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Zulip help center

Desktop notifications

Zulip can be configured to send visual and audible desktop notifications for DMs, mentions, and alerts, as well as channel messages and followed topics.

  1. Go to Notifications.
  2. Toggle the checkboxes in the Desktop column of the Notification triggers table.

Notification sound

Section titled “Notification sound”

You can select the sound Zulip uses for audible desktop notifications. Choosing None disables all audible desktop notifications.

Change notification sound

Section titled “Change notification sound”
  1. Go to Notifications.
  2. Under Desktop message notifications, configure Notification sound.

Unread count badge

Section titled “Unread count badge”

By default, Zulip displays a count of your unmuted unread messages on the desktop app sidebar and on the browser tab icon. You can configure the badge to only count direct messages and mentions, or to include messages in followed topics but not other channel messages.

Configure unread count badge

Section titled “Configure unread count badge”
  1. Go to Notifications.
  2. Under Desktop message notifications, configure Unread count badge.

Disable unread count badge

Section titled “Disable unread count badge”
  1. Go to Notifications.
  2. Under Desktop message notifications, select None from the Unread count badge dropdown.

Testing desktop notifications

Section titled “Testing desktop notifications”
  1. Go to Notifications.
  2. Under Desktop message notifications, click Send a test notification. If notifications are working, you will receive a test notification.

Troubleshooting desktop notifications

Section titled “Troubleshooting desktop notifications”

Desktop notifications are triggered when a message arrives, and Zulip is not in focus or the message is offscreen. You must have Zulip open in a browser tab or in the Zulip desktop app to receive desktop notifications.

Visual desktop notifications appear in the corner of your main monitor. Audible desktop notifications make a sound.

To receive notifications in the desktop app, make sure that Do Not Disturb mode is turned off.

Check notification settings for DMs or channels

Section titled “Check notification settings for DMs or channels”

If you have successfully received a test notification, but you aren’t seeing desktop notifications for new messages, check your Zulip notification settings. Make sure you have enabled desktop notifications for DMs or for the channel you are testing. Messages in muted topics will not trigger notifications.

Check platform settings

Section titled “Check platform settings”

The most common issue is that your browser or system settings are blocking notifications from Zulip. Before checking Zulip-specific settings, make sure that Do Not Disturb mode is not enabled on your computer.

  1. Click on the site information menu to the left of the URL for your Zulip organization.
  2. Toggle Notifications and Sound. If you don’t see those options, click on Site settings, and set Notifications and Sound to Allow.

Alternate instructions:

  1. Select the Chrome menu at the top right of the browser, and select Settings.
  2. Select Privacy and security, Site Settings, and then Notifications.
  3. Next to Allowed to send notifications, select Add.
  4. Paste the Zulip URL for your organization into the site field, and click Add.
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