> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.useargus.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Alerts & notifications

> Set up SMS and email alerts for incidents.

Alerts let the right people know the moment something needs attention, without
anyone having to watch the dashboard. ARGUS sends alerts over two channels: **SMS**
(text message) and **email**.

## Which incidents trigger an alert

ARGUS alerts you about **high-risk incidents — those scoring 70 or above**. These
are the incidents most likely to be a real threat. Medium and low incidents still
appear in your [Incidents view](/incidents/understanding-incidents) for review,
but they don't send alerts. To learn how scoring works, see
[Risk scores explained](/incidents/risk-scores).

Each alert tells you what you need to know at a glance: the **risk score**, the
**camera** where it happened, a short **summary**, and a **link** to open the
incident and review it.

## Setting up alerts

You first choose where alerts go during onboarding, on the **"Where should alerts
go?"** step. After that, you can add or change recipients any time from
**Settings**.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Email recipients" icon="envelope">
    Email alerts are well suited to a shared inbox or a distribution list, so a
    whole team can see them.

    1. Open your dashboard and go to **Settings**.
    2. Find the **Notifications** section.
    3. Make sure **Email Alerts** is turned on.
    4. Enter the email address (or addresses) that should receive alerts under
       **Email Recipients**, and save.

    Every recipient on the list is emailed when a high-risk incident is detected.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="SMS recipients" icon="message">
    SMS alerts are best for reaching an on-shift manager directly when something
    urgent happens.

    1. Open your dashboard and go to **Settings**.
    2. Open the **SMS Alert Recipients** manager.
    3. Add a **phone number** and an optional **label** (for example, "Store
       manager") and select **Add**.
    4. Use the **On/Off** toggle to pause a number without deleting it, or
       **Remove** to delete it entirely.

    Every enabled number is texted on each high-risk incident.

    <Note>
      Depending on your plan, SMS alerts may need to be enabled for your account.
      If you don't see SMS as an option, [contact support](/help/support) or your
      account team.
    </Note>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Managing recipients over time

You're always in control of who gets alerted:

* **Add recipients** as your team changes.
* **Pause** a recipient with the On/Off toggle when someone is away, then turn
  them back on later.
* **Remove** a recipient who should no longer receive alerts.

<Tip>
  Add more than one recipient per channel so an alert is never missed if one person
  is unavailable.
</Tip>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Incident workflow" icon="list-check" href="/incidents/incident-workflow">
    Once an alert arrives, review and act on the incident.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings" icon="gear" href="/dashboard/settings">
    Manage notifications, business hours, and the rest of your preferences.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>