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Claude Code can notify you when it finishes a task or pauses for a permission prompt while you appear to be away from the terminal. Ghostty, Kitty, and iTerm2 support desktop notifications by default; in other terminals, configure a terminal bell or a custom Notification hook. If alerts are missing, check your terminal’s notification permissions and, when using tmux, enable passthrough.
When Claude Code sends a notification
Claude Code fires a notification event when it completes a task or pauses for a permission prompt and you appear to be away from the terminal. The documentation does not specify the exact timing thresholds; see Anthropic’s terminal configuration guide for its timing reference.
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Notifications are attention alerts, not just completion pings: they can also signal that Claude is waiting for you to approve a permission request.
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Choose how you want to be alerted
| Method | Where the alert appears | Setup | Customization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal bell | In the terminal; audible sound depends on terminal and OS settings | Add one setting to Claude Code’s settings file | Limited to the terminal’s bell behavior |
| Built-in desktop notification | Operating system notification center | Supported by default in Ghostty, Kitty, and iTerm2; iTerm2 needs alert settings enabled | Uses the terminal’s notification handling |
Notification hook |
Depends on the command you configure | Add a hook to Claude Code settings | Can play a sound or run another command |
Turn on a terminal bell
For terminals without built-in desktop notification support, set Claude Code’s preferred notification channel to terminal_bell. Add this to ~/.claude/settings.json:
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{
"preferredNotifChannel": "terminal_bell"
}This asks Claude Code to use the terminal bell for notification events. Whether you hear a sound depends on the terminal application’s bell configuration and the operating system.
Use desktop notifications
Ghostty and Kitty
Ghostty and Kitty forward Claude Code desktop notifications to the operating system’s notification center without additional setup, according to Anthropic’s terminal guide.
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iTerm2
- Open Settings → Profiles → Terminal.
- Enable Notification Center Alerts.
- Under Filter Alerts, enable Send escape sequence-generated alerts.
- Check that macOS allows notifications for iTerm2 in system settings.
Menu labels can vary between application versions. Anthropic’s guide documents these settings for iTerm2.
Add a custom sound or command with a hook
A Notification hook can run a command when Claude Code needs your attention. Anthropic’s macOS example plays the system Glass sound using afplay:
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{
"hooks": {
"Notification": [
{
"hooks": [{ "type": "command", "command": "afplay /System/Library/Sounds/Glass.aiff" }]
}
]
}
}This example is specific to macOS. Hooks run alongside Claude Code’s built-in notifications; adding one does not replace the built-in alert. Anthropic’s guide links to platform-specific commands for macOS, Linux, and Windows.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Get alerts through SSH or tmux
SSH
Claude Code sends desktop notifications back to your local machine over SSH. Ghostty and Kitty forward them to the OS notification center automatically. With iTerm2, use the alert settings described above and make sure the local terminal can display notifications.
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tmux
In tmux, desktop notifications do not reach the outer terminal by default. Add this line to ~/.tmux.conf:
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tmux source-file ~/.tmux.confThis passthrough setting is the notification-related tmux configuration documented by Anthropic.
Quick Recap
If the alert still does not appear
- Confirm that your terminal supports the built-in desktop-notification path. Anthropic lists Ghostty, Kitty, and iTerm2.
- If you use another terminal, configure
preferredNotifChannelasterminal_bellor add aNotificationhook. - Check the operating system’s notification permission for your terminal application.
- In iTerm2, verify both Notification Center Alerts and Send escape sequence-generated alerts.
- If you use tmux, enable
allow-passthroughand reload the configuration. - For SSH, check that the local terminal and OS can surface the forwarded desktop notification.
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