Spam notifications from websites can look like ads, fake virus alerts, or clickbait headlines. They usually appear because a site was granted notification permission, not because the browser is infected.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Chrome, Safari, and Edge on Windows or Mac, Chrome on Android, and Safari-related web app notifications on iPhone or iPad.
Turn it off in Chrome
Chrome uses the same general permission list on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook, with a mobile variation on Android.
- Open Chrome and choose the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications.
- Under Allowed to send notifications, find the site creating the spam.
- Use the three-dot menu beside that site and choose Remove or Block.
- At the top of the page, change the default behavior to stop sites from asking, or leave Ask before sending on if you prefer to decide site by site.
- On Android, open Chrome > three-dot menu > Settings > Notifications, then remove the site or turn off site notification requests entirely.
Turn it off in Safari
Safari notification controls are split between Safari settings and system notification settings.
- On Mac, open Safari and choose Safari > Settings, or Preferences on older macOS versions.
- Open the Websites tab and select Notifications in the sidebar.
- Change the noisy site to Deny, or select it and remove it.
- If you do not want websites asking at all, disable the option that allows websites to request notification permission.
- On iPhone or iPad, normal Safari tabs cannot send these alerts. If a website was added to the Home Screen as a web app, open Settings > Notifications, select that web app, and turn notifications off or delete the web app.
Turn it off in Microsoft Edge
Edge is similar to Chrome because both browsers use the same underlying browser engine.
- Open Edge and choose the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Cookies and site permissions > Notifications.
- Under Allow, find the site sending unwanted notifications.
- Use the three-dot menu beside it and choose Block or Remove.
- Turn off Ask before sending if you want to stop future prompts entirely, or keep it on and decline requests from unknown sites.
More control
This is usually permission abuse, not malware
A website with notification permission can send alerts even when the browser is closed. Removing that permission stops the behavior without a larger cleanup.
Ignore fake Allow to continue prompts
Streaming, download, gaming, and clickbait pages often disguise the browser’s real notification prompt as a required step. Click Block or close the prompt unless you intentionally want alerts from that site.
Check app notifications separately
If the spam is coming from a phone app rather than a browser site, turn off notifications for that app in iPhone Settings > Notifications or Android Settings > Apps.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Manage Website Notifications (2025)
- Apple Support – Manage Website Notifications in Safari (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Manage Website Notifications in Microsoft Edge (2025)