How to Turn Off the Floating Notification on WhatsApp

That little message box that drops down over whatever you're doing is a mixed blessing. It's great when you're waiting on a client, and miserable when you're presenting, filming or trying to read something. People call it a floating notification, a pop-up or a heads-up alert. Here's how to turn it off, using WhatsApp's help pages, and why the setting lives in two places.

What the WhatsApp floating notification is

WhatsApp's help pages describe the alerts you get when the app is closed or in the background as push notifications, and they can appear on your lock screen or as a banner. The floating version is the banner that slides over the top of your screen while you're using another app. Different phone makers give it different names, such as Pop on screen, Brief Pop-up, Detailed Pop-up or Floating notifications.

That naming point matters, because it's why one set of instructions never fits every phone. Menus vary by app version and by manufacturer, so follow the pattern below and look for the closest wording on your phone.

Turn off the WhatsApp floating notification in your phone settings

WhatsApp's help pages say your device settings override WhatsApp's own settings. So the first and most reliable place to switch off the floating banner is your phone.

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Go to Notifications, then find WhatsApp in the app list.
3. Find the notification importance or priority setting. WhatsApp's help pages say Urgent or High is what lets pop-ups show on screen.
4. Lower the importance, or turn off the option named Pop on screen, Brief Pop-up, Detailed Pop-up or Floating notifications, if your phone has one.
5. Go back and try sending yourself a message from another phone to see the result.

WhatsApp adds that Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus phones have their own custom notification settings, so the wording differs. If you can't find the option, your phone maker's support pages will name it for your model.

Turn off WhatsApp popup notifications inside the app

WhatsApp's own notification settings also have switches that affect how alerts look. WhatsApp's help pages list them under Settings, then Notifications, in the Messages and Groups sections.

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots, then Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Under Messages, find Popup notification and Use high priority notifications.
4. Turn off the one that matches what you want to stop. High priority notifications show previews at the top of your screen.
5. Repeat the same steps under Groups.

Because this list changes by phone and version, you may not see every option. WhatsApp's troubleshooting pages also say that starting with Android 10, pop-up notifications may no longer appear, because of a change in Android's notification system rather than a WhatsApp setting. So if you can't find a Popup switch, your phone's settings from the section above are the ones that count.

Stop floating alerts for one WhatsApp chat or group only

You don't have to silence the whole app. WhatsApp's help pages say you can set custom notifications for a specific contact or group, and you can mute an individual or group chat. That's a smart option if only one noisy group is the problem.

1. Open the chat or group.
2. Tap the name at the top.
3. Tap Notifications.
4. Choose Mute or adjust the notification tone and options for that chat.

If you'd prefer the noisy chat to simply drop out of sight too, my guide to hiding a WhatsApp chat covers archiving a chat so it stops cluttering your list.

If you turned off the WhatsApp floating notification and still see alerts

• Check the phone-level setting again, because WhatsApp says your device settings override the app.
• Look for a separate custom notification category for that chat. WhatsApp says enabling custom notifications for a chat adds a new category in your device settings.
• Check Do not disturb. WhatsApp's help pages mention it affects whether alerts appear.
• Use the reset in WhatsApp: tap the three dots, Settings, Notifications, then Reset notification settings. This returns everything to the default, so you'd start again.
• Update WhatsApp and restart your phone, which WhatsApp's help pages suggest as general fixes.

Check the result after you switch off WhatsApp floating alerts

Don't just change the setting and hope. Ask a friend to send you a message while you're in another app, then watch what happens. If the banner is gone but the sound still plays, that's a separate setting, because WhatsApp says the notification tone is its own option. If you see nothing at all, even on the lock screen, you may have gone too far, and the section below shows how to bring the alerts back.

When you want the floating notification back

Maybe you've been missing messages. If so, the same two places control it. Raise the notification importance to Urgent or High in your phone's WhatsApp notification settings, and check that Pop on screen or Floating notifications is turned on if your phone has it. Also confirm that notifications are allowed at all. On Android 13 and above, WhatsApp's help pages say apps need permission to send notifications, so check Settings, Apps, WhatsApp, Notifications and turn on Allow notifications.

A calmer WhatsApp for creators and small business owners

If you run a small business on your phone, notification overload is a real productivity drain. I'd turn off the floating banner but keep the quiet badge on, so you see there's a message without being yanked out of what you're doing. Then check WhatsApp at set times in the day. If one team or customer group is constantly active, mute just that group and keep alerts on for the people who matter.

If your phone is lagging after all the alerts, my guide on why WhatsApp Business keeps lagging may help too, though it's written for the Business app.

I keep every related walkthrough in the WhatsApp Help: 43 Guides to Transfers, Backups, Business and Privacy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I turn off the floating notification on WhatsApp?

Open your phone's Settings, go to Notifications, choose WhatsApp, and lower the importance or switch off Pop on screen or Floating notifications. Also try Settings, Notifications, Popup notification inside WhatsApp.

Why can't I find a popup notification switch in WhatsApp?

WhatsApp's help pages say that from Android 10, pop-up notifications are controlled by Android's notification system, so the setting is in your phone's own notification settings.

Does WhatsApp or my phone control the floating notification?

Both can, but WhatsApp says your device settings override its own. Start in your phone's settings.

Can I stop floating alerts for one chat only?

Yes. Open the chat, tap the name, tap Notifications and mute it or change its settings.

Will I still get messages if I turn the floating notification off?

Yes, messages still arrive. You just won't see the banner pop over other apps.