How to Enable Gmail Desktop Notifications

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: February 4, 2022

This wikiHow teaches you how to turn on web browser notifications for Gmail. Desktop notifications cause a pop-up message to appear whenever you receive a new email or chat in Gmail. Desktop notifications will only work in supported browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

1

Open Gmail.

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Go to https://www.gmail.com in your computer's web browser. This will open your Gmail inbox if you're logged in.
- If you aren't logged into Gmail, enter your email address and password when prompted.

2

Go to your extended Gmail settings.

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When you click the gear, you'll open your Quick Settings on the right panel. On that panel, select "More Settings" to view all of your Gmail settings.

3

Scroll down to the "Desktop Notifications" section.

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4

Choose how to receive notifications.

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You can receive notifications for all messages, or just those you deem important. Check the box next to the option that describes the notifications you want to receive.
- New mail notifications on: Displays a notification every time you receive a new message.
- Important mail notifications on: If a message is flagged as "Important," you'll see a notification.
- If you want to hear a sound along with the notification pop-up, choose an option from the "Mail notification sounds" drop-down menu.

5

Save your new notification settings.

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Scroll down and click Save Changes. It's at the bottom of the page. Now that you've enabled notifications, you'll see web browser pop-ups each time you receive a new email message.
- Your web browser must be open to receive Gmail desktop notifications.

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Question

What do I do if my email account doesn't make a sound even though notifications are on?

Community Answer

Go in to settings, desktop notifications, and make sure the new email notification is on. Above that, press the link '' click here to enable desktop notification for Gmail '' and it should work.

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I have done all of these directions, but my Gmail notification icon still isn't coming up on my desktop. It just went away a few days ago. Any ideas?

Community Answer

You have to allow Chrome to display notifications in Windows (click the Start Menu and enter "notifications" in the Search box, go into Settings, then enable notifications for Chrome). You have to allow the Hangouts in Gmail as well. Finally, go into Chrome settings, click Show Advanced Settings, Click Content Settings under Advanced, and under Notifications, click Allow All Sites to Show Desktop Notifications.

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Tips

Gmail will not send you notifications about emails sent to the "Updates", "Social", or "Promotions" folders.^{[1]
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If notifications become overwhelming, you can easily disable Gmail notifications from the Settings menu.

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