How to Remove an App from the Mac Notification Center: 6 Steps

Step 1: Catch the Culprit (and Confirm It’s the Right “App”)

First, figure out what’s actually sending the notification. This matters because “notifications” can come from: a real app (Slack, Calendar, Zoom), a system feature (Software Update), or a website (via Safari).

1. Open Notification Center (click the date/time area, depending on your macOS, or use the gesture/shortcut you normally use).
2. Look at the notification headermacOS usually shows the app/site name at the top.
3. If it says a website name (or something like “9to5mac” or “news-now.biz”), you’ll handle it in Safari settings later.

Quick tip: If the name looks suspicious (random letters, “Human Verification,” “Security Alert”), treat it like spam and jump to Step 5 and Step 6.

Step 2: Turn It Off Right from the Notification (Fastest Win)

When the notification is on-screen (banner) or sitting in Notification Center, you can often disable that app’s alerts immediatelyno digging required. Think of it like telling a chatty stranger, “I’m happy for you, but I’m not reading all that.”

1. Find a recent notification from the offender.
2. Click the small arrow / “Options” area (or right-click / Control-click the notification).
3. Choose something like Turn Off (fully disables) or Deliver Quietly (still records notifications, but without the drama).

This is ideal when you’re in the middle of work and don’t want to go on a scavenger hunt through System Settings.

Step 3: Disable Notifications for That App in System Settings

This is the “official” way to disable notifications for specific appsand it gives you the most control. On macOS Ventura and later, it’s in System Settings. On macOS Monterey and earlier, it’s in System Preferences.

1. Click the Apple menu  → open System Settings (or System Preferences).
2. Go to Notifications.
3. Under Application Notifications, select the app.
4. Turn off Allow notifications.

Congratsyou just removed that app from your life (emotionally, at least).

Step 4: Tame It Instead of Nuking It (Optional, But Often Smarter)

Sometimes you don’t want to fully remove an app from Notification Centeryou just want it to stop acting like a car alarm. Instead of turning notifications off completely, adjust how they show up.

Use these “less annoying” settings

• Alert Style: Choose banners instead of alerts, or pick “None” if you only want badges (or nothing at all).
• Sounds: Turn off sound so your Mac stops auditioning for a pinball machine.
• Badges: Disable badge app icons if you hate red circles that scream “You’re behind.”
• Previews: Set previews to “When Unlocked” or “Never” if privacy matters.

This approach is perfect for apps like Mail, Messages, or Calendar: you still want the important stuff, just not every “FYI” and “checking in” message.

Step 5: If It’s a Website Notification, Remove It in Safari (The #1 “Why Is This Here?” Problem)

Website push notifications are the party guests who weren’t invited, showed up anyway, and started rearranging your furniture. Turning off Safari notifications in System Settings sometimes helpsbut for many sites, you need to revoke permission inside Safari.

Remove website notifications in Safari

1. Open Safari.
2. Go to Safari → Settings (or Preferences).
3. Click the Websites tab.
4. Select Notifications in the left sidebar.
5. Find the website and set it to Deny or remove it.

Bonus hygiene: disable the option that allows websites to ask for permission to send notifications. If you never want a site to pop the question again, this is your “do not propose to me” setting.

Step 6: Make It Disappear for Real (Uninstall, Clean Up, and Restart)

If your goal is not just “silence,” but “vanish,” you’ll usually need to remove the underlying thing that created the notification entry: the app itself, a login helper, or a website permission.

A) Uninstall the app (best for true removal)

1. Quit the app.
2. Move it from Applications to the Trash (or use the app’s uninstaller, if it has one).
3. Restart your Mac (or at least log out/in) to refresh background services.

B) Check for notification “helpers” that keep coming back

Some apps install background items so they can notify you even when you’re not actively using them. If you disable notifications but the app still behaves weirdly, check:

• Login Items (background open-at-login entries)
• Browser extensions (especially if the “app” is really a web notification source)

C) If the name looks sketchy, treat it like malware

If an unknown “app” appears in Notifications and you can’t find it in Applications, don’t assume it’s just a quirky macOS feature. It may be adware or a browser-based spam permission. Revoke website notification permissions (Step 5), remove suspicious extensions, and consider reputable malware scanning if you suspect something shady.

“I turned it off, but I’m still getting notifications.”

• You disabled the app, but the source is a website. Fix it in Safari (Step 5).
• You have multiple versions of an app. Some apps (or app helpers) can register separately. Make sure you toggled the right one.
• Restart needed. It’s basic, but it works more often than we’d like to admit.

“The app won’t disappear from the list.”

Totally normal. The Notifications list can include apps/sites that have requested permission before. If notifications are disabled, that entry is basically a “mute button,” not a “delete button.” If you need it gone for aesthetic reasons, uninstall the app or revoke the website permission.

“I only want to stop pop-ups, not Notification Center history.”

Use Deliver Quietly (when available) or change the app’s alert style so banners/alerts don’t interrupt you. This way the notifications can still be available laterlike voicemail, but for your apps.

Use Focus Modes for temporary silence (without breaking anything)

If you need peace for an hour, don’t permanently disable everything. Use a Focus like Do Not Disturb or Work. It’s the difference between “Please be quiet” and “I have moved to the woods and changed my name.”

Do a monthly “notification audit”

Once a month, open Notifications settings and ask, “Would I miss this if it vanished?” If the answer is “no,” toggle it off. Your future self will feel strangely…lighter.

Keep previews private

If you work in public or share your screen, notification previews can become accidental storytelling. Set previews to show only when unlockedor neverespecially for Messages and Mail.

Can I remove all notifications at once on Mac?

You can silence them quickly with a Focus (like Do Not Disturb). For permanent, per-app control, you’ll need to adjust each app’s notification settings.

Is “Turn Off” the same as uninstalling the app?

No. Turning off notifications stops alerts but keeps the app installed. Uninstalling removes the app and usually removes its ability to show up as a notification source.

Why are website notifications so persistent?

Because once you allow them, the site can push alerts like it’s a tiny newsroom living in your menu bar. Revoke permission in Safari to fully shut it down.