I’m not getting Google Chat notifications

If you don’t get notifications, you may need to update your device settings or check your Google Chat notification settings.

Understand app notifications

Some Google Chat applications can adjust notification settings, to send updates, including::

@notify messages: These messages are for critical or time-sensitive information. They work like @all messages to get immediate attention and ignore your “Do Not Disturb” status, muted conversations, or notification settings.
@silent messages: These messages are for low-priority updates. They minimize disruption by working like system messages.

Tip: Only applications or bots can send @silent or @notify messages. You can't send these message types.

Troubleshoot Chat notifications

This article explains how to troubleshoot these situations:

How to fix Google Chat notifications not working on your computer

I don't get any notifications

If you don’t get notifications, turn on notifications in your computer’s operating system and browser.

Allow notifications in your computer’s operating system

Each computer operating system has different steps to turn on notifications. For more info, check your operating system’s online help.
- Mac
- Chrome
- Windows
Some computer operating systems have settings that mute notifications. If you don’t get Google Chat notifications, check your operating system’s online help and make sure notifications aren’t muted.

Tip: Older Windows versions may have different notification settings.

Turn on Chat notifications from the web

To make sure you receive Chat notifications, you may need to enable them from your Google Chat or Gmail settings on the web. This process involves granting both browser notification and idle detection permissions through a single prompt.

On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail .
At the top right, click Settings Notifications .
- In Gmail, click Settings See all settings Chat and Meet Manage chat settings.
Under "Desktop notifications," you will find the "Allow chat notifications" toggle.
- If this toggle is off, turn it on.
- If this toggle is already on, but you are not receiving notifications, you may see a Turn on button. Click this button.
In the browser permission dialog that appears, click Allow to grant both browser-level notifications and idle detection permissions for Google Chat.

Understand and manage idle detection for notifications

Idle detection permission helps Google Chat ensure notifications are sent to your correct active device, reducing duplicate notifications across multiple devices.

To grant idle detection permission when browser notifications are already active:

On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail .
At the top right, click Settings Manage Chat settings.
Under "Desktop notifications," if prompted to turn on idle detection separately, click Turn on.
Follow the prompts from your browser to grant idle detection permission.

Allow Google Chat notifications in Google Chrome

On your computer, open Chrome .
At the top right, click More Settings .
On the left, click Privacy and security Site Settings .
Scroll to Permissions select Notifications .
Find "https://chat.google.com:443" and "https://mail.google.com:443."
Follow the steps listed in the table below under "Steps to turn on notification permissions for both of these URLs."

Tip: To make sure notifications are allowed on your browser, under “Allowed to send notifications,” add both "https://chat.google.com:443" and "https://mail.google.com:443." Follow the steps in the table for each of the URLs.

Location of Google Chat and Gmail entries (https://chat.google.com:443 and https://mail.google.com:443)	Steps to turn on notification permissions
Not listed under “Customized Behaviors”	1. Next to "Allowed to send notifications," click Add. 2. In the "Site" field, enter: `https://chat.google.com:443` 3. Click Add. 4. If it's not listed, follow the same steps for `https://mail.google.com:443`.
Listed under “Not allowed to send notifications”	1. Turn on permission to send notifications. 2. On the right, click More actions . 3. Click Allow.
Listed under “Allowed to send notifications”	Notification permissions are turned on already.

Tip: By default, browsers disable auto-playing audio. To change the settings to allow audio:

Under “Customized behaviors,” click https://chat.google.com:443.
Under “Permissions,” next to Sound , click the dropdown box.
Select Allow.
Follow the same steps for "https://mail.google.com:443."

Allow Google Chat notifications in other browsers

Each browser has different steps to turn on notifications. For more info, check your browser’s online help.

I get notifications sometimes

If you occasionally miss Google Chat notifications on your computer, follow these steps.

Close the mobile app

Close the Google Chat or Gmail mobile app. When an app is open, notifications show up there and don’t show up when you’re:

Online at chat.google.com.
In the Chat desktop app.
In Chat in Gmail.

Find out where you get notifications

Check where you receive notifications.

If you’re using chat.google.com:

On your computer, go to Google Chat.
At the top right, click Settings Notifications .
Under "Desktop notifications," check if the "Show an example" option shows.
- If you can find “Show an example,” you get Google Chat web notifications at chat.google.com.
- If you can’t find “Show an example,” you get Google Chat notifications in another browser tab or in the Chat app itself.

If you’re using Gmail:

On your computer, open Gmail.
At the top right, click Settings See all settings.
At the top, click the Chat and Meet tab.

Go to Chat and Meet settings

Next to "Chat settings," click Manage chat settings.
Under "Desktop notifications," check if the "Show an example" option shows.
- If you can find “Show an example,” you get Google Chat web notifications in Gmail.
- If you can’t find “Show an example,” you get Google Chat notifications in another browser tab or in the Chat app itself.

I don't get notifications for a specific space

Make sure notifications are turned on for spaces. Learn how to manage thread notifications.

Tip: Notification settings for spaces and group direct messages are the same on the web and your mobile device. If you change notification settings for a space or group direct message on the web, the same settings apply on your mobile app.

I don't get notifications for a specific 1:1 or group direct message

Make sure notifications are turned on for the direct message. Learn how to Turn Google Chat notifications on or off.

Tip: Notification settings for direct messages are the same in the web and mobile versions of Google Chat. If you change notification settings for a direct message on the web, the same settings apply on your mobile app.