Troubleshooting desktop notifications
First, make sure you have enabled
desktop notifications for PMs or for the
stream you are testing with.
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.
The most common issue is that your browser or system settings are blocking
notifications from Zulip.
Desktop app on macOS
- 
Open your Mac System Preferences and select Notifications. 
- 
Select Zulip from the list of apps. 
- 
Configure the notification style that you would like Zulip to use. 
Desktop app on Windows
- 
Click the Start button and select Settings. Select System,
   and then Notifications & actions. 
- 
Select Zulip from the list of apps. 
- 
Configure the notification style that you would like Zulip to use. 
Firefox
- 
Open the Firefox Edit menu. Select Preferences. 
- 
On the left, select Privacy & Security. Scroll to the Permissions
   section and select the Settings button next to Notifications. 
- 
Find the URL for your Zulip organization, and adjust the Status
   selector to Allow. 
Chrome
- 
Click on Secure to the left of the URL bar. It should be green and
   have a lock icon next to it. 
- 
Set Notifications and Sound to Allow. 
Alternate instructions:
- 
Open the Chrome Edit menu. Select Preferences. 
- 
On the top left, select the menu icon (). Select Advanced, and then Privacy & Security.
   Click on Content settings (partway down the page), and select
   Notifications. 
- 
If the Zulip URL for your organization is listed under Blocked,
   select the menu icon () to its right, and
   click Remove. 
- 
Next to Allow, click Add. 
- 
Paste the Zulip URL for your organization into the site field, and click
    Add.