Notifications
On this page
You can leave an agent working and get a notification when it replies, fails, or needs your input. Open the notification to return to that project and thread.
Configure desktop notifications
Open Settings → Desktop app settings… → Notifications. Under Thread Replies, choose when you want to be notified; the one setting covers completed replies, failures, and threads that need your input:
- Never: you will not receive any of these notifications.
- Only when unfocused: you will receive them while the workbench is in the background. This is the default.
- Always: you will also receive them for other threads while using the workbench. The thread you are actively viewing will not notify you then.
Allow notifications for boxes.dev in your operating system's settings as well. Codex completion notifications can include a preview of the final response.
Follow unread and attention markers
Use unread markers in the thread list to find conversations you haven't checked. A thread that finishes while the workbench is in the background stays unread until you return and view it. To remind yourself to return later, choose Mark unread from its menu; it will stay unread until you open it again.
Unread state is shared between desktop and mobile. When you read a teammate's shared thread, you will clear only your own unread marker, not theirs.
On macOS, enable Show Unread Thread Count In Dock under Desktop app settings → Notifications to display the count on the boxes.dev icon.
A terminal bell can also request your attention without adding an unread thread. Configure bells separately under Desktop app settings → Terminal Settings → Behavior → Bell.
Use your phone
Allow boxes.dev to send notifications in your phone's system settings. Opening a notification will take you to its conversation, even if the mobile app was closed.
To show an unread count on the app icon, open the mobile app's Settings → Notifications and enable Unread app icon badge.
If you're signed in to more than one account on your phone, notifications arrive from all of them, and the badge counts unread conversations across those accounts. A notification for an account you aren't using will appear even while the app is open. Opening it will switch to that account first. An account starts sending notifications to your phone after you've opened it there once.
If a notification is missing, open the mobile app to check the thread. Confirm that the account is signed in on your phone (Settings lists every signed-in account) and that your phone has not blocked notifications for boxes.dev.