sent you alerts recently are near the top (on some phones this list is called Recently sent). If you do not see the one you want, use the drop-down menu to show all apps. Tap the app and turn its notifications off.
- Samsung Settings → Notifications → App notifications → tap the drop-down at the top left to choose Most recent or All → turn off the switch next to the app
- Pixel Settings → Notifications → App notifications → choose Most recent, Most frequent, or All apps → tap the app → turn notifications off
Turn off only the alerts you do not want
Many apps sort their alerts into types, often called categories. A shopping app, for example, might send order updates and also offers. Instead of turning the whole app off, tap the app in App notifications and switch off only the categories you do not want. You will still get the useful ones.
Make them silent instead of turning them off
If you still want to see an app's alerts but not be interrupted by them, set them to Silent. Silent notifications do not make a sound or vibrate, but they are still there when you swipe down from the top of the screen. You can choose this from the app's notification settings, or by touching and holding one of its notifications.
Check the app's own settings too
Many apps have their own notification settings inside the app, separate from the phone's Settings. If alerts keep coming, open the app, look for its Settings or Profile menu, and find Notifications there. This is also the place to stop things like marketing emails or reminder messages that the app sends.
Not sure which app it is? Check notification history
If a notification keeps appearing and you cannot tell where it is from, notification history can help. Open Settings, tap Notifications, and look for Notification history. Turn it on if it is off. Next time the alert shows up and you dismiss it, it appears in the history with the app's name, and you can tap it to change that app's settings. Not every phone has this option.
- Samsung Settings → Notifications → Advanced settings → Notification history
- Pixel Settings → Notifications → Notification history
Normal vs. not
Usually normal
An app you use often sending a few alerts a day, or an app asking for permission to send notifications the first time you open it. You can say no.
Worth a closer look
Ad-style alerts that you cannot trace to any app you recognize, or that open a web page full of ads. That points to an app you may not need. Our pop-up ads guide shows how to find and remove it.
What people are saying
I know how to shut off notifications, but don't know where this is originating from
Redditor u/Zealousideal-Bet883 said on r/AndroidQuestions. Read the thread
Common questions
- Will I still get calls and texts if I turn off one app?
- Yes. Turning off one app only affects that app. Just avoid turning off the Phone and Messages apps, or you may miss call and text alerts.
- How do I turn the notifications back on later?
- Go back to Settings, then Notifications, then App notifications, find the app, and turn it on again. Our guide to notifications not working walks through the other checks if alerts still do not come through.
- Can I quiet every app for a while instead?
- Yes. Do Not Disturb silences most alerts at once, and you can let chosen people still ring through.
- How do I stop the little dots on app icons?
- Open Settings, tap Notifications, and turn off Notification dot on app icon. On Samsung it is called App icon badges, under Advanced settings.
Related questions
Sources we checked
- Control notifications on Android (Android Help (Google))
- Control notifications on your Pixel phone (Pixel Phone Help (Google))
- Sounds, vibrations, and notifications on your Galaxy phone or tablet (Samsung Support)
Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.