# Configure Chat Notifications

The Cloud Voice App for desktop lets you tune chat alerts at two levels: you can silence one conversation on its own, or you can turn message pop-ups and sounds on or off for every chat at once. This page covers both.

## Mute or unmute a single chat

Muting affects only the conversation you choose. Everything else keeps alerting you normally.

1. Open the desktop app, select **Chat**, and open either the **Internal Chat** or **External Chat** tab.
2. Right-click the conversation you want to change.

To mute the conversation, choose **Mute notifications**.

![Right-click menu on a conversation with the mute option highlighted](/images/pbx/desktop-mute-a-chat.png)

A mute marker (![mute icon](/images/pbx/im-mute.png)) appears beside the chat. You still receive every message sent to it, but no alert fires when new messages arrive. Unread activity shows as a small red dot rather than a running count of unread messages.

:::caution
Muting silences that conversation completely: no pop-up, no sound, and only a red dot to signal unread messages. Do not mute a chat where you need to catch urgent or time-sensitive messages, or you may miss them.
:::

To turn alerts back on, right-click the muted conversation and choose **New message notifications**.

![Right-click menu on a muted conversation with the option to restore notifications](/images/pbx/desktop-unmute-a-chat.png)

New messages in that chat will notify you again.

## Set pop-up and sound alerts for all chats

These are global settings. Whatever you choose applies to both internal and external chats. Out of the box, the desktop app plays a sound and shows a pop-up for every new message; you can disable either one.

1. Open the app's **Settings**, using the method for your operating system.

   - **Windows**: In the system tray, right-click the Cloud Voice App icon and choose **Settings**.

     
     ![Cloud Voice, reaching Settings from the Windows system tray icon](/images/pbx/windows-access-system-menu.png)

   - **macOS**: In the menu bar, click **Cloud Voice App**, then **Settings**.

     ![Reaching Settings from the macOS app menu](/images/pbx/mac-access-settings-menu.png)

2. In the **Notifications** section, adjust the settings you want.

   ![Notification options for pop-ups and sounds in the desktop app settings](/images/pbx/pc-msg-notification.png)

   - **New message notifications**: When on, a pop-up appears in the bottom-right corner of your desktop as each message arrives.

     
     ![Cloud Voice, a new-message pop-up in the desktop corner](/images/pbx/pc-im-popup-2.png)

   - **Play sound for new messages**: When on, the app plays a sound as each message arrives.

:::note
A single conversation's mute setting is independent of these global options. If you muted a chat, it stays silent even while pop-ups and sounds are enabled everywhere else.
:::