Where to find Gmail notification settings

Gmail notifications live in two places: inside Gmail itself, and in your device's system settings. Most people need to turn them on in both places for notifications to actually reach you. If you turn them on in Gmail but your phone or computer has them blocked at the system level, you won't see anything.

On a computer, open Gmail in your browser, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select "See all settings". On a phone or tablet, open the Gmail app, tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap "Manage your Google Account" and go to the "Notifications" tab.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail notifications require settings in two places: inside Gmail and in your device's system settings, and both must be turned on.
  • On a computer, go to Settings > Notifications to choose which emails trigger alerts and how you want to be notified.
  • On Android and iPhone, you must allow notifications in the Gmail app itself, then check your phone's system settings to make sure Gmail has permission.
  • You can set different notification rules for different labels, so work emails can alert you while promotional emails stay silent.
  • If notifications stop working, the most common cause is that your device's system settings have blocked Gmail, not a problem with Gmail itself.

Turning on notifications in Gmail on a computer

In Gmail settings, find the "Notifications" tab. You will see options for "Notifications on" or "Notifications off" — select "Notifications on". Below that, choose how you want to be notified: "Desktop notifications" (a popup on your screen), "Sounds" (an audio alert), or both.

You can also set notification rules by label. If you have created labels for work, personal, or other categories, you can tell Gmail to notify you for some labels but not others. This is useful if you want alerts for urgent work emails but not for newsletters or social media notifications.

After you change these settings, click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page. The next time an email arrives that matches your notification rules, you should see an alert.

Turning on notifications in Gmail on Android

Open the Gmail app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Manage your Google Account", then go to the "Notifications" tab. You will see a toggle for "Notifications" — make sure it is turned on (the toggle should be blue or green, depending on your phone).

Next, you need to check your phone's system settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Gmail (or Applications > Gmail, depending on your Android version), then tap "Notifications". Make sure notifications are turned on there as well. If you see an option for "Allow notifications", turn it on.

Some Android phones also have a "Do Not Disturb" mode that blocks all notifications. If you have that turned on, Gmail notifications will be silenced even if both Gmail and the app itself have notifications enabled. Check your phone's quick settings (swipe down from the top of the screen twice) to see if Do Not Disturb is active.

Turning on notifications in Gmail on iPhone

Open the Gmail app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left. Scroll down and tap "Settings", then select your email account. Tap "Notifications" and make sure the toggle next to "Notifications" is turned on.

Then go to your iPhone's Settings app, tap "Notifications", and find Gmail in the list. Tap Gmail and make sure "Allow Notifications" is turned on. You can also choose whether notifications appear as banners, badges, or sounds from this screen.

If you have turned on "Focus" modes (like Work or Sleep), Gmail notifications may be silenced during those times. Check Settings > Focus to see which apps are allowed to notify you during each mode.

Choosing what emails trigger notifications

By default, Gmail notifies you about almost every incoming email. If that is too many alerts, you can narrow it down. In Gmail settings on a computer, look for the "Notifications" section and choose "Only notify for important mail" or "Only notify for starred mail". This tells Gmail to alert you only for emails it thinks are important, or only for messages you have manually starred.

You can also create filters to control notifications by sender or subject. In Gmail settings, go to "Filters and Blocked Addresses" and create a new filter. You can tell Gmail to skip notifications for emails from certain people, mailing lists, or with certain words in the subject line. This is especially useful for newsletters or automated messages you want to read but do not need to be alerted about when ready.

Why notifications might not be working

If you have turned on notifications in Gmail but you are not seeing alerts, the problem is usually in your device's system settings, not in Gmail. Check that your phone or computer has given Gmail permission to send notifications. On most devices, this is a separate permission that Gmail must request, and you may have declined it without realizing.

On a computer, check that your browser allows notifications. If you use Chrome, click the lock icon next to the web address and look for "Notifications" — it should say "Allow", not "Block". On a phone, go to your system settings and search for "Gmail" to see what permissions it has been granted.

Another common cause is that your device is in a silent or Do Not Disturb mode. Even if notifications are turned on, your phone or computer may be set to mute all alerts. Check your device's quick settings or system settings to see if a silent mode is active.

Setting different notification rules for different labels

If you use Gmail labels to organize your email, you can set up notifications so that only certain labels alert you. In Gmail settings on a computer, go to "Labels" and find the label you want to manage. Click the dropdown arrow next to it and select "Show notifications". You can turn notifications on or off for each label individually.

This is useful if you have a label for work emails that you want to be alerted about when ready, but a label for newsletters that you want to read on your own schedule. You can also use this to silence notifications for less important categories while keeping alerts for the ones that matter to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get notifications only for emails from certain people?

Yes. In Gmail settings, go to "Filters and Blocked Addresses" and create a new filter for the sender's email address. In the filter options, you can choose to explore a label to those emails, and then turn on notifications for that label only. This way, emails from your boss or a specific person will alert you, but others will not.

Why do I get notifications on my computer but not my phone?

Your phone's system settings are probably blocking Gmail notifications. Go to your phone's Settings app, find Gmail in the list of apps, and check that notifications are turned on. Also check if your phone is in Do Not Disturb or Focus mode, which can silence notifications even if they are enabled in the app.

Can I turn off notifications for promotional emails?

Gmail automatically sorts promotional emails into a separate tab. You can go to Gmail settings, find the "Promotions" tab, and turn off notifications for that tab specifically. Alternatively, create a filter for emails with certain keywords (like "unsubscribe") and tell Gmail to skip notifications for those messages.

What is the difference between desktop notifications and sounds?

Desktop notifications are visual popups that appear on your screen. Sounds are audio alerts that play when an email arrives. You can turn on one, both, or neither. Desktop notifications are useful if you are looking at your screen; sounds are useful if you are away from your device and want to hear when an important email comes in.

Do I need to turn on notifications separately for each device?

Yes. Gmail settings sync across devices, but your phone or computer's system settings do not. You need to allow notifications in both Gmail and your device's system settings on each device where you want to receive alerts. A notification turned on for your phone will not automatically turn on for your computer.