diff --git a/src/downloadmanager.cpp b/src/downloadmanager.cpp
index ce6ba665d..33be6a6ec 100644
--- a/src/downloadmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/downloadmanager.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ along with Mod Organizer.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <QHttp2Configuration>
 #include <QInputDialog>
 #include <QMessageBox>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QTextDocument>
 #include <QTimer>
 
@@ -1365,7 +1366,11 @@ QString DownloadManager::getDisplayName(int index) const
   }
 
   DownloadInfo* info = m_ActiveDownloads.at(index);
+  return displayNameByInfo(info);
+}
 
+QString DownloadManager::displayNameByInfo(const DownloadInfo* info) const
+{
   QTextDocument doc;
   if (!info->m_FileInfo->name.isEmpty()) {
     doc.setHtml(info->m_FileInfo->name);
@@ -1789,6 +1794,11 @@ void DownloadManager::nxmDescriptionAvailable(QString, int, QVariant userData,
   info->m_FileInfo->modName = doc.toPlainText();
   if (info->m_FileInfo->fileID != 0) {
     setState(info, STATE_READY);
+    if (m_OrganizerCore->settings().interface().showDownloadNotifications()) {
+      m_OrganizerCore->showNotification(
+          tr("Download complete"),
+          tr("%1 is ready to be installed.").arg(displayNameByInfo(info)));
+    }
   } else {
     setState(info, STATE_FETCHINGFILEINFO);
   }
@@ -2278,6 +2288,12 @@ void DownloadManager::downloadFinished(int index)
           emit showMessage(tr("Download failed: %1 (%2)")
                                .arg(reply->errorString())
                                .arg(reply->error()));
+          if (m_OrganizerCore->settings().interface().showDownloadNotifications()) {
+            m_OrganizerCore->showNotification(
+                tr("Download failed"),
+                tr("%1 failed to download.").arg(displayNameByInfo(info)),
+                QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon::Critical);
+          }
         }
         error = true;
         setState(info, STATE_ERROR);
diff --git a/src/downloadmanager.h b/src/downloadmanager.h
index abf909c86..0cdeae7f0 100644
--- a/src/downloadmanager.h
+++ b/src/downloadmanager.h
@@ -588,6 +588,8 @@ private slots:
 
   DownloadInfo* downloadInfoByID(unsigned int id);
 
+  QString displayNameByInfo(const DownloadInfo* info) const;
+
   void removePending(QString gameName, int modID, int fileID);
 
   static QString getFileTypeString(int fileType);
diff --git a/src/iuserinterface.h b/src/iuserinterface.h
index 7ddc545d0..ae5ed880a 100644
--- a/src/iuserinterface.h
+++ b/src/iuserinterface.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "modinfodialogfwd.h"
 #include <QMainWindow>
 #include <QMenu>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <delayedfilewriter.h>
 #include <ipluginmodpage.h>
 #include <iplugintool.h>
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ class IUserInterface
   virtual MOBase::DelayedFileWriterBase& archivesWriter() = 0;
 
   virtual QMainWindow* mainWindow() = 0;
+
+  virtual void showNotification(const QString& title, const QString& message,
+                                QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon =
+                                    QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon::Information) = 0;
 };
 
 #endif  // IUSERINTERFACE_H
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index 5d5a88cec..f3f1bba0f 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ along with Mod Organizer.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <QShortcut>
 #include <QSize>
 #include <QSizePolicy>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QTime>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QToolButton>
@@ -2259,6 +2260,12 @@ QMainWindow* MainWindow::mainWindow()
   return this;
 }
 
+void MainWindow::showNotification(const QString& title, const QString& message,
+                                  QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon)
+{
+  m_SystemTrayManager->showNotification(title, message, icon);
+}
+
 void MainWindow::on_tabWidget_currentChanged(int index)
 {
   QWidget* currentWidget = ui->tabWidget->widget(index);
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.h b/src/mainwindow.h
index d3e1d480e..cc7e3366e 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/mainwindow.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ class DirectoryEntry;
 #include <QProcess>
 #include <QString>
 #include <QStringList>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QTime>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QVariant>
@@ -156,6 +157,10 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow, public IUserInterface
     return m_ArchiveListWriter;
   }
 
+  void showNotification(const QString& title, const QString& message,
+                        QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon =
+                            QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon::Information) override;
+
 public slots:
   void refresherProgress(const DirectoryRefreshProgress* p);
 
diff --git a/src/organizercore.cpp b/src/organizercore.cpp
index a8fc67c27..53375ac13 100644
--- a/src/organizercore.cpp
+++ b/src/organizercore.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QNetworkInterface>
 #include <QProcess>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QWidget>
@@ -539,6 +540,14 @@ std::wstring OrganizerCore::getGlobalCoreDumpPath()
   return {};
 }
 
+void OrganizerCore::showNotification(const QString& message, const QString& title,
+                                     QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon)
+{
+  if (m_UserInterface) {
+    m_UserInterface->showNotification(message, title, icon);
+  }
+}
+
 void OrganizerCore::setCurrentProfile(const QString& profileName)
 {
   if ((m_CurrentProfile != nullptr) && (profileName == m_CurrentProfile->name())) {
diff --git a/src/organizercore.h b/src/organizercore.h
index 80f340b68..d7810e1b6 100644
--- a/src/organizercore.h
+++ b/src/organizercore.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <QSettings>
 #include <QString>
 #include <QStringList>
+#include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 #include <QThread>
 #include <QVariant>
 
@@ -360,6 +361,10 @@ class OrganizerCore : public QObject, public MOBase::IPluginDiagnose
   static void setGlobalCoreDumpType(env::CoreDumpTypes type);
   static std::wstring getGlobalCoreDumpPath();
 
+  void showNotification(
+      const QString& title, const QString& message,
+      QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon = QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon::Information);
+
 public:
   MOBase::IModRepositoryBridge* createNexusBridge() const;
   QString profileName() const;
diff --git a/src/settings.cpp b/src/settings.cpp
index ef1785b16..0356cf944 100644
--- a/src/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings.cpp
@@ -2263,6 +2263,16 @@ void InterfaceSettings::setHideDownloadsAfterInstallation(bool b)
   set(m_Settings, "Settings", "autohide_downloads", b);
 }
 
+bool InterfaceSettings::showDownloadNotifications() const
+{
+  return get<bool>(m_Settings, "Settings", "download_notifications", false);
+}
+
+void InterfaceSettings::setShowDownloadNotifications(bool b)
+{
+  set(m_Settings, "Settings", "download_notifications", b);
+}
+
 bool InterfaceSettings::hideAPICounter() const
 {
   return get<bool>(m_Settings, "Settings", "hide_api_counter", false);
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index edc1d6445..1f5d2bc26 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -653,6 +653,11 @@ class InterfaceSettings
   bool hideDownloadsAfterInstallation() const;
   void setHideDownloadsAfterInstallation(bool b);
 
+  // whether to show notifications when downloads complete or fail
+  //
+  bool showDownloadNotifications() const;
+  void setShowDownloadNotifications(bool b);
+
   // whether the API counter should be hidden
   //
   bool hideAPICounter() const;
diff --git a/src/settingsdialog.ui b/src/settingsdialog.ui
index 6011b1588..f1ff4f7d1 100644
--- a/src/settingsdialog.ui
+++ b/src/settingsdialog.ui
@@ -166,6 +166,19 @@
                 </property>
                </widget>
               </item>
+              <item>
+               <widget class="QCheckBox" name="showDownloadNotificationsBox">
+                <property name="toolTip">
+                 <string>Show notifications when downloads complete or fail.</string>
+                </property>
+                <property name="whatsThis">
+                 <string>Show notifications when downloads complete or fail.</string>
+                </property>
+                <property name="text">
+                 <string>Show notifications for completed or failed downloads</string>
+                </property>
+               </widget>
+              </item>
              </layout>
             </widget>
            </item>
@@ -178,10 +191,10 @@
               <item>
                <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkForUpdates">
                 <property name="toolTip">
-                 <string>Check for Mod Organizer updates on Github on startup.</string>
+                 <string>Check for Mod Organizer updates on GitHub on startup.</string>
                 </property>
                 <property name="whatsThis">
-                 <string>Check for Mod Organizer updates on Github on startup.</string>
+                 <string>Check for Mod Organizer updates on GitHub on startup.</string>
                 </property>
                 <property name="text">
                  <string>Check for updates</string>
diff --git a/src/settingsdialoggeneral.cpp b/src/settingsdialoggeneral.cpp
index 265c9db90..8daef5827 100644
--- a/src/settingsdialoggeneral.cpp
+++ b/src/settingsdialoggeneral.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ GeneralSettingsTab::GeneralSettingsTab(Settings& s, SettingsDialog& d)
   ui->showMetaBox->setChecked(settings().interface().metaDownloads());
   ui->hideDownloadInstallBox->setChecked(
       settings().interface().hideDownloadsAfterInstallation());
+  ui->showDownloadNotificationsBox->setChecked(
+      settings().interface().showDownloadNotifications());
 
   // updates
   ui->checkForUpdates->setChecked(settings().checkForUpdates());
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ void GeneralSettingsTab::update()
   settings().interface().setMetaDownloads(ui->showMetaBox->isChecked());
   settings().interface().setHideDownloadsAfterInstallation(
       ui->hideDownloadInstallBox->isChecked());
+  settings().interface().setShowDownloadNotifications(
+      ui->showDownloadNotificationsBox->isChecked());
 
   // updates
   settings().setCheckForUpdates(ui->checkForUpdates->isChecked());
diff --git a/src/systemtraymanager.cpp b/src/systemtraymanager.cpp
index d885f1ebd..afbd598de 100644
--- a/src/systemtraymanager.cpp
+++ b/src/systemtraymanager.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ along with Mod Organizer.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include <QIcon>
 #include <QMainWindow>
 #include <QMenu>
+#include <QString>
 #include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 
 SystemTrayManager::SystemTrayManager(QMainWindow* parent, QDockWidget* logDock)
@@ -42,11 +43,11 @@ SystemTrayManager::SystemTrayManager(QMainWindow* parent, QDockWidget* logDock)
   trayMenu->addAction(exitAction);
 
   m_SystemTrayIcon->setContextMenu(trayMenu);
+  m_SystemTrayIcon->show();
 }
 
 void SystemTrayManager::minimizeToSystemTray()
 {
-  m_SystemTrayIcon->show();
   m_Parent->hide();
 
   if (m_LogDock->isFloating() && m_LogDock->isVisible()) {
@@ -56,8 +57,6 @@ void SystemTrayManager::minimizeToSystemTray()
 
 void SystemTrayManager::restoreFromSystemTray()
 {
-  m_SystemTrayIcon->hide();
-
   m_Parent->showNormal();
   m_Parent->raise();
   m_Parent->activateWindow();
@@ -67,6 +66,12 @@ void SystemTrayManager::restoreFromSystemTray()
   }
 }
 
+void SystemTrayManager::showNotification(const QString& title, const QString& message,
+                                         QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon)
+{
+  m_SystemTrayIcon->showMessage(title, message, icon);
+}
+
 void SystemTrayManager::on_systemTrayIcon_activated(
     QSystemTrayIcon::ActivationReason reason)
 {
diff --git a/src/systemtraymanager.h b/src/systemtraymanager.h
index 43a3b0e48..e7e03c093 100644
--- a/src/systemtraymanager.h
+++ b/src/systemtraymanager.h
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@ along with Mod Organizer.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #define SYSTEMTRAYMANAGER_H
 
 #include <QDockWidget>
+#include <QIcon>
 #include <QMainWindow>
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QString>
 #include <QSystemTrayIcon>
 
 class SystemTrayManager : public QObject
@@ -35,6 +37,10 @@ class SystemTrayManager : public QObject
   void minimizeToSystemTray();
   void restoreFromSystemTray();
 
+  void showNotification(
+      const QString& title, const QString& message,
+      QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon icon = QSystemTrayIcon::MessageIcon::Information);
+
 private:
   QMainWindow* m_Parent;
   QDockWidget* m_LogDock;