Ethan Brooks
How To Activate TikTok PC Notifications in Your Browser
If you’re into TikTok but hate constantly opening the app just to see if there’s something new, enabling those notifications straight in your browser might be a game-changer. It’s kinda weird how it’s not just straightforward, but hey, it’s doable. Here’s a step-by-step that actually works, based on real-world tries.
Pre-Requisites
First off, make sure you’re running a decent browser—Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. No point trying on some random obscure browser. Also, you gotta be logged into your TikTok account on that browser, otherwise, it’s just not gonna work. Simple as that.
Step 1: Head to TikTok and log in
Go to TikTok site and log in. Once you’re in, click on your profile icon in the top right corner — the little circle or avatar. That should open a dropdown.
Step 2: Find the Settings menu
In that dropdown, pick Settings. It’s usually near the bottom or middle. This takes you to your account preferences. Honestly, it’s a bit hidden — because of course, Windows and browsers like to make this kinda stuff awkward sometimes.
Step 3: Enable push notifications in TikTok
Inside settings, look for Push Notifications. Usually, it’s a toggle or switch. Turn it to the ON position. If you don’t see it right away, it might be tucked inside some sub-menus, so poke around. Enabling this is what actually tells TikTok to send notifications to your browser. Without it, forget it.
Pro tip:
Sometimes, after toggling this, your browser will ask for permission to send notifications — hit Allow. If you don’t get prompted, check your browser’s notification permissions (more on that below). On some setups, the permission prompt doesn’t pop up first time, and you have to dig into browser settings manually.
Step 4: Save changes & confirm permissions
Make sure the toggle stays on, and if the browser asks, click Allow. You can check this later in your browser’s settings under Privacy & Security > Notifications. Mac and Windows browsers have slightly different paths, but the idea’s the same.
Step 5: Test it out
Interaction is key. Have a friend like or comment on one of your TikTok videos, or just ask someone to do that. If all’s working right, a notification pop-up should appear on your desktop pretty quickly. If not, double-check the permissions and whether notifications are blocked globally for TikTok.
Extra tips & common hiccups
Here’s where it gets a little frustrating, because sometimes notifications refuse to show up even when you’ve done everything right:
- Check browser settings — go into your browser’s Settings, then look for Privacy & Security > Notifications. Make sure TikTok isn’t on the blocked list.
- If you’re using Chrome, for example, go to chrome://settings/content/notifications, and see if TikTok is allowed.
- Some setups might require a quick browser restart or even clearing cache. Not sure why it works, but on some machines, it takes a second shot to get this functioning.
- Make sure no ad-blockers or extensions are blocking notifications. Those extra layers can mess this up.
And if it still doesn’t work…
This is where I’ve seen some weird stuff: on one PC, enabling notifications through TikTok’s menu worked fine after a reboot; on another (same browser, different system), it needed a manual permissions tweak in browser settings. Basically, it’s not always predictable, but persistence and double-checking permissions usually do the trick.
Summary
- Log into TikTok in your browser
- Go to Settings and find Push Notifications
- Turn it on and give your browser permission
- Test with a quick interaction — likes or comments
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours of frustration for someone. Because, of course, TikTok has to make it a little harder than it should be.