What are web push notifications

One customer downloads your app and gets daily alerts. Another visits your website once, clicks allow on a small popup, and receives the same kind of updates without installing anything. Same result, different path.

That second path is web push notifications. They give website owners a way to reach visitors after they leave, using the browser they already have open. Here is how web push notifications work and why they are worth understanding.

What are web push notifications?

Web push notifications are short messages sent from a website to a user's browser after they grant permission. The alert appears on their desktop or mobile screen even when they are not on your site.

Browser push notifications rely on a web push notification service that connects your website to the user's browser. When you publish an alert, the service delivers it to every subscriber who opted in through that browser.

How web push notifications work

The process starts when a visitor lands on your site. A permission prompt asks whether they want to receive notifications. If they click allow, their browser stores a subscription token tied to your site.

When you send a message, your web push service uses that token to deliver the alert. The user sees a title, body text, and often a link back to a specific page on your site.

Web push works on most modern desktop browsers and many mobile browsers. Coverage varies by device and browser version, so test on the browsers your audience uses most.

Web push vs other notification types

Web push sits between email and mobile app push. It is more immediate than email and does not require an app download like mobile push does.

1. Faster than email

Alerts land on the screen within seconds. Email waits in an inbox that might not get checked for hours.

2. Lighter than an app

Visitors subscribe with one click. No app store, no storage space, no update prompts.

3. Permission based

Like all push channels, web push requires opt in. That keeps your audience engaged rather than annoyed.

Setup details live in how to set up web push notifications. For a broader view, read what are push notifications.

Frequently asked questions