# Is there a way to turn off the autofollow feature when adding observation fields? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** question, observation-field, notifications\ **Created:** [November 15, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713 "2025-11-15T04:26:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![odocoileus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/odocoileus/32/3459_2.png) [@odocoileus](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/odocoileus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/1 "2025-11-15T04:26:08Z")
When I add an observation field, I get a notification whenever an ID is added to that observation. Unfollowing each observation Individually on the subscriptions page is not practical. Turning off notifications for Confirming IDs does not work because I have not added an ID to the observation. Has anyone found a way around this? ---
**Author:** ![jwidness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jwidness)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 4:39am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/2 "2025-11-15T04:39:18Z")
If you use the [universal metadata tool](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/announcing-the-universal-metadata-tool-beta/53182), you can prevent following observations when you add fields. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/6/2/62e3fc8d6edb7701c9fcd771be8324535b40024b.png) ---
**Author:** ![zygy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/zygy/32/1134_2.png) [@zygy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/zygy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/3 "2025-11-15T17:25:34Z")
I agree this is a problem. I even considered setting up a separate account for adding observation fields because it creates so much notification spam, but I was told this is against iNaturalist guidelines. You should create a feature request for this. ---
**Author:** ![cthawley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/cthawley/32/1445_2.png) [@cthawley](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/cthawley)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/4 "2025-11-15T19:56:15Z")
If someone does submit a feature request, keep in mind that we aren’t accepting requests having to do with notifications. I don’t know if it’s possible for a request to address this issue without focusing on notifications (ie, solely focused on the following aspect) or not. ---
**Author:** ![arboretum\_amy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/arboretum_amy/32/2328_2.png) [@arboretum\_amy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/arboretum_amy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/5 "2025-11-15T20:31:06Z")
> [@cthawley](#): > > keep in mind that we aren’t accepting requests having to do with notifications. It is unreasonable not to accept such requests still after all this time. The notification revamp promised 6 years ago was never the worked on so requests need to open back up again. ---
**Author:** ![odocoileus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/odocoileus/32/3459_2.png) [@odocoileus](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/odocoileus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2025, 2:17am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/7 "2025-11-16T02:17:36Z")
@[jwidness](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/2) Thank you so much! This is so helpful! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 2:17am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/is-there-a-way-to-turn-off-the-autofollow-feature-when-adding-observation-fields/72713/8 "2026-01-15T02:17:51Z")
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