diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/dm-thread-protocol.js
@@ -930,6 +930,7 @@
       description: true,
       color: true,
     },
+    supportsBackgroundNotifs: true,
   });
 
 function pendingThreadType(numberOfOtherMembers: number) {
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@
     // Farcaster threads do not support color changes
     color: false,
   },
+  supportsBackgroundNotifs: false,
 };
 
 export { farcasterThreadProtocol };
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/keyserver-thread-protocol.js
@@ -687,6 +687,7 @@
       description: true,
       color: true,
     },
+    supportsBackgroundNotifs: true,
   });
 
 function pendingThreadType(numberOfOtherMembers: number) {
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@
     +description: boolean,
     +color: boolean,
   },
+  +supportsBackgroundNotifs: boolean,
 };
 
 export type ThreadSpec<
diff --git a/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-notifications.react.js b/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-notifications.react.js
--- a/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-notifications.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/settings/thread-settings-notifications.react.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   threadSettingsNotificationsCopy,
   useThreadSettingsNotifications,
 } from 'lib/shared/thread-settings-notifications-utils.js';
+import { threadSpecs } from 'lib/shared/threads/thread-specs.js';
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
 
 import EnumSettingsOption from '../../components/enum-settings-option.react.js';
@@ -218,6 +219,30 @@
     [notificationSettings],
   );
 
+  const notifCountOnlySetting = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (!threadSpecs[threadInfo.type].protocol().supportsBackgroundNotifs) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return (
+      <View style={styles.enumSettingsOptionContainer}>
+        <EnumSettingsOption
+          name={threadSettingsNotificationsCopy.NOTIF_COUNT_ONLY}
+          enumValue={notificationSettings === 'notif-count-only'}
+          onEnumValuePress={onNotifCountOnlySelected}
+          description={notifCountOnlyDescription}
+          icon={notifCountOnlyIllustration}
+        />
+      </View>
+    );
+  }, [
+    notifCountOnlyDescription,
+    notifCountOnlyIllustration,
+    notificationSettings,
+    onNotifCountOnlySelected,
+    styles.enumSettingsOptionContainer,
+    threadInfo.type,
+  ]);
+
   const threadSettingsNotifications = React.useMemo(() => {
     return (
       <View style={styles.container}>
@@ -230,15 +255,7 @@
             icon={allNotificationsIllustration}
           />
         </View>
-        <View style={styles.enumSettingsOptionContainer}>
-          <EnumSettingsOption
-            name={threadSettingsNotificationsCopy.NOTIF_COUNT_ONLY}
-            enumValue={notificationSettings === 'notif-count-only'}
-            onEnumValuePress={onNotifCountOnlySelected}
-            description={notifCountOnlyDescription}
-            icon={notifCountOnlyIllustration}
-          />
-        </View>
+        {notifCountOnlySetting}
         <View style={styles.enumSettingsOptionContainer}>
           <EnumSettingsOption
             name={threadSettingsNotificationsCopy.MUTED}
@@ -257,9 +274,7 @@
     onHomeSelected,
     allNotificationsDescription,
     allNotificationsIllustration,
-    onNotifCountOnlySelected,
-    notifCountOnlyDescription,
-    notifCountOnlyIllustration,
+    notifCountOnlySetting,
     onMutedSelected,
     mutedDescription,
     mutedIllustration,
diff --git a/web/modals/threads/notifications/notifications-modal.react.js b/web/modals/threads/notifications/notifications-modal.react.js
--- a/web/modals/threads/notifications/notifications-modal.react.js
+++ b/web/modals/threads/notifications/notifications-modal.react.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   threadSettingsNotificationsCopy,
   useThreadSettingsNotifications,
 } from 'lib/shared/thread-settings-notifications-utils.js';
+import { threadSpecs } from 'lib/shared/threads/thread-specs.js';
 
 import css from './notifications-modal.css';
 import AllNotifsIllustration from '../../../assets/all-notifs.react.js';
@@ -105,6 +106,9 @@
 
   const isNotifyCountOnlySelected = notificationSettings === 'notif-count-only';
   const notifCountOnlyItem = React.useMemo(() => {
+    if (!threadSpecs[threadInfo.type].protocol().supportsBackgroundNotifs) {
+      return null;
+    }
     const icon = <BadgeNotifsIllustration />;
     return (
       <EnumSettingsOption
@@ -115,7 +119,7 @@
         onSelect={onNotifCountOnlySelected}
       />
     );
-  }, [isNotifyCountOnlySelected, onNotifCountOnlySelected]);
+  }, [isNotifyCountOnlySelected, onNotifCountOnlySelected, threadInfo]);
 
   const isMutedSelected = notificationSettings === 'muted';
   const backgroundItem = React.useMemo(() => {