Sick of web sites asking you to enable notifications? Find out here how to stop and disable website notifications in Google Chrome and other browsers (Firefox, say, Edge, and Safari).
First, How Long Does a Piano Need to Be
How long does a piano have to be to play all the right notes if the bass strings come without copper wrapping (which allows them to be shorter and still sound right)?
If you are curious, you can ask your teacher, just like young Adrian Mann did in Dunedin towards New Zealand’s south; or you build a piano with those un-shortened strings, just like young Adrian Mann had to in Dunedin towards New Zealand’s south.
The result, Mann’s so-called “Alexander” piano, is an impressive sight to see and, I presume, sound to behold.
If you get the impression that all kinds of websites want to lay long strings straight to your browser to play your computer’s sights and sounds for notifications, you can ask the following lines for instructions:
How to Disable Website Notifications in Browsers
(Including Notifications about Notifications)
You can prevent web sites from even asking permission to send you notifications.
Google Chrome
Time needed: 3 minutes
To disable website notifications in Google Chrome:
- Open the three dots menu in Chrome.
- Select Settings (or Preferences) from the menu that has appeared.
- Select Site Settings under Privacy and security.
No “Privacy and security”: If you do not see the Privacy and security section, click Advanced at the bottom of the settings screen.
- Now choose Notifications under Permissions.
- Select Don’t allow sites to send notifications under Default behavior (so Sites can ask to send notifications is disabled).
Option: You can also choose Collapse unwanted requests (Use quieter messaging in versions of Chrome before 128) to block interruptions but still make notifications easily accessible; see below.
Safari
To stop notifications from popping up in macOS and Safari:
- Select Safari | Preferences… from the menu in Safari.
- Go to the Websites tab.
- Now choose Notifications from the categories on the left.
- Make sure Allow websites to ask for permission to send notifications is not checked.
- Close the Websites preferences window.
Mozilla Firefox
To turn off notifications using Firefox settings:
- Click the menu button in Mozilla Firefox.
- Select Options or Settings… from the menu that has appeared.
- Go to the Privacy & Security category.
- Click Settings… for Notifications under Permissions.
- Turn on Block new requests asking to allow notifications.
- Click Save Changes.
In Mozilla Firefox prior to version 59, you cannot disable notification requests from popping up in general.
To stop a specific site from requesting permission again:
- Click the downward-pointed arrowhead next to Not Now when the site requests permission to send you notifications.
- Select Never Allow.
Microsoft Edge (Chrome-Based)
To prevent Chrome-based Edge from asking for permission about notifications:
- Click the three dots menu icon (●●●) in Edge.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Now open the Settings hamburger menu.
- Go to the Cookies and site permissions (or Site permissions) category.
- Choose Notifications.
- Turn off Ask before sending.
Optional: Leave Ask before sending enabled and also enable Quiet notification requests to have requests available without them interrupting you.
Microsoft Edge (Classic)
Edge’s classic version does not let you turn off notification requests in general.
To prevent a site from sending you further requests (and notifications):
- Click No when asked Let <site> show notifications?.
How to Stop Website Notifications in Chrome: FAQ
Can I still receive notifications from select web sites?
Yes.
You will receive notifications from sites that allowed to send browser notifications. That applies to sites you have added in the past and to sites you are adding manually in the future.
To manually add a site to those allowed to send notifications via Google Chrome:
- Open in Google Chrome.
- Click ADD next to Allow.
- Type the domain of the site you want to add.
Note: sub-domains of the domain will be included in the permission. - Click ADD.
What does collapsing requests (or “Use quieter messaging”) mean in Chrome?
With Collapse all requests in the address bar, Collapse unwanted requests or Use quieter messaging enabled,
- Google Chrome will not pop up notification requests from websites (even if you request them) and
- let you enable them easily using the address bar.
To enable notifications:
- Click the Notifications blocked icon in the Chrome address bar.
- Select Allow for this site from the sheet that has appeared.
(How to stop web browser notifications… notifications tested with Google Chrome 115–128, Safari 13–17 and Firefox 73–129; first published March 2020, last updated September 2024)