How to Disable Notification Requests in Modern Browsers

I absolutely hate it when web pages ask me for permission to send notifications. Most often, the same web pages ask me for an email as well. That’s incredibly spammy. I understand their “Marketing” department is struggling, but this really isn’t the way to go. Browser notifications are all kinds of spammy, the same way push notifications on the phone are.

I’ve been ignoring the requests for the most part, but inevitably a few of them made it through. A lot of these spammy websites are using dark patterns in terms of where the buttons are placed. I inadvertently clicked in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’d think it wasn’t that big of a problem. Still, with me using 4 different browsers consistently (because I’m comparing their Developer Tools for a course), it did mean I now have multiple notifications for the same website popping up.

Well, I’ve had enough! I spent a little time figuring out how to block modern browsers from sending notification requests. And I thought I’d eventually need to block them again, so I should document the process. If it happens to be helpful to someone else, that’s even better.

Google Chrome

• Go to chrome://settings/content/notifications
• Disable Sites can ask to send notifications

Chrome has a softer option to use quieter messaging. It blocks notification prompts from interrupting you, but I haven’t been brave enough to try it. Let me know if you use it.

Mozilla Firefox

• Go to about:preferences#privacy
• Scroll to the Permissions section
• Click on the Notifications Settings
• Check the Block new requests asking to allow notifications box

Microsoft Edge

• Go to edge://settings/content/notifications
• Disable Ask before sending

Edge has a softer option to use quiet notification requests. It prevents notification requests from interrupting you, but I haven’t been brave enough to try it. Let me know if you use it.

Safari

• Select Preferences in the Menu bar
• Click on the Websites tab
• Scroll to Notifications
• Deselect Allow websites to ask for permission to send notifications

Brave

• Go to brave://settings/content/notifications
• Disable Sites can ask to send notifications

Brave has a softer option to use quieter messaging. It blocks notification prompts from interrupting you, but I haven't been "brave" enough to try it. Let me know if you use it.

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