Use desktop notifications and the macOS Dock badge
Check desktop notification permissions and the macOS Dock badge when updates are missing.
Separate Inbox delivery from native delivery
If an update appears in Inbox or arrives by supported email, ALLO created the product notification. A missing macOS or Windows system banner or sound, or a missing macOS Dock badge, is a separate Desktop delivery problem.
Native computer alerts require both ALLO Desktop and operating-system notification permission for ALLO. The web app does not provide browser-native notifications, so browser permission and browser site settings are never part of this checklist.
Availability
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Available on | All plans, subject to notification settings and permissions |
| Available for | macOS and Windows desktop app |
| Requires for banners and sounds | Push notifications enabled in ALLO and OS notification permission for ALLO |
| Requires for the macOS Dock badge | A current Inbox count and macOS permission to show badges for ALLO |
| Mobile support | Mobile notifications use iOS or Android notification settings |
Confirm the ALLO channel first
- Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select My profile.
- Open Notifications.
- Turn on Push notifications if you want Desktop banners and sounds.
Email switches control email copies only. They do not enable Desktop banners. See Manage notifications for the full channel map.
Check macOS notification permission
On macOS, open System Settings → Notifications → ALLO. Turn on Allow notifications, then enable the alert style, sounds, and Badge application icon you want.
macOS stores permission separately for each ALLO app identity. If more than one ALLO entry appears, select the one for the app that is currently running. A badge working for one entry does not prove that another entry has permission.
If the Inbox count is correct but the Dock badge is missing, check Allow notifications first, even when Badge application icon appears selected. macOS can keep the badge control selected but ineffective while the app's main notification permission is off.
Check Windows notification permission
On Windows, open Settings → System → Notifications → ALLO. Allow notifications, banners, and sounds. Also check Do not disturb or Focus settings.
If your organization manages Windows notification policy, ask IT whether desktop app notifications are blocked.
Read the macOS Dock badge as an Inbox count
The native badge mirrors ALLO's active Inbox count. It is an operating-system display of that count, not another notification list.
If Inbox shows the right count but the macOS Dock icon does not, the Inbox path is working. Check macOS permission for the current ALLO app and update Desktop before changing account settings.
If Inbox itself shows the wrong count, refresh the current ALLO tab and confirm the account and workspace. Completing or snoozing Inbox items changes the count; email settings do not.
Notifications while ALLO is closed
ALLO Desktop receives new Inbox activity while the app is running and signed in. Quitting the app ends that live Desktop channel. Use supported email or mobile push when you need an alert away from the computer.
If you rely on mobile, see Use the mobile app for canvas review and Use comments on mobile.
Match the symptom to the broken layer
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Inbox or email works, no system banner | Push notifications is off, OS permission is off, focus mode is active, or Desktop was not running | Check ALLO preferences, then the OS settings for ALLO. |
| Inbox count works, no macOS Dock badge | macOS badge display is blocked for the current ALLO app | Allow ALLO notifications and badges in macOS. |
| Banner appears without sound | ALLO is allowed, but sound or focus settings suppress audio | Enable sound for ALLO and check the active focus mode. |
| No Inbox item exists | The product notification was not created for this account | Check the mention recipient, account, workspace access, and original work. OS settings cannot repair this. |
| macOS Dock badge count seems stale | Desktop has not received or applied the current Inbox count | Refresh the ALLO tab, then restart and update Desktop. |
| Company computer blocks notifications | Managed OS policy | Ask IT to allow ALLO notifications. |
If a comment or mention exists but you cannot open it, use When you cannot access work. If you can open it but cannot edit, use When work is read-only.
Send useful evidence to support
If ALLO preferences and OS permissions are correct but native delivery still fails after an update and restart, contact support. Include your OS, ALLO Desktop version, approximate event time, whether the Inbox item and email appeared, which of banner, sound, and macOS Dock badge failed, and a screenshot of the ALLO notification permission screen in the operating system.