Member Guide Org Admin Guide Site Admin Guide

Push Notifications

Enable browser push notifications so members receive real-time alerts even when fellos isn't open.

Push notifications deliver instant alerts directly to a member's device — their computer, phone, or tablet — even when they're not actively using fellos. A notification pops up on their screen or lock screen, letting them know about new posts, comments, event reminders, or workflow updates without needing to check the site.

Push notifications use the Web Push standard and require VAPID (Voluntary Application Server Identification) keys. fellos makes this easy — you can generate the required keys with a single click.

Push Notifications Configure browser push notifications for real-time alerts Enable Push Notifications VAPID Keys Required for Web Push. Generate once — do not change after members have subscribed. Public Key BPtQd8rL4x7yFm2kNp9vJ3wXcA5bKz... Copy Private Key ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Show Generate Keys Send Test Notification Save Changes
The Push Notifications configuration — enable toggle, VAPID key display (private key masked), Generate Keys and Test buttons.

Setting Up Push Notifications

  1. Navigate to the Push Notifications page in the admin panel under Integrations.
  2. Click Generate Keys to create a new VAPID key pair. This generates a public key and private key automatically. You only need to do this once.
  3. Toggle Enable Push Notifications to on (green).
  4. Click Save Changes.
  5. Click Send Test Notification to verify the setup works. You should see a test notification appear on your device.
Good to know

Once members have subscribed to push notifications, do not regenerate the VAPID keys. Changing the keys invalidates all existing subscriptions, and members will need to re-subscribe. Only generate new keys if you're setting up for the first time or intentionally resetting all subscriptions.

Understanding VAPID Keys

VAPID (Voluntary Application Server Identification) is a standard that identifies your server to push notification services (like Google's FCM or Mozilla's push service). The key pair consists of:

  • Public Key — Shared with the browser when a member subscribes to push notifications. This is not sensitive and is visible in the admin panel.
  • Private Key — Used by your server to sign push notification messages. This is sensitive and is masked in the admin panel by default. Click "Show" to reveal it, or "Copy" to copy it to your clipboard.

fellos handles all the technical details of VAPID automatically. You don't need to understand the cryptographic details — just generate the keys and enable the feature.

Member Experience

Once push notifications are enabled, here's what members experience:

  1. The first time a member visits fellos after push is enabled, their browser asks: "Allow notifications from [your site]?"
  2. If they click Allow, they're subscribed to push notifications. fellos will now send them push alerts based on their notification preferences.
  3. If they click Block, they won't receive push notifications. They can change this later in their browser settings.
  4. Members can fine-tune which notification types trigger push alerts in their Settings > Notifications page.
Tip

Push notifications work even when fellos isn't open in the browser. They also work on mobile devices when fellos is added to the home screen as a web app. This makes push notifications the fastest way for members to stay informed about activity in their organization.

Browser Support

Web Push notifications are supported in all modern browsers:

  • Chrome (desktop and Android) — Full support
  • Firefox (desktop and Android) — Full support
  • Edge (desktop) — Full support
  • Safari (macOS and iOS 16.4+) — Supported when fellos is added to the home screen

Members using browsers that don't support Web Push will simply not see the notification permission prompt and won't receive push alerts. They can still receive in-app and email notifications.

Troubleshooting

  • Test notification doesn't appear — Make sure you've allowed notifications from your site in your browser settings. Check that the browser isn't in "Do Not Disturb" mode.
  • Members report not getting notifications — They may have blocked notifications when first prompted. They'll need to go to their browser settings to unblock your site and then refresh fellos.
  • Notifications stopped working — If you regenerated VAPID keys, all existing subscriptions are invalid. Members need to clear their browser data for your site and re-subscribe.
  • Notifications delayed — Push notification delivery depends on the browser vendor's push service. Slight delays (a few seconds) are normal. Long delays may indicate an issue with the VAPID keys or server configuration.