X (Twitter) doesn't give you a button to clear or delete notifications from your Notifications timeline. What you can do is filter it: turn on the quality filter, mute words and accounts, and use advanced filters to block whole types of accounts, then switch off phone alerts if the pings are the problem.
X's help page on the Notifications timeline describes ways to filter what you see, but no way to wipe it. So the realistic goal is a quieter tab, not an empty one.
Below you'll find each filter, the steps for iPhone, Android and the web, and how to stop the alerts reaching your phone. It's based on X's Help Center and Apple's iPhone guide, read in October 2026.
What the Notifications timeline shows
X says the Notifications timeline shows how other people interact with you: likes on your posts, the latest reposts, replies and mentions, new List followers and new followers. It also says X may lift up content it thinks you'll be most interested in.
You can view it three ways:
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| All | Account activity such as new followers, reposts, mentions and likes |
| Mentions | Only posts that mention your username |
| Verified | Only notifications from Verified accounts |
If you just want a cleaner view, switching to Mentions is the quickest win. It hides the likes and follows and leaves the posts that need a reply.
Turn on the quality filter
X says the quality filter removes lower-quality content from your notifications, such as duplicate posts or content that appears to be automated. It doesn't filter notifications from people you follow or accounts you've recently interacted with.
- Go to your Notifications timeline.
- Tap the gear icon.
- Drag the slider next to quality filter to turn it on or off.
You can also reach the same settings by tapping your profile icon, then Settings and privacy.
Use advanced filters
Advanced filters stop notifications from whole types of accounts. X lists these options:
- Accounts that are new, that you don't follow.
- Accounts that don't follow you, that you don't follow.
- Accounts you don't follow.
- Accounts with a default profile photo, that you don't follow.
- Accounts without a confirmed email address, that you don't follow.
- Accounts without a confirmed phone number, that you don't follow.
On x.com, go to your Notifications timeline, click Settings, click Advanced filters and tick the boxes you want. On iPhone, tap the gear on the Notifications timeline, tap Advanced filters and turn on the sliders. On Android, it's the same route, with tick boxes instead of sliders.
X also says that if your account suddenly gets a lot of attention, it may put a notification in your tab inviting you to adjust these filters.
Mute words and accounts
If one topic or one person is flooding your notifications, mute them. X's help page says you can mute notifications for particular words and phrases with muted words, and mute notifications from accounts, whether you follow them or not.
My guide to muting words on X walks through setting up muted words. If muting isn't enough and someone's harassing you, blocking them on X is the stronger option.
Stop X notifications on your phone
Sometimes it isn't the tab that's the problem, it's the buzzing. Push alerts are controlled by your phone. On an iPhone, Apple's steps are:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap X under Notification Style.
- Turn off Allow Notifications, or change where alerts appear under Alerts.
If your alerts arrive late rather than too often, my guide to fixing delayed Twitter notifications on iPhone covers that problem.
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Why some notifications seem to jump the queue
If the order of your notifications looks odd, that's by design. X's help page says that, as well as your notifications, it will highlight content it thinks you'll be most interested in and that contributes to the conversation in a meaningful way, such as content that's relevant, credible and safe. So the tab isn't a strict timeline of every like and follow.
The Verified tab is the other quick filter. X says it shows only notifications from Verified accounts, which some people find a handy way to cut through a busy day.
That's another reason the Mentions tab is useful. It narrows the view to posts that mention your username, which are the ones most likely to need a reply from you.
A five-minute tidy-up routine
- Switch the Notifications tab to Mentions when you only want the posts that need a reply.
- Turn on the quality filter from the gear icon.
- Tick the advanced filters for new accounts and accounts with a default profile photo, if strangers are the noise.
- Add muted words for topics that keep dragging you in.
- Decide which alerts, if any, you want on your phone, and set that in your phone's settings.
Do it once and the tab stays calmer, even though nothing in it gets deleted. Check back after a few weeks and loosen any filter that turns out to be hiding replies you wanted to see.
Threads handles blocking differently, and our guide to blocking someone on Threads explains how.
My verdict
You can't empty the Notifications tab on X, so stop looking for the button. Switch to Mentions for a clean view, turn on the quality filter, tick the advanced filters that match the accounts annoying you, and mute the rest. Then decide whether you want X on your lock screen at all.
Notifications aside, our guide to messaging someone on X covers direct messages.
Frequently asked questions
Can you clear notifications on X?
Not from the Notifications timeline. X's help page describes filters for the tab, such as the quality filter, muted words and advanced filters, but no way to delete notifications.
How do I see fewer notifications on X?
Turn on the quality filter, use advanced filters to block types of accounts, and mute words or accounts. Switching to the Mentions tab also hides likes and follows.
What does the quality filter do on X?
X says it filters lower-quality content from your notifications, such as duplicate or automated-looking posts. It doesn't filter people you follow or accounts you've recently interacted with.
How do I turn off X notifications on iPhone?
Open Settings, tap Notifications, tap X and turn off Allow Notifications, or change where alerts appear.
Why are my X notifications out of order?
X says it will highlight content it thinks you'll be most interested in, such as content that's relevant, credible and safe, so the tab isn't a strict timeline.
