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How do I enable alert notifications when guests join from Self Check-in?

Enable sound alerts when guests join your waitlist through Self Check-in. Learn how alert tones and background alerts work, and how browser settings or device permissions may affect when alerts play.

Updated over a week ago

NextMe can play a sound alert when a guest joins your waitlist using Self Check-in. This helps staff notice new arrivals immediately without constantly watching the dashboard. Depending on your settings and browser permissions, alerts can also play while the NextMe dashboard tab is open in the background.

These alerts are controlled in: Settings - Self Check-in - Alert Settings

When to use this article

  • You want to hear a sound when a guest joins the waitlist through Self Check-in

  • Alerts are enabled but you are not hearing sounds when guests check in

  • You want alerts to play while the NextMe tab is in the background

  • You need to troubleshoot browser or device audio settings affecting alert sounds

How to enable alert sounds

  1. Open the NextMe dashboard

  2. Click Settings

  3. Select Self Check-in

  4. Locate the Alert Settings section

You will see two options that control alert behavior.

Alert settings explained

Play Alert Tones (enabled by default)

When enabled, NextMe plays a sound notification whenever a guest joins the waitlist through Self Check-in. Disable this if you prefer no sound alerts.

Background Alerts (disabled by default)

When enabled, alert sounds play even if the NextMe dashboard tab is not the active tab. Enable this if your team works across multiple browser tabs, uses other systems at the same time, or wants to hear alerts without watching the waitlist screen.

Quick things to check first

Before adjusting browser settings, confirm:

  • Play Alert Tones is enabled

  • Background Alerts is enabled if you want alerts while multitasking

  • The NextMe tab is not muted

  • Your device volume is turned up

  • The browser allows sound for the NextMe site

Why don't I hear alert sounds?

If alerts are enabled but you do not hear a notification when guests check in, the issue is usually browser or device settings. Common causes:

  • The browser tab is muted

  • The browser blocks autoplay audio

  • Background tabs restrict audio playback

  • Device battery optimization limits background activity

  • System sound settings or Do Not Disturb mode is active

Browser troubleshooting

Google Chrome

  1. Open Chrome Settings

  2. Go to Privacy and security - Site settings - Sound

  3. Ensure sound is allowed for the NextMe site

  4. Right-click the NextMe tab and select Unmute site if needed

Advanced: adjust background tab behavior via chrome://flags

Microsoft Edge

  1. Enter edge://flags in the address bar

  2. Search for Enable Background Audio

  3. Ensure background audio restrictions are disabled

  4. Confirm the NextMe tab is not muted

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Enter about:config in the address bar

  2. Search for media.block-autoplay-until-in-foreground

  3. Set the value to false (allows audio to play when the tab is inactive)

Safari on Mac

  1. Open Safari - Settings - Websites - Auto-Play

  2. Allow autoplay for the NextMe site

  3. Confirm the tab is not muted

Mobile device troubleshooting

iPhone or iPad (Safari)

iOS limits background activity for browser tabs. Alert sounds may stop when Safari runs in the background. To improve reliability: keep the NextMe tab visible, turn Silent Mode off, and ensure device volume is up. Background alerts may not always play if Safari is minimized.

Android (Chrome)

Android may stop background audio to conserve battery.

  1. Open Settings - Apps - Chrome - Battery

  2. Set battery usage to Unrestricted

Computer sound settings to check

  • Ensure computer volume is not muted

  • Confirm the correct speaker or audio output device is selected

  • Check that Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is not active

  • Verify the browser is not muted at the system level

Best setup for host stands or shared workstations

  • Keep the NextMe dashboard open in a browser tab

  • Enable Background Alerts

  • Ensure the browser allows sound for the NextMe site

  • Prevent the computer from going to sleep

  • Avoid muting the browser tab

When alert sounds will not work

Alert sounds require the NextMe dashboard to be open in a browser tab. Alerts will not play if the browser is completely closed, the device is muted, the browser blocks background audio, or the device stops background activity.

Note on browser and device settings

Browser and OS settings change with software updates, so the exact steps above may change over time. If the instructions no longer match what you see, search online for: "allow sound for a website in Chrome", "enable autoplay audio Firefox", "allow background audio Safari Mac", or "Chrome Android disable battery optimization audio."

FAQ

1. Why don't I hear alerts when guests check in?

This usually happens when the browser blocks background audio, the tab is muted, or device sound settings prevent audio playback. Check the Quick things to check section above first.

2. Can NextMe play alerts while I'm using other tabs?

Yes. Enable Background Alerts in Settings - Self Check-in - Alert Settings.

3. Do alerts work if the browser is minimized?

This depends on your browser and device permissions. Desktop browsers generally support this when Background Alerts is enabled and the browser allows background audio. Mobile browsers, especially Safari on iOS, may not reliably play alerts when minimized.

4. Do I need a paid plan to use alert notifications?

No. Self Check-in alert sounds are available on all plans.

5. Alerts were working before but stopped - what happened?

A browser update may have changed your audio or autoplay settings. Check that sound is still allowed for the NextMe site in your browser settings, and that the tab is not muted.

Related articles

Still need help? If this article didn't solve your issue, click the chat icon or email support@nextmeapp.com to speak with our support team.

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