How In-App Notifications Work in Ninety
Ninety's notification system keeps you informed about important updates across your Rocks, Milestones, To-Dos, Issues, Headlines, and Cascading Messages. With the in-app notification feed and push notifications for web and mobile, you'll never miss critical assignments, comments, or @mentions from your team.
User roles and notification permissions
Different user roles have access to different notification features:
Role | In-app feed | Push notifications | @Mention eligibility |
Owner | Yes | Yes | Can mention any user on any item. |
Admin | Yes | Yes | Can mention any user on any item. |
Coach | Yes | Yes | Can mention any user on any item. |
Manager | Yes | Yes | Can mention users with access to the item. |
Team Member | Yes | Yes | Can mention users with access to the item. |
Observer | No | No | Cannot mention or be mentioned. |
Observers do not receive notifications or have access to the notification feed, as their role is designed for view-only access without active participation in work items. Learn more in User Roles and Permissions.
Which actions trigger notifications
Ninety automatically creates a notification for you when:
Someone assigns you a Rock, Milestone, To-Do, or Issue.
Someone comments on an item you own or follow.
Someone @mentions you in a comment thread on a Rock, To-Do, Issue, or Milestone.
A Headline or Cascading Message is shared with your team.
How the notification system works
Ninety provides three primary ways to stay informed about your work: the in-app notification feed, mobile push notifications, and web push notifications.
The web app notification feed
The notification feed is your centralized hub for all activity updates in Ninety. Access it by clicking the bell icon in the top navigation bar. The bell displays an indicator when you have unread notifications.
To view your notification feed on the web app:
Click the bell icon in the top navigation bar. The bell displays a red indicator when you have new notifications since you last opened the feed.
Review your notifications; they're organized by recent activity. The red indicator clears automatically when you open the feed.
Click any notification to open the item's detail panel and view the full context. Clicking a notification card marks it as read.
Mark notifications as read or unread using the buttons on each notification card.
The notification feed displays activity across Rocks, Milestones, To-Dos, and Issues. Each notification includes the item name, who triggered the update, and when the activity occurred.
Filtering your notification feed
Use the filter options at the top of your notification feed to quickly find the notifications that matter most:
All: Shows every notification in your feed.
Assigned to me: Shows only notifications for items where you're the assignee.
Mentions: Shows only notifications where someone @mentioned you.
Comments: Shows only comment-related notifications on items you follow.
Read/Unread: Toggle between read and unread notifications to focus on what still needs your attention.
To mark all notifications as read at once, click Mark all as read at the top of your notification feed. Individual notifications can still be toggled between read and unread using the buttons on each notification card.
Push notifications for web and mobile
Push notifications alert you instantly to assignments, comments, and @mentions, even when you're not actively using Ninety. These notifications work on both your web browser and mobile device. You can click or tap them to navigate directly to the relevant item, which will also mark the notification as read.
Setting up notifications on your devices
You can adjust the settings on your computer and mobile device to receive push notifications so you stay informed about important items in Ninety. For help setting up notifications on your devices, watch our video overview.
Windows PC
To enable notifications on your Windows PC (some models and Windows versions may require other steps):
Click Start.
Click Settings (gear icon).
Click System from the Settings' left navigation menu.
Click Notifications.
Click the Notifications toggle on.
Scroll down to the Notifications from apps and other senders section.
Ensure your internet browser's toggle is on.
Mac computer
To enable notifications on most Mac computers:
Click the Apple menu.
Click System Settings.
Navigate to Notifications.
Find and select your internet browser.
Turn all notifications on.
iPhone
To enable notifications on your iPhone:
Navigate to Settings.
Tap Notifications.
Tap Ninety.
Turn Allow Notifications on.
Android
To enable notifications on your Android:
Navigate to Settings.
Tap Notifications (or Apps > Ninety > Notifications).
Toggle Allow Notifications on.
Ensure all relevant notification categories are enabled.
Browser-specific notification settings
Google Chrome
Visit app.ninety.io.
Click the Site Controls icon in the address bar.
Toggle Notifications to Allow.
Refresh the page.
If notifications are still not appearing, go to chrome://settings/content/notifications, find app.ninety.io, remove it, refresh the page, and opt back in to generate a fresh subscription.
Firefox
Visit app.ninety.io.
Click the lock icon to the left of the address bar.
Select Connection secure (or the arrow).
Click More Information.
Open Permissions.
Find Send Notifications.
Uncheck Use default and set to Allow.
Refresh the page.
To review all sites globally, go to about:preferences#privacy, scroll to Permissions, and click Settings next to Notifications. Make sure Firefox isn't set to block all notifications at the top of that page.
Microsoft Edge
Visit app.ninety.io.
Click the View site information (lock icon) button on the left side of the URL bar.
Click the Notifications dropdown.
Select Allowed from the options shown.
Refresh the page.
You can also go to edge://settings/content/notifications to confirm app.ninety.io is listed under Allowed.
Safari
Visit app.ninety.io.
Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings for app.ninety.io (or Settings for This Website).
Find Notifications in the dropdown.
Change to Allow.
Refresh the page.
Customizing your notification settings
Control how and when you receive notifications by adjusting your settings:
Click your name or profile icon in the left navigation.
Select Notifications from the dropdown menu.
Toggle your preferences for web push notifications (alerts in your browser), mobile push notifications (alerts on your iOS or Android device), and email notifications for assignments and comments.
Both web and mobile notification channels are enabled by default for all users. You can disable either channel at any time without affecting the in-app notification feed. For email reminders and event emails, see Receiving Email Notifications and Reminders.
Understanding @mentions
@Mentions allow you to bring specific team members into a conversation by tagging them in a comment. When you @mention someone, they receive a notification and are automatically added to the item's follower list.
Who can @mention others:
Owners, Admins, and Coaches can @mention any active or invite-pending user on any item.
Managers and Team Members can @mention any user who has access to the item.
Observers cannot @mention others or receive @mentions.
To @mention someone:
While writing a comment on a Rock, Milestone, To-Do, or Issue, type the @ symbol followed by the person's name.
Select the user from the dropdown list that appears.
Finish your comment and post it.
The mentioned user will receive a notification and will be able to follow the item's updates going forward. @Mentions work in both comment threads and description fields, on both the web app and mobile app.
Following and unfollowing items
Following an item means you'll receive notifications about comments and activity related to that item. You're automatically added as a follower when you're assigned as the owner of an item, when someone @mentions you in a comment thread, or when you create the item.
To manually follow or unfollow an item:
Open the item's detail panel (Rock, Milestone, To-Do, or Issue).
Click the Follow or Unfollow button at the top of the panel.
Following items strategically helps you stay informed about work that matters most while reducing notification noise.
Viewing notifications on mobile
The notification feed is available on both the web app and Ninety's mobile app for iOS and Android. On mobile, you can tap the bell icon to see your notifications, read and write @mention comments, and tap any notification to open the item's detail panel.
To enable or disable mobile push notifications, you need to check two places: your device's system settings (ensure notifications are enabled for the Ninety app) and the Ninety mobile app's in-app settings (navigate to Settings and toggle mobile push notifications). Both settings must be enabled for you to receive mobile push notifications. Learn more about Ninety's mobile app.
Best practices for using notifications
Reduce notification noise. Unfollow items that are no longer relevant to your work.
Use @mentions strategically. @Mention team members when you need their specific input or attention; avoid overusing @mentions for general awareness.
Check your feed daily. Make checking your notification feed part of your daily routine.
Use filters to stay focused. Quickly find items assigned to you, mentions that need a response, or unread notifications.
Customize delivery channels. If you prefer fewer interruptions, disable push notifications and rely on the in-app feed; if you need instant alerts, keep both web and mobile push enabled.
Keep your browser updated. Ensure your browser of choice is kept up to date.
Troubleshooting notifications
Issue: Not receiving push notifications.
Solution: Verify your browser or device allows notifications from Ninety, check your notification settings in Ninety to ensure the web or mobile channel is enabled, and on mobile, ensure you've granted notification permissions to the Ninety app in your device settings.
Issue: Missing notifications in your feed.
Solution: Confirm you're following the item (notifications only appear for items you're following or when you're @mentioned), and check that you have the appropriate user role: Observers do not receive notifications.
Issue: Too many notifications.
Solution: Review the items you're following and unfollow those that are no longer relevant, and adjust your email notification settings if you prefer updates only through the in-app feed or push notifications.
Issue: Notifications stopped working.
Solution: If you've recently cleared your browser data, switched browsers, or reinstalled your browser, your notification subscription has been reset. Visit app.ninety.io and opt back in to re-enable them. Certain browser extensions can also interfere with push notifications; try disabling them for app.ninety.io. Corporate VPNs or strict firewalls can sometimes block push notifications; try disabling your VPN temporarily to test, or ask your IT team for assistance.
Issue: You never wanted browser notifications or already tried to deny them.
Solution: We'll offer web push notifications up to three times. If you select "Not now" each time, we'll fully block these types of notifications in your browser after the third try. If you block notifications via your browser settings, we won't prompt you again.
For additional assistance with notifications, contact support.