diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugPreferenceManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugPreferenceManager.kt
index 84b624f7..c7f44d2e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugPreferenceManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugPreferenceManager.kt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ object DebugPreferenceManager {
     private const val KEY_GATT_SERVER = "gatt_server_enabled"
     private const val KEY_GATT_CLIENT = "gatt_client_enabled"
     private const val KEY_PACKET_RELAY = "packet_relay_enabled"
+    private const val KEY_HIDE_ANNOUNCE = "hide_announce_logging"
     private const val KEY_MAX_CONN_OVERALL = "max_connections_overall"
     private const val KEY_MAX_CONN_SERVER = "max_connections_server"
     private const val KEY_MAX_CONN_CLIENT = "max_connections_client"
@@ -35,6 +36,13 @@ object DebugPreferenceManager {
     fun getGattServerEnabled(default: Boolean = true): Boolean =
         if (ready()) prefs.getBoolean(KEY_GATT_SERVER, default) else default
 
+    fun getHideAnnounceLogging(default: Boolean = false): Boolean =
+        if (ready()) prefs.getBoolean(KEY_HIDE_ANNOUNCE, default) else default
+
+    fun setHideAnnounceLogging(value: Boolean) {
+        if (ready()) prefs.edit().putBoolean(KEY_HIDE_ANNOUNCE, value).apply()
+    }
+
     fun setGattServerEnabled(value: Boolean) {
         if (ready()) prefs.edit().putBoolean(KEY_GATT_SERVER, value).apply()
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsManager.kt
index 81538058..9d377774 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsManager.kt
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ class DebugSettingsManager private constructor() {
     val maxConnectionsOverall: StateFlow<Int> = _maxConnectionsOverall.asStateFlow()
     private val _maxServerConnections = MutableStateFlow(8)
     val maxServerConnections: StateFlow<Int> = _maxServerConnections.asStateFlow()
+    private val _hideAnnounceLogging = MutableStateFlow(false)
+    val hideAnnounceLogging: StateFlow<Boolean> = _hideAnnounceLogging.asStateFlow()
+
     private val _maxClientConnections = MutableStateFlow(8)
     val maxClientConnections: StateFlow<Int> = _maxClientConnections.asStateFlow()
     
@@ -51,6 +54,7 @@ class DebugSettingsManager private constructor() {
             _gattServerEnabled.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getGattServerEnabled(true)
             _gattClientEnabled.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getGattClientEnabled(true)
             _packetRelayEnabled.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getPacketRelayEnabled(true)
+            _hideAnnounceLogging.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getHideAnnounceLogging(false)
             _maxConnectionsOverall.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getMaxConnectionsOverall(8)
             _maxServerConnections.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getMaxConnectionsServer(8)
             _maxClientConnections.value = DebugPreferenceManager.getMaxConnectionsClient(8)
@@ -115,6 +119,14 @@ class DebugSettingsManager private constructor() {
             addDebugMessage(DebugMessage.SystemMessage("🔇 Verbose logging disabled"))
         }
     }
+
+    fun setHideAnnounceLogging(enabled: Boolean) {
+        DebugPreferenceManager.setHideAnnounceLogging(enabled)
+        _hideAnnounceLogging.value = enabled
+        addDebugMessage(DebugMessage.SystemMessage(
+            if (enabled) "🙈 Hiding ANNOUNCE logs" else "👀 Showing ANNOUNCE logs"
+        ))
+    }
     
     fun setGattServerEnabled(enabled: Boolean) {
         DebugPreferenceManager.setGattServerEnabled(enabled)
@@ -223,6 +235,10 @@ class DebugSettingsManager private constructor() {
     
     fun logIncomingPacket(senderPeerID: String, senderNickname: String?, messageType: String, viaDeviceId: String?) {
         if (verboseLoggingEnabled.value) {
+            // Optional filter: hide ANNOUNCE logs if enabled
+            if (hideAnnounceLogging.value && messageType.equals("ANNOUNCE", ignoreCase = true)) {
+                return
+            }
             val who = if (!senderNickname.isNullOrBlank()) "$senderNickname ($senderPeerID)" else senderPeerID
             val routeInfo = if (!viaDeviceId.isNullOrBlank()) " via $viaDeviceId" else " (direct)"
             addDebugMessage(DebugMessage.PacketEvent(
@@ -288,11 +304,16 @@ class DebugSettingsManager private constructor() {
         val ttlStr = ttl?.toString() ?: "?"
 
         if (verboseLoggingEnabled.value) {
-            addDebugMessage(
-                DebugMessage.RelayEvent(
-                    "♻️ Relayed $packetType by $senderLabel from $fromName (${fromPeerID ?: "?"}, $fromAddr) to $toName (${toPeerID ?: "?"}, $toAddr) with TTL $ttlStr"
+            // Optional filter: hide ANNOUNCE relay logs if enabled
+            if (hideAnnounceLogging.value && packetType.equals("ANNOUNCE", ignoreCase = true)) {
+                // Still update stats below, but do not emit a debug message
+            } else {
+                addDebugMessage(
+                    DebugMessage.RelayEvent(
+                        "♻️ Relayed $packetType by $senderLabel from $fromName (${fromPeerID ?: "?"}, $fromAddr) to $toName (${toPeerID ?: "?"}, $toAddr) with TTL $ttlStr"
+                    )
                 )
-            )
+            }
         }
 
         // Update rolling statistics
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsSheet.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsSheet.kt
index 33fde064..10c05b0f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsSheet.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/debug/DebugSettingsSheet.kt
@@ -120,6 +120,21 @@ fun DebugSettingsSheet(
                             fontSize = 11.sp,
                             color = colorScheme.onSurface.copy(alpha = 0.7f)
                         )
+                        // New: hide ANNOUNCE logs toggle
+                        Row(verticalAlignment = Alignment.CenterVertically) {
+                            Text("hide announce logs", fontFamily = FontFamily.Monospace, modifier = Modifier.weight(1f))
+                            val hideAnnounce by manager.hideAnnounceLogging.collectAsState()
+                            Switch(
+                                checked = hideAnnounce,
+                                onCheckedChange = { manager.setHideAnnounceLogging(it) }
+                            )
+                        }
+                        Text(
+                            "suppress debug log entries for received/relayed ANNOUNCE packets",
+                            fontFamily = FontFamily.Monospace,
+                            fontSize = 11.sp,
+                            color = colorScheme.onSurface.copy(alpha = 0.7f)
+                        )
                     }
                 }
             }