Web push browser behavior

This guide explains how to manage web push subscriptions and how subscription status is affected by both user action and browser behavior.

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Understand push permissions

Users must give your website permission to send them push notifications. It is not possible to receive push notifications without explicitly granting the site permission using the system-level permission prompt.

Example of the Chrome required system-level permission prompt that you must click 'Allow' on to receive push notifications for this site.

Permissions can be either:

• Default: permission has not been granted to denied.
• Granted: you allowed the website to send you notifications.
• Denied: you blocked the website to send you notifications. This can be a temporary block if you clicked the x to close the prompt repeatedly or a permanent block if you clicked Block or toggled off permission in the browser settings.

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How to unsubscribe from web notifications

You can unsubscribe from web push notifications in three ways:

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Unsubscribe within browser settings

You can manage or remove notification permissions directly in browser settings. Here are quick-access URLs and official docs to learn more:

• Chrome: chrome://settings/content/notifications (Learn more on Chrome’s docs)
• Edge: edge://settings/content/notifications (Learn more on Microsoft’s docs)
• Firefox: about:preferences#privacy scroll to Permissions > Notifications > Settings (Learn more on Mozilla’s docs)
• Safari: Settings > Websites > Notifications (Learn more on Safari’s docs)

On these pages, just click the options to remove or block the website(s) you don’t want notifications from.

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Unsubscribe while on the website

Reset permission

Most browsers have a “lock” or “settings” icon next to the URL. Clicking it reveals site-specific permissions where users can disable push notifications.

Example shows Chrome browser where you can toggle of push permissions for the site completely or reset permissions which will allow the site to prompt you again.

OneSignal prompts

If the website contains the OneSignal Bell Prompt or Custom Link prompt users can unsubscribe directly via those UI elements and be able to resubscribe using the same as desired.

Example shows the OneSignal Bell Prompt.

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Deleting browser data, clearing cookies and site data

If you delete history and/or delete your cookies and site data, it will temporarily prevent notifications from showing. However, if you don’t remove push permissions from the site, you may be automatically re-subscribed and start getting notifications again upon returning to the site.

Example shows clearing browser history and site data.

Example shows clearing site data.

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How to test your permission prompts

These steps explain how to test your prompt and subscription flow like a first time visitor.

1

Visit your site with the OneSignal SDK setup.

Do not use an incognito, private, or guest browser setting. This example uses Chrome version 135 on macOS but the flow should be relatively the same for most browsers.

2

Reset push permissions

Click the site settings or lock icon next to the site URL and select Reset permission or remove permissions for Notifications. Skip to the next step if you don’t see this permission option.

Chrome site settings menu > Resetting permissions for Notifications.

3

Delete site data.

Click Cookies and site data > Manage on-device site data or follow the browser’s flow to see your site’s data option.

Chrome's On-device site data screen.

Delete the data for your site and exit the settings to get back to your site.

Example shows clearing your site cookies.

4

Open your developer tools.

Usually you can just right click the screen and press Inspect.

5

Follow the steps needed to prompt for push notifications and on the required system-level permission prompt, select "Allow".

If you do not see the prompt or don’t know the steps, see Web permission prompts.

Example shows the Chrome required system-level prompt.

6

Check the console for any errors.

If you see anything in red related to OneSignal, see our Web SDK troubleshooting docs.

7

Get subscription ID

In the Console type or copy-paste this code: OneSignal.User.PushSubscription.id

1. This will log your OneSignal subscription ID. Copy-paste this into your OneSignal Dashboard Audience > Subscriptions tab.
2. If a subscription ID was not logged in the console, then you are not successfully subscribed. Please see Web SDK troubleshooting for details.

Getting the push subscription ID using the Console.

Viewing the subscription ID in the OneSignal dashboard Subscriptions page.

8

Next to the subscription, select the 3-dot options button and "Add to Test Subscriptions". Then name and date the test user so it is recognizable."

Add your subscription as a test subscription.

9

Navigate to Messages > Push > New Message > New Push and on the Push create form add a Message.

See Push for more details if needed.

Create a new push to send to your test subscription.

10

Select "Test & Preview", find and check your test subscription, then click "Send Test Push".

Send yourself a test push.

11

You should receive the push you tested.

If you did not receive a push, see Web push: Notifications not shown for further debugging.

Test push received.

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Receiving Notifications When the Browser is Closed

Browsers behave differently across platforms. Please refer to the table below for support for receiving notifications even when the browser is closed.

Chrome - Chrome runs as a background process by default even when all the windows are closed. As long as the background process is running, notifications will still be received. If the Chrome background process is not running, notifications will not be received.

Firefox - On Mac OS X, the process still exists even if windows are closed, and a notification can be received if all windows are closed (as long as there is still a dot in the dock showing Firefox is still running). On Windows, the process exits after all windows are closed so notifications cannot be received unless a Firefox window is still open.

Safari - Safari does not have to be running to receive notifications, as they are sent directly to the operating system. The user still has to sign up for Safari web notifications, but after that they will be received even when Safari is completely closed.

Subscribers have up to 3 days to retrieve the last known missing notification before messages expire permanently.

For example, suppose a subscriber was supposed to receive a Firefox web push notification, but Firefox was closed. If the subscriber opens Firefox within 3 days, the subscriber will receive only the last known web push notification that didn’t expire. If the subscriber opens Firefox after 3 days, the web push notification sent more than 3 days ago will not be received.