Feature Request: Add user configurable option to enable audible alerts

Hi -

I have been using BitDefender for a while now, and I think it is excellent.

However, there is one huge functional deficiency that I keep running into: I have missed almost every single BitDefender Critical warning notification during a detection because there is no audible alert option.

I have only found out that there have been issues when I decide to open up the BitDefender app every few weeks and find to my surprise that there have multiple detections in the past by BitDefender.

I use Ultra-Wide Screens for my PC display environment, so a quiet, pop-up in the lower right corner has been almost always missed because I am looking at another portion of my displays when the alert occurs. A user-configurable audible alert would easily fix this issue by letting me know every time BitDefender detects bad activity.

Every single AntiVirus I have used in the last couple of decades has had an audible alert when a detection has occurred. BitDefender is the only AntiVirus I have used that is lacking this feature.

Could BitDefender please add a user-configurable setting that could enable audible alerts on detection? That way, the user can have the option of having silent alerts (the current user interface) or audible alerts (an enhancement to the current design).

Thanks!

3 votes

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Comments

  • +1 on the idea... 🙂

    @Alexandru_BD @camarie Any thoughts on the idea? Thanks.

  • + 1 for this idea 🙂

    Nunzio ·

    Bitdefender Plus, Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, CPU Intel Core2 Duo T7500, RAM 4 Gb - Bitdefender Mobile Security

  • camarie
    camarie BD Staff

    I will ask. I'm not sure how the idea would be received, since the idea for such a product is to manifest itself as little as possible. But I understand your point. Let's see how the team sees it.

  • @camarie Obviously it must always be the user's choice whether to activate it or not, but it is better to give this choice to the user.

    Nunzio ·

    Bitdefender Plus, Windows 10 Pro-32 Bit, CPU Intel Core2 Duo T7500, RAM 4 Gb - Bitdefender Mobile Security

  • camarie
    camarie BD Staff

    True. We try to keep a balance between settings useful (but too many) and simplicity. As I said, I will propose this.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] ✭✭✭✭✭

    Another +1. A user-configurable option to enable/disable audio alert sounds for detections would be a very nice enhancement. It could default to "Off" so that users would have to activate it, in keeping with the philosophy of the BD team to have the program "manifest itself as little as possible." I, for one, would be turning such an option ON.

    Have a great day.

    Regards,

    Phil

  • Thank you for proposing the feature, @camarie!

  • +1 on this.

    Regards

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • Hi - Are there any updates on this feature request?

  • There is no definite answer to your question. It is up to the developers whether they want to introduce this feature or not. No one wants to keep you in the dark, but even if the developers agree to add the feature, it may take up to a year to implement it. It may be surprising, but it is what it is. I had requested the introduction of a dark theme for Bitdefender's home product in the year 2020, and it was introduced in the year 2021. So, there is no surety.

    You can find the request I made in the stated link: https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/82313/dark-mode-theme-for-future-2021-version

    Regards

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • "Good things take time", eh? 😁

  • Indeed they do. 🙂

    I think it's not only that, there is general consensus that feature requests must go through an evaluation and approval process prior to testing and the actual implementation, if they get there. The decision to make such changes to the software is always based on many criteria and some features may not be implemented even if they have low complexity, as long as they do not provide value for a relevant mass of users.

    Like camarie pointed out previously on this thread, the developers always try to keep a balance between useful settings and simplicity. If you ask me, I think the main concern here (if not a deal-braker), is that audible notifications may upset users, since the product already contains a number of notifications that can be displayed depending on the context. And before you say that this can be easily solved with a toggle button, that would be another extra product setting for the user to keep in mind, and again, we leave the sphere of simplicity and enter the territory of complexity.

    From what I've noticed over the years, some users prefer a completely silent product, while others may require more granular management options for notifications, and there are also users who want to be informed about all the events that take place. Thus, finding the right balance here is very important, so that everyone can enjoy their Bitdefender product undisrupted, but at the same time to stay informed of the relevant security events and other occurences on their devices, in the most effective and non-invasive way possible.

    Regards,

    Alex

    Premium Security & Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools user

  • Scott
    Scott ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 29

    I'm not trying to side with or against anyone here, and is probably just where I'm at, but I agree with what Alex posted above:

    From what I've noticed over the years, some users prefer a completely silent product, while others may require more granular management options for notifications, and there are also users who want to be informed about all the events that take place. Thus, finding the right balance here is very important, so that everyone can enjoy their Bitdefender product undisrupted, but at the same time to stay informed of the relevant security events and other occurences on their devices, in the most effective and non-invasive way possible.

    The visual pop-up notifications (and Widget notification) are enough for me. Maybe it also has to due with the fact that most of my personal web surfing etc is done on a 14" notebook, so it's hard not to miss the notifications. I do have enough devices where I'm using another AV that does not have the option of audible alerts, and I like that as well, and don't miss that option.

    I even have Windows audible notification alerts disabled, I found those to be very annoying. If it's another setting that could possibly cause issues, interfere with with the stability of BD in some way, shape or form, then again, I'll pass :)

    But @AzJazz I do what you get what you said here, so I may be in the minority?

    edit:sp

    All Bitdefender Home Product User Guides: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/user-guides/

  • Petersl
    Petersl ✭✭✭
    edited June 2

    I would also like to see an audible alert feature that you can turn off or on added to the bitdefender total security that would be great.

    Thx

  • camarie
    camarie BD Staff

    I will propose the feature, but I think the priority will be pretty low. I am not sure what it will be (or if, or when) at this time.