# Intro to Notifications

Critical Moments can send notifications to your users even when they are outside your app. These can help reduce churn, activate users, and improve conversion rate.

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See our developer guide [Reduce App Churn with Notifications](/guides/reduce-app-churn-with-notifications.md) for more a step by step walkthrough of using CM notifications.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/5HD81AalDqutENsrExo6" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>System Notifications</p></figcaption></figure>

### How Critical Moments Enhances Notifications

Critical Moments offers several major improvements over typical push notification campaigns:

* **Smart delivery timing**:&#x20;
  * Deliver notifications when users are actively using their devices, appearing at the top to catch their attention. Your notifications are never buried under a pile of others.
  * Target the right users for each message by considering their engagement history and current state.
  * Wait for ideal engagement conditions, such as holding the device, on Wi-Fi, or not low on battery.
* **Amazing developer experience**: No push servers to manage. Easily deliver in user-local timezones.
* **Higher deliverability**: Notifications are scheduled locally on the device, ensuring they are delivered regardless of server and connectivity conditions.
* **Update anytime**: Update notification content and targeting anytime, without app updates or new coding. Growth teams can push content and targeting updates over the air, with only configuration updates.

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Notification will only work if the user approves notifications for your app.

See the [Quick Start Guide](/quick-start.md#request-notification-permissions) for instructions on how to request permission.
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### Detailed Docs

* [Notification Configuration Spec](/notifications/notifications-spec.md)
* [Smart Delivery Timing Spec](/notifications/smart-delivery.md)
* [Badges, aka App Icon Count](/notifications/badges.md)

### Notifications Demo

The Critical Moments [Demo App](/demo-app.md) provides sample notifications and various delivery options for you to test.


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