Timing & Triggers

When Should the Notification Show?

3 min read

Show Timing decides the moment your notification appears after someone opens a page. You set this on the Timing tab under Display Timing.

For how long it stays visible, see Display Duration in the same tab. For date ranges, see Schedule Windows.

Show timing options

OptionWhat happens
Immediately on Page LoadShows as soon as the page is ready (default)
After DelayWaits a number of seconds you choose
On ScrollShows after the visitor scrolls a percentage down the page (Pro)
On Exit IntentShows when the cursor moves toward leaving the page (Pro)
After User IdleShows after no mouse or keyboard activity for a set time (Pro)
Custom TriggerAdvanced: click, hover, element visible, or custom rules (Pro)

Free plan supports Immediately and After Delay. Other options need Notifal Pro. See What Is Notifal? (Free vs Pro).

Immediately on Page Load

Best for welcome messages and urgent banners. The notification appears as soon as Notifal is ready on the page.

Combine with Frequency and Session Limits if you do not want it on every single page view.

After Delay

  1. Choose After Delay.
  2. Set Delay (seconds) , how long to wait after the page loads.

Examples:

DelayGood for
3 to 5 secondsLet visitors read the headline first
10 to 15 secondsSoft promo after they engage
30+ secondsLow-pressure offers

On Scroll (Pro)

  1. Choose On Scroll.
  2. Set Scroll Percentage (1 to 100).

The notification appears when the visitor has scrolled that far down the page. Useful for blog posts and long product pages.

On Exit Intent (Pro)

Shows when Notifal detects the visitor is about to leave (mouse moving toward the browser close button or tab bar). Popular for last-chance discounts and newsletter popups.

Works best on desktop. Mobile exit detection is limited because there is no mouse.

After User Idle (Pro)

  1. Choose After User Idle.
  2. Set Idle Time (seconds).

Shows after the visitor stops interacting for that period. Good for help offers or reminders on complex pages.

Custom Trigger (Pro)

For advanced setups. Sub-options include:

TypeUse when
JavaScript EventShow after click or hover on a specific button
Element VisibilityShow when a section scrolls into view
Custom ConditionA JavaScript expression is true (for developers)
Multiple TriggersCombine several triggers in JSON

Trigger Delay adds extra seconds after the trigger fires before the notification shows.

If you are not comfortable with CSS selectors or code, stick to delay or scroll instead.

Timing Preview

At the bottom of the Timing tab, Timing Preview summarizes your choices in plain language (trigger, schedule, duration, frequency). Use it to double-check before saving.

Checklist

  • [ ] Chose Show Timing that matches my goal
  • [ ] Set delay, scroll %, or idle seconds if needed
  • [ ] Read Timing Preview after saving
  • [ ] Tested in a private browser window

Timing & Triggers series

  1. When Should the Notification Show? (you are here)
  2. Schedule Windows (Start/End Dates)
  3. Frequency and Session Limits
  4. Advanced Timing (Pro)

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