How to get Claude Code notifications on Windows
Know the moment Claude Code needs you — and approve it without hunting for the right terminal tab.
Claude Code can run a command whenever it needs your attention. Point that hook at a Windows toast and you’ll hear about it. If you also want to see the diff and approve from anywhere, a Dynamic Island like Pet Island puts the request at the top of your screen.
What Windows gives you out of the box
Nothing, by default. Windows Terminal can flash the taskbar when a tab rings the bell, but Claude Code waits silently when it needs permission. If the terminal is behind your browser, you won’t know until you check.
Option 1: a free toast with a Claude Code hook
Claude Code runs hooks on events. The Notification event fires when it is waiting for you. Add this to your user settings to show a Windows toast:
Good for a heads-up. The catch: a toast can’t show what Claude wants to change, and you still have to switch to the terminal to answer.
Option 2: answer from the island
Pet Island connects to Claude Code in one click. When Claude wants to edit a file or run a command, the request drops out of the top edge of your screen with the diff — allow, deny or always allow without leaving your browser.
It also answers Claude’s questions, shows usage limits, and keeps Codex, Cursor and your other agents in the same queue. See how it works with Cursor or read how to run several coding agents at once.
Toast vs island
| Windows toast hook | Pet Island island | |
|---|---|---|
| Tells you Claude is waiting | Yes | Yes |
| Shows the diff or command | No | Yes |
| Approve without switching windows | No | Yes |
| Answer questions | No | Yes |
| Several agents in one place | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | One-time, $8.99 |
Troubleshooting
No toast appears: check Focus Assist is off and that PowerShell can run scripts (Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned).
Using WSL? Hooks run inside Linux. Pet Island bridges WSL automatically; for the toast route, call powershell.exe from the hook. Full walkthrough: Claude Code in WSL.
FAQ
Does Claude Code have built-in Windows notifications?
Not as a native toast. It exposes hooks, and you decide what they do.
Can I approve Claude Code from my phone?
Not with Pet Island today — it answers from your computer’s screen.
Will a hook slow Claude Code down?
A toast script takes a few milliseconds. Pet Island waits only while you decide.
Is my code sent anywhere?
No. Pet Island runs on your computer; diffs never leave it.