Notifications

Claudette sends your operating system’s own notifications when something needs you and you aren’t looking at it: a tab finished, a prompt is waiting, a tab’s Claude Code stopped. Each kind has its own switch.

On Windows they’re toast notifications, on macOS they come from the Notification Center, and on Linux Claudette uses notify-send. Without notify-send there are no notifications on Linux, and a macOS build run with dotnet run has none either, since macOS needs the app itself. Settings → Notifications says so when notifications aren’t available.

The kinds

Every switch is on by default. They’re under Notify me when in Settings → Notifications.

Switch	When it comes	What it says
A tab finishes its turn	A tab’s turn ended normally. A turn you stopped, or that ended with an error, doesn’t count.	The first line of Claude’s reply. After a turn that changed Claude’s task list, it starts with where the list stands: All 7 tasks done · Fixed the config and the tests pass. or 4 of 7 tasks left · …
A tab needs permission or an answer	A permission prompt, question, plan, or an MCP server’s request for input is waiting. A Perforce login that needs you counts too.	What’s waiting: Allow this command? npm test, Claude has a question: Which database?, Claude has a plan for you to review.
A tab’s Claude Code stops with an error	A tab’s Claude Code exited unexpectedly or couldn’t start.	Why, such as Claude Code stopped unexpectedly (exit code 3).
Usage crosses a warning level, is on pace to run out, or resets	A usage alert.	The alert’s own text.
Claude Code needs me to sign in	Claude Code asks to sign in again.	Your tabs are waiting until you sign in again.
A Claude Code update is ready	An update to Claude Code has been installed or is waiting for you (Claude Code’s updates).	The version, and what to do. It comes once for each version.
A project action finishes	A long project action, such as a build, ended or failed.	Build editor failed (exit code 6). A job you stopped doesn’t notify.

A tab’s notification carries the tab’s name as its title.

Check-ins have their switch on another page: Settings → Tabs → Check-ins on long turns → Notify me when a check-in is sent, off by default, which a tab can override in Tab settings. See Check-ins on long turns.

When they’re skipped

While Claudette is in front and the tab is on screen, selected or beside the one that is, a notification about that tab doesn’t come. You’re looking at it.
Notifications that aren’t about one tab, such as usage alerts, sign-in and updates, are skipped while Claudette is in front, because the header, the sign-in banner or the sign-in screen already shows them.
A finished project action comes whichever tab is showing, and is skipped only while Claudette is in front, since the sidebar already shows the job.
A kind whose switch is off never comes.

One for each subject

A newer notification replaces an older one of the same kind for the same tab. A tab’s notifications are taken away once you look at the tab, and a waiting prompt’s goes as soon as it’s answered. An update is announced once for each version, even across restarts.

Clicking one

A click brings Claudette to the front and goes to what the notification is about.

A tab’s notification selects the tab, and opens its group if it was collapsed.
A usage alert opens the Usage window.
An update opens its dialog, and the sign-in notification opens the sign-in dialog.
A project action’s notification selects its tab and shows the run’s log where the conversation is.

Notifications and your phone

These are the notifications on this computer. Pushes to a phone are separate: they come from Claude Code, only when you’ve turned them on there, and only while Claudette isn’t in front. See The Claude app.

Settings

Setting	Default	Where
A tab finishes its turn	On	Settings → Notifications
A tab needs permission or an answer	On	Settings → Notifications
A tab’s Claude Code stops with an error	On	Settings → Notifications
Usage crosses a warning level, is on pace to run out, or resets	On	Settings → Notifications
Claude Code needs me to sign in	On	Settings → Notifications
A Claude Code update is ready	On	Settings → Notifications
A project action finishes	On	Settings → Notifications
Notify me when a check-in is sent	Off	Settings → Tabs → Check-ins on long turns

The badge and the icon’s animation are in The Dock and taskbar icon. Reset to defaults in the Notify me when section turns every one back on. Notification settings sync between your machines.