Quick Answer
You can stop Facebook messages from going to your Gmail inbox by adjusting your Facebook notification settings. Go to Settings > Notifications on Facebook and turn off email notifications for Messages. This will prevent new Facebook messages from being forwarded to your Gmail account. However, it will not remove existing Facebook messages already in your Gmail inbox.
Steps to Stop Facebook Messages Going to Gmail
Here are the detailed steps to stop Facebook messages going to your Gmail inbox:
- Open Facebook in your browser or the Facebook app.
- Click on the down arrow in the top right and select “Settings”.
- In the left sidebar, click on “Notifications”.
- Under the Notifications heading, locate “Email” and click on it.
- Find the option for “Messages” and switch the toggle from “On” to “Off”.
- Scroll down and click “Save Changes”.
This will prevent any new Facebook messages from being forwarded to your connected Gmail account. However, messages already in your Gmail will remain there unless you manually delete them.
You can also disable other individual email notifications in this section based on your preferences. For example, you can keep email notifications enabled for Facebook events or group posts if desired.
Removing Existing Facebook Messages from Gmail
To remove Facebook messages that are already in your Gmail inbox:
- Open the Gmail account connected to your Facebook account.
- Search for emails from “Facebook” or with the subject “New message from Facebook”.
- Select all the Facebook message emails.
- Click the “Delete” button to move them to the Trash.
- Empty the Trash folder to completely remove the Facebook messages.
This will delete all previous Facebook message notifications from your Gmail inbox. Going forward, new Facebook messages will stop appearing now that you’ve disabled the email notifications.
Why Facebook Messages Go to Gmail
Facebook offers the ability to forward notifications to your email for convenience. When you set up your Facebook account, one of the prompts is to connect and verify your email address.
Once your email is connected, Facebook automatically enables email notifications for certain activity including messages, posts, events and more. Each notification goes to your Gmail inbox because that’s the address you provided.
Some reasons Facebook messages may be going to your Gmail without you realizing it:
- You connected your Gmail when first signing up for Facebook.
- You intentionally enabled email notifications in your Facebook settings.
- You use your Gmail address as your Facebook login.
- Someone tagged you in a Facebook post or comment.
- You RSVP’d yes to a Facebook event.
- You joined a new Facebook group.
- You have unread messages from friends or pages.
Essentially any Facebook notification can be forwarded to your email. While it can be convenient, it can also clutter up your Gmail inbox if you prefer to separate the two.
Other Ways to Stop Facebook Emails
In addition to turning off messages, you can further manage which Facebook emails reach your Gmail:
- Unsubscribe from email digests – Go to Settings > Email and disable any email digest options.
- Adjust email notification settings – Customize which notifications are enabled under Settings > Notifications > Email.
- Use Unroll.me – This service lets you unsubscribe and roll up annoying subscription emails.
- Create a rule in Gmail – Set up a filter to automatically delete or archive Facebook emails.
- Update Facebook email – Change your connected email to an address you don’t use for Gmail.
Experiment to find the right balance of Facebook alerts by email according to your preferences. Just be sure to disable message notifications if you don’t want your Gmail getting crowded with Facebook replies.
Pros and Cons of Facebook Messages in Gmail
There are both advantages and disadvantages to having Facebook messages forwarded to your Gmail inbox:
Pros
- Convenience of managing conversations in one place
- Email reminders if you don’t log into Facebook frequently
- Quickly scan messages without going into Facebook
- Replying directly from Gmail is simpler
Cons
- Clutters up your Gmail inbox
- Harder to separate social from email
- Messages could get overlooked in Gmail
- Loses Facebook messaging features
Whether you allow Facebook messages in your Gmail comes down to your own personal preferences in how you manage your inboxes. If you already get a ton of email, keeping Facebook separate may be less distracting. But if you rely more on Gmail, consolidation can be convenient.
Facebook Message Options Compared to Gmail
When Facebook messages go to your Gmail inbox, they lose some of the original Facebook messaging functionality. Here’s a comparison of features:
| Feature | Facebook Messenger | Gmail |
|---|---|---|
| Read receipts | Yes | No |
| See when recipients are typing | Yes | No |
| Group conversations | Yes | No |
| Chat heads | Yes | No |
| Forward messages | Yes | Yes |
As you can see, the native Facebook Messaging experience includes visual features, real-time typing indicators, groups, and read receipts that don’t transfer over to email. While Gmail is more limited, you do gain the ability to easily forward message threads to others.
Alternatives to Check if You Miss Facebook Messages
If you disable Facebook message emails but still want to stay on top of incoming chats, there are a few options:
- Set up Facebook push notifications on your mobile device – You’ll get alerts when you receive new messages.
- Enable desktop notifications in Facebook settings – Get pop-up notifications on your computer when you get messages.
- Install the Facebook Messenger app – You can customize notifications just for messages.
- Use the bookmark trick – Bookmark Facebook Messenger and check it frequently like email.
The goal is to find a system that works for you. If your Gmail inbox is already overloaded, keeping Facebook communications separate could help you stay organized. But make sure you aren’t missing important messages through Facebook-only channels.
Conclusion
Facebook messages going to your Gmail inbox is a convenient feature for some, while bothersome for others. If you want to stop this email forwarding, go into Facebook’s notification settings and disable emails for Messages. Just be aware this only applies to new messages – you’ll have to manually delete existing ones from Gmail.
With messages disconnected from your email, utilize Facebook’s native notification options or Messenger apps to stay on top of conversations. Find the right balance between convenience and inbox overload when linking accounts like Facebook and Gmail together.