> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://vector-privacy.gitbook.io/vector-privacy/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://vector-privacy.gitbook.io/vector-privacy/vector-messenger/features/notifications.md).

# Notifications

Vector Notifications: Visual & Sound

## Notifications

Vector sends OS-level notifications for direct messages and Community messages, so you never miss a conversation while the app is in the background. Notifications only appear when Vector is not focused, so you won't be alerted about a message you are already looking at.

***

### Notification Privacy

<figure><img src="https://4018397395-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F3LGA7a9Evs77SLg3yRNI%2Fuploads%2F2naex66qZfaLf440aW8L%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=708e3ad0-474d-49c4-8de0-21468af6c78b" alt="Settings - Notifications (Screenshot)" width="267"><figcaption><p>Learn more in <a data-mention href="/vector-privacy/vector-messenger/features/settings.md">Settings</a></p></figcaption></figure>

Notifications appear on your lock screen and in your notification shade, which means anyone glancing at your device could read them. Vector gives you three levels of control over how much is revealed.&#x20;

To change and customize your notification preferences, visit your Settings and scroll down to the Notifications section.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Show Sender & Message" %}
Default: Displays who messaged you, their avatar, and a preview of the message itself.

Best for convenience when your device is not likely to be seen by others.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Hide Message" %}
Displays the sender's name and avatar, but replaces the message content with "Sent you a message."

You know who is trying to reach you without exposing what they said.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Hide Sender & Message" %}
Displays a generic "You received a message" from Vector, with no sender name, no avatar, and no Community name.

Nothing about who contacted you or what they said is visible.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% hint style="info" %}
This setting is applied per account and is read at the moment each notification is created, so it applies everywhere, including notifications delivered by Android's background sync service.
{% endhint %}

Tapping a notification still opens the correct chat regardless of which privacy level you choose. The chat identifier is never displayed, so hiding the sender does not break navigation.

***

### Message Previews

When a preview is shown, Vector cleans up the message first so notifications stay readable. Markdown formatting is stripped, so headers, bold, strikethrough, code blocks, and horizontal rules do not clutter the preview. Mentions are resolved to display names, meaning a message containing a raw npub appears as `@Name` exactly as it does in chat.

{% hint style="success" %}
Spoilers stay hidden in notifications. Any text wrapped in `||spoiler||` is replaced with ▮▮▮ in the preview, so a spoiler you have not chosen to reveal is not spoiled by your lock screen.
{% endhint %}

***

### Community Notifications

Community messages are titled with both the sender and the Community name, so you can tell at a glance which space a message came from. Tapping the notification opens that specific channel.

Under **Hide message**, Community notifications read "Sent a message" rather than "Sent you a message," reflecting that the message was posted to a channel rather than sent directly to you.

***

### Clearing and Muting

Notifications for a chat are cleared automatically once you read that chat, including when you read it on another device. On Android this cancels the notification directly rather than leaving a stale alert in your shade.

You can also mute individual chats and Communities. Muted chats do not produce notifications, and can be muted from the chat list menu or from the chat's profile.

### @everyone Pings

By default, an `@everyone` mention from a Community admin will notify you even if you have muted that Community, since these are typically reserved for announcements that matter. If you would rather muting always win, you can disable this in Settings so `@everyone` respects your mute.

### Notification Sounds

Notification sounds can be muted entirely in Settings while still receiving visual notifications and badges.

***

### Platform Differences

| Platform    | Behaviour                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Desktop** | Notifications are shown only when the Vector window is not focused. A notification sound plays unless muted.                                                                                                     |
| **Android** | Notifications are delivered natively and are grouped per chat, so a conversation appears as a thread rather than a series of separate alerts. Notifications are suppressed while you are actively using the app. |

#### Android Background Service

For Vector to deliver notifications reliably while closed, Android requires that battery optimization be disabled for the app. Vector will prompt you once about this on first launch. Without it, the system may kill the background service and delay or prevent notifications entirely.