To disable message notifications on your Mac, go to the “System Settings” and select the “Notifications” tab on the left side menu. Locate the “Messages” application and disable the “Allow Notifications” button.
I have worked as a content editor for the past few years. As with the majority of people, receiving constant message pop-ups can be distracting. So one effective way for me to stay focused is by disabling notifications.
In this article, I will show you how to turn off message notifications on a Mac. We will take a look at Focus mode and learn how to turn off notifications from specific applications.
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Key Takeaways
- There are a few different ways you can turn off messages and contact notifications on a Mac.
- If you want to turn off notifications from a specific application, you can do it by accessing the Notifications section and turning it off.
- Use Focus mode if you need to prevent distractions for a brief period.
3 Steps to Turn Off Message Notifications
If you feel that message notifications are interrupting your workflow, then you can turn them off. Follow the steps below.
Step 1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and select the System Settings button to open your Mac settings.
Step 2. Click the Notifications button on the left side menu. You will see a list of all the applications on the right side. Select the Messages application.
Step 3. Beside Allow notifications is a toggle bar where you can switch it on or off. Other notification settings can be turned off such as banners or sounds.
How to Turn off Message Notifications from a Contact
If you don’t mind the message notifications but want to turn off notifications from specific people in your contacts, follow the steps below:
Step 1. Open the Messages application and select the contact you want to mute.
Step 2. Right click the message from the contact and click “Hide Alerts”.
How to Turn Off Message Notifications from Applications
Follow the steps below to turn off the notifications from other applications on your Mac.
Step 1. Go to the System Settings in the main menu and click on the Notifications settings.
Step 2. You can see all the applications on the right side. Locate the application for which you wish to disable notifications.
Step 3. Simply toggle the bar to stop receiving notifications from the app. In case you don’t want to completely turn off notifications, you can customize them by adjusting their appearance or muting the sound.
If you want to mute all the sounds in general, you can also try turning off the startup sound on your Mac.
Turn Off Message Notifications with Focus Mode
If you need to concentrate without interruptions for a few hours, consider enabling Focus mode on your Mac. This feature will silence all notifications, allowing you to work or study without being distracted.
Step 1. Go to the Control Center icon at the top of the screen and then click on the Focus button.
Step 2. You can set the Do Not Disturb mode for an hour, until tomorrow morning, or until you turn it off manually. Once it’s activated, all the notifications from your applications and contacts will be disabled.
Final Thoughts
Depending on your needs, you can try any of the methods we mentioned in the post to disable notifications on your Mac. You may choose to turn off notifications entirely, silence specific contacts, or utilize Focus mode to turn off notifications.
Have you ever turned off the Messages notifications on your Mac? Share your thoughts about how you stay focused while working in the comments below.
