Google is reportedly rolling out a new feature for Gmail. According to a report by 9to5Google, Gmail users can now pause notifications on their smartphones when they are using Gmail on their computers. The feature was first made available to a limited number of users in February this year but is now rolling out to more users. However, it is still in the testing phase and has been spotted on Workspace accounts only.
Once the feature is available, users will see a notification pause dialog in Gmail. The pop-up will allow users to pause mobile notifications while they are active on the laptop/PC. After one chooses to pause Gmail notifications on mobile, they will be asked to allow Gmail to monitor device usage.
“Pause mobile notifications while you’re using this device. To pause Gmail mobile notifications while you’re active on this device, allow your browser to detect if you’re active or away. Click Continue and then Allow when prompted by your browser,” the pop-up reads.
When the feature is enabled, alerts about new emails will appear on desktop only. While users will still get new emails on their phones, they will not be shown in the notifications. As a user steps away from the computer, notifications will start coming on the phone again.
Gmail uses the “Your device use” permission for the feature. Currently, there is no option to manually enable the feature from Gmail’s settings menu. But they can revoke the permission in Chrome’s settings under Settings > Security and Privacy > Site Settings > Additional Permissions.