> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://staging.chrisp.chat/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# How do email notifications work?

****Crisp notifies you of pending (unread) messages from your visitors. Email notifications are not delivered to your inbox in real-time (eg: right when you receive a message); thus you may wonder why.****

****Crisp waits for 3 minutes before delivering an email notification to operators for pending messages.**** You receive email notifications only for messages that don't get read before that 3 minutes delay. If the pending message gets read before that delay, no email will be delivered.

****This delay makes the system convenient for contextual use: your inbox doesn't get flooded when you are active on an app and you reply from chat****, while you can still fallback on email replies in some contexts (eg: apps are still open, but you leave your desk and rely on another computer or mobile device that don't have the Crisp app).

__The notification will be sent to one operator, following these rules by order of priority:__

* To the assigned operator (if any, whether online or offline)
* To one of the online operators
* To one of the offline operators

| Email should be seen as the last resort way to get notified of pending messages from your visitors. You should use the Crisp [Web](https://app.crisp.chat/), [Desktop](https://crisp.chat/apps/) and [Mobile](https://crisp.chat/apps/) apps to get notified and reply to your visitors. However, in some contexts, emails is more convenient.

These notifications can be enabled/disabled by navigating to ****Settings > Account > Notifications > Email Notifications****

![Managing Email notifications](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/7/3/e/a73e010e800c5800/97044b2d-9b4a-4080-860f-009c9f_1skzm5y.png)