# Discourse Push Notifications for Desktop

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941
**Category:** Plugin
**Tags:** official, included-in-core
**Created:** [May 5, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941 "2018-05-05T00:45:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Discourse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/discourse/32/148734_2.png) [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941/1 "2018-05-04T23:54:34Z")

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| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| :discourse2: | **Summary** | **Discourse Push Notifications** allows users to opt to receive [push notifications](https://caniuse.com/#feat=push-api) over desktop devices in addition to mobile devices |
| 📖 | **Install Guide** | **This plugin is bundled with Discourse core**. There is no need to install the plugin separately. |

### Features

> ⚠ In order for this plugin to work at all, **your Discourse must be HTTPS**.

While [push notifications for mobile are now supported in core by default](https://meta.discourse.org/t/android-live-notifications-are-now-in-core/86803), they are applicable for mobile devices such as Android only.

This plugin exposes a user option that allows users to prefer push notifications on desktop devices:

 ![prefer-push](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/b/6/b6b0b03e2441a38fad23f106ea43d1165df17fe7.png)

When checked, enabling “live notifications” will prefer push notifications on desktop devices.

### Why?

Desktop browsers are able to get “desktop notifications” which work just fine! However there is a subtle difference in the way that the two function. With desktop notifications, the moment that you close your tabs to discourse, notifications cease to come through. With a push notification, this is not the case.

With push notifications, it is not necessary to have a browser tab open in order to receive notifications. A user is able to receive notifications even when there is no browser tab open on the Discourse site.

### Supported Browsers

Chrome Desktop 51 and up, Firefox Desktop 44 and up, see [caniuse](http://caniuse.com/#feat=push-api) for specifics.

> Last edited by @tobiaseigen 2025-07-16T20:49:17Z
> 
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:

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### Author: ![patrickemin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/patrickemin/32/520162_2.png) [@patrickemin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/patrickemin)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941/83 "2025-08-21T20:37:20Z")

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Hi, I do not see that checkbox “Prefer push notifications on Desktop”. Either on Desktop or mobile.

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### Author: ![featheredtoast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/featheredtoast/32/116994_2.png) [@featheredtoast](https://meta.discourse.org/u/featheredtoast)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2025, 12:55pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941/84 "2025-08-22T12:55:38Z")

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That user setting has since become a global site setting that all users inherit: `enable_desktop_push_notifications`

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### Author: ![tdperry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/tdperry/32/496593_2.png) [@tdperry](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tdperry)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-push-notifications-for-desktop/86941/85 "2025-08-24T10:45:17Z")

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Is there any reason this apparently is not shown as IOS avaiable also?

Both my Xenforo and NodeBB sites have this ability currently for IOS based systems.