Disable "show notifications" prompts in Google Chrome

Martin Brinkmann
Feb 19, 2016
Updated • Oct 27, 2020
Google Chrome
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Websites may use a technology called Push API to display prompts to the user on visits to allow them to push notifications to the browser.

The new technology is on the rise thanks to the recent integration in browsers such as Firefox or Google Chrome.

Firefox users? Check out our detailed Firefox Push Notifications guide here.

There are two sides to it. It can be quite useful on the one hand, for instanc, by informing you about new articles published on a blog, new email in your account, or when items on your wishlist are available for sale.

On the other hand, it may be abused easily as well. Sites may display (text advertisement) in those notifications, or simply spam you. Also, if the majority of sites use them, you are bombarded with notification requests.

While you need to permit sites to use Push Notifications, you will usually find out how they are using these after you give them permissions.

Google Chrome "Show Notifications"

When you visit a website in Google Chrome that supports these notifications, a prompt is displayed automatically.

The prompt displays the hostname of the site at the top, and below that it wants to "show notifications". You may allow or block the request using buttons, or close the prompt using the x-icon in the top.

  • Allow gives the site permission to push notifications to the browser, even if the site itself is not open.
  • Block denies the permission. It ensures that the site won't display notification prompts anymore when you open it.
  • Close postpones the decision. Prompts are displayed again on your next visit to the site.

Update:

chrome block notifications

Google changed the notification behavior in recent versions of Chrome. You control notifications in the following way now:

  1. Load chrome://settings/content in the browser's address bar.
  2. Click on Notifications.
  3. The default setting is "Sites can ask to send notifications".
  4. Toggle the preference so that the slider is gray (which means it is off). This turns off notifications for all sites except for sites in the whitelist.
  5. Click on add next to "allow" to add sites to the whitelist that you want to send notifications to you.

How to turn off notifications in Google Chrome (old instructions)

chrome notification settings

You can block the notification feature completely in the Google Chrome browser if you have no use for it.

  1. Click on the menu icon in the top right corner of the screen, and select Settings from the context menu that opens. Or, load chrome://settings/ directly in the browser's address bar.
  2. Scroll down until you find "show advanced settings" listed on the page, and click on the link.
  3. Locate the "content settings" button under Privacy, and click on it.
  4. Scroll down until you find the Notifications listing.
  5. Switch the preference to "do not allow any site to show notifications" to block all notifications.
  6. The default setting is "ask when a site wants to show notifications", and the only other option is to allow notifications automatically by selecting "allow all sites to show notifications".

Use the whitelist/blacklist for specific sites

notification whitelist blacklist

The whitelist/blacklist feature is useful if you have selected to allow or block all notifications in Chrome using the content setting described above.

Tip: You can open the exceptions list by loading the url chrome://settings/contentExceptions#notifications in the browser

If you have set it to allow, you can blacklist (read block) sites using the exceptions list, and if you have set the feature to block all notifications prompt, you may whitelist (read allow) select sites to display notifications despite that.

Click on the "manage exceptions" button underneath the notifications options. Please note that some sites may have been added there by Google, and that you cannot remove those sites from the listing. These are displayed in italics, and there seems to be no way to remove them.

To add a site simply enter its hostname, e.g. https://example.com/ and select the allow or block permission.

If you want to add exceptions for an entire domain, add [*.] in front of the domain name.

Useful resources to research the topic further

Google Support on managing exceptions

Google Support on allowing or blocking notifications, hiding the notification icon (Chromebook only), and turning off notifications from some sites (Android and Chromebook only).

You may remove permissions that you have set at any time using the menu.

Summary
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Find out how to disable "show notifications" prompts in Google Chrome, and how to manage exceptions for sites you want notifications from.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Yep said on March 2, 2018 at 11:44 pm
    Reply

    Same here; I was on this page http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/04/08/microsoft-translator-safari-extensions/ and even after having notifications blocked in Chrome, and using multiple browser extensions (changing them to see if it would make any difference, but none helped), the site continues to have a notification request (I also have popups disabled).

    Chrome should fix this.

  2. dorian said on January 16, 2018 at 4:40 pm
    Reply

    unfortunately disabling notifications for all sites doesnt stop them from asking every freaking time for notis!!!!! I even, as a test clicked “ok allow” and it immedeatly says “oh, you have notifications turned off, please turn them on” I DONT WANT YOUR FREAKING NOTIFICATIONS OR YOUR FREAKING NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT GETTING NOTIFICATIONS CHROME AND SITES CAN ALL GO FUCK THEMSELVES for integrating this bullshit spam.

  3. loca said on November 24, 2017 at 8:36 pm
    Reply

    This apparently no longer works. That setting is gone. Contact Google and tell them we need the ability to turn off those annoying notification prompts.

  4. nwk said on July 31, 2017 at 9:15 am
    Reply

    It doesn’t work, I still have sites asking for permission even I disabled it just like it’s instructed above.

  5. Pete said on September 11, 2016 at 3:14 pm
    Reply

    “Do not allow any site to show notifications” (Windows Chrome) does NOT WORK! I’m still ASKED to allow/block for sites! E.g. mousecity.com ALWAYS ASKS even when I have the Chrome setting “do not allow”. Even when I set “BLOCK” exception for that site, I’m STILL ASKED!! (one needs to clear history after once selected allow/block for that site for the query to popup again) Totally borked.

  6. Alvin B. said on September 3, 2016 at 5:42 pm
    Reply

    More and more sites are using this.

    I can only imagine the spamstorm people who click “Allow” on these prompts must be getting these days. Makes you wonder what craziness goes through the head of the software engineer at Google who decided that even adding such a feature was a good idea. They had to know it would be abused, just like the old toolbar spam used to be, when people would have so many toolbars they couldn’t find the webpage any longer.

  7. Phil said on February 21, 2016 at 12:22 am
    Reply

    What are some sites that use this?, I’ve only seen facebook

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on February 21, 2016 at 9:12 am
      Reply

      I cannot really answer that since I have disabled the feature as soon as it appeared. There are WordPress plugins available that add Push to those blogs, and several services out there as well that offer scripts to use.

    2. Jed said on February 21, 2016 at 1:04 am
      Reply

      I know the web version of Skype also uses it. Possibly one or two others I know of that are starting to implement it, not sure though.

  8. Croatoan said on February 19, 2016 at 11:01 pm
    Reply

    Martin, are you going to use this on your site?

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on February 20, 2016 at 7:38 am
      Reply

      No I won’t. I thought about it, but from a user perspective, it is likely annoying more users than it is benefiting those who like it.

  9. S2015 said on February 19, 2016 at 10:41 pm
    Reply

    To address pop-up issues caused by adware, e.g., some sudden desktop based alert, one should avoid installing or using riskware on his or her computer. More, some incomplete un-installation could also cause such an annoyance due to remained, active software component(s), such as Systweak’s AIP (v1.1.1000).
    This blog@ https://removeunwantedprograms.wordpress.com/ is a proactive anti-badware effort to make a user’s digital experience safer.

    1. Pants said on February 20, 2016 at 5:43 pm
      Reply

      Look, everyone has an opinion. Unless you literally can’t think. So good, we all have an opinion. But that doesn’t make it valid. Here’s a quick test – it’s my opinion that you should send me all your money and then go fuck yourself. Literally. With a kitchen implement. Piss off you spammy bastard. Your shitty English is annoying and looks machine translated, and your advice is full of holes and incomplete.

      Apologies to Martin for the language :)

      1. justakiwi said on February 21, 2016 at 1:42 am
        Reply

        now, tell us how you really feel…cheers.
        thanks to those that post replies to this site (especial thanks to martin for posting and explaining about these links etc)

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