Set and check alerts
Identify which app/device generates each alert. A manufacturer app, Nightscout browser, follower app and watch can each behave differently; changing one does not update all the others.
Configure deliberately
- Agree the required thresholds and response plan with the person receiving care and their clinical guidance. This article does not recommend treatment thresholds.
- In the chosen follower, open its Alarms or documented notification settings. For LoopFollow use its Alarms screen; for SugarPixel use that device’s per-user alerts.
- Review phone notification permission, sound/volume, Focus or Do Not Disturb interaction and the app’s documented background requirements.
- Configure stale/no-data alerts where supported so an old value is distinguishable from a current one.
- Use the app’s documented sound/test feature and check delivery on the intended device. Do not alter glucose records, dosing, profiles or overrides to trigger a test.
Browser and notification limits
Nightscout browser alarms cannot be guaranteed and should not be your only overnight glucose warning. Nightscout Pro is not a medical device or a replacement for clinical care. Keep using your CGM’s own alarms according to its manufacturer’s instructions and follow your healthcare team’s advice. See Nightscout’s role and limits.
Browser alerts need current data, a running browser and permission from the operating system to play sound. Screen sleep, background restrictions or a lost connection can interrupt delivery. Keeping the page visible and the device awake may help, but does not guarantee an alarm. A successful sound test proves audio works at that moment; it does not prove overnight delivery. Pushover or another notification service can be an additional aid, but also depends on data, connectivity and device settings.
Reduce confusion
Identify a primary response arrangement and avoid accidental duplicate advisory alerts. Do not disable medically necessary source-device alarms simply because a follower appears to work. Recheck after an app/OS update, phone replacement or credential change.
If alerts fail, check the audio destination and volume, and whether the reading timestamp continues to update. Record the generating app, version, permission state and expected alert time. If the problem also happens while the screen is awake, tell support: screen sleep alone does not explain it. We can investigate the technical issue without changing your clinical monitoring or treatment plan.