diff --git a/include/components/timer.hpp b/include/components/timer.hpp
index 7aa4d81..2f95cb7 100644
--- a/include/components/timer.hpp
+++ b/include/components/timer.hpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class Timer : public Gtk::Box {
     }
 
     void activateTimer() {
-        std::cout << "Timer activated" << std::endl;
+        // std::cout << "Timer activated" << std::endl;
     }
 
     void updateTimeLeft(uint64_t timeValue) {
diff --git a/include/helpers/string.hpp b/include/helpers/string.hpp
index 7908618..1f160d9 100644
--- a/include/helpers/string.hpp
+++ b/include/helpers/string.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ class StringHelper {
         if (input.length() <= maxSize) {
             return input;
         }
-        return input.substr(0, maxSize) + "...";
+
+        size_t len = maxSize;
+        while (len > 0 && (static_cast<unsigned char>(input[len]) & 0xC0) == 0x80) {
+            len--;
+        }
+        
+        return input.substr(0, len) + "...";
     }
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/services/timerService.hpp b/include/services/timerService.hpp
index abdbf1a..5c86102 100644
--- a/include/services/timerService.hpp
+++ b/include/services/timerService.hpp
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@
 
 #include <map>
 #include <memory>
+#include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
 #include "glibmm/main.h"
+#include "gtkmm/mediafile.h"
+#include "gtkmm/mediastream.h"
 #include "sigc++/signal.h"
 class TimerService {
     struct TimerData {
@@ -15,7 +18,7 @@ class TimerService {
   public:
     static std::shared_ptr<TimerService> getInstance() {
         if (!instance) {
-            instance = std::make_shared<TimerService>();
+            instance = std::shared_ptr<TimerService>(new TimerService());
 
             // add a timer to tick every second
             Glib::signal_timeout().connect([]() {
@@ -37,11 +40,28 @@ class TimerService {
 
     void expireTimer(uint64_t timerId) {
         this->timerExpiredSignal.emit(timerId);
+
+        if (ringingTimerCounter == 0) {
+            mediaFile->set_volume(1.0);
+            mediaFile->set_loop(true);
+            mediaFile->play();
+            spdlog::info("Playing timer sound");
+        }
+
+        ringingTimerCounter++;
+
     }
 
     void removeTimer(uint64_t timerId) {
+        ringingTimerCounter--;
         this->activeTimers.erase(timerId);
         this->timerCancelledSignal.emit(timerId);
+
+        if (ringingTimerCounter <= 0) {
+            ringingTimerCounter = 0;
+            mediaFile->pause();
+            spdlog::info("Paused timer sound");
+        }
     }
 
     sigc::signal<void(const std::string &, u_int64_t)> &getSignalTimerSet() {
@@ -59,7 +79,32 @@ class TimerService {
     sigc::signal<void()> tickSignal;
 
   private:
-    static inline uint64_t timerIdCounter = 0;
+    TimerService() {
+        this->mediaFile = Gtk::MediaFile::create();
+        if (this->mediaFile) {
+            this->mediaFile->set_filename("/usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/alarm-clock-elapsed.oga");
+
+            // Connect to signals to debug playback issues
+            this->mediaFile->property_error().signal_changed().connect([]() {
+                if (auto err = mediaFile->get_error()) {
+                    spdlog::error("Timer sound error: {}", err.what());
+                }
+            });
+
+            this->mediaFile->property_prepared().signal_changed().connect([]() {
+                if (mediaFile->is_prepared()) {
+                    spdlog::info("Timer sound ready");
+                }
+            });
+        } else {
+            spdlog::error("Failed to create media file!");
+        }
+    }
+
+    inline static Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::MediaFile> mediaFile;
+
+    static inline uint64_t timerIdCounter       = 0;
+    static inline u_int64_t ringingTimerCounter = 0;
     sigc::signal<void(const std::string &, u_int64_t)> timerAddedSignal;
     sigc::signal<void(u_int64_t)> timerCancelledSignal;
     sigc::signal<void(u_int64_t)> timerExpiredSignal;
@@ -73,6 +118,7 @@ class TimerService {
             if (timer.duration > 0) {
                 timer.duration--;
             } else if (timer.duration == 0) {
+                spdlog::info("Timer {} expired", timer.timerId);
                 expireTimer(timer.timerId);
                 timer.duration = -1; // Mark as expired to prevent multiple expirations
             }
diff --git a/include/widgets/notification/baseNotification.hpp b/include/widgets/notification/baseNotification.hpp
index 286fb39..069ba17 100644
--- a/include/widgets/notification/baseNotification.hpp
+++ b/include/widgets/notification/baseNotification.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <chrono>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <memory>
 #include <sigc++/connection.h>
 
 #include "gdkmm/monitor.h"
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@
 
 #define DEFAULT_NOTIFICATION_TIMEOUT 6700
 
-class BaseNotification : public Gtk::Window {
+class BaseNotification : public Gtk::Window, public std::enable_shared_from_this<BaseNotification> {
   public:
     BaseNotification(uint64_t notificationId, std::shared_ptr<Gdk::Monitor> monitor);
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/notification/baseNotification.cpp b/src/widgets/notification/baseNotification.cpp
index 48d8f2b..c05fb03 100644
--- a/src/widgets/notification/baseNotification.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/notification/baseNotification.cpp
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ void BaseNotification::start_auto_close_timeout(int timeoutMs) {
     }
 
     autoCloseDeadline   = std::chrono::steady_clock::now() + std::chrono::milliseconds(timeoutMs);
-    autoCloseConnection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect([this]() {
-        this->getSignalClose().emit(this->notificationId);
+    autoCloseConnection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect([self = shared_from_this()]() {
+        self->getSignalClose().emit(self->getNotificationId());
         return false; // Don't repeat
     },
                                                          timeoutMs);
diff --git a/src/widgets/notification/notificationWindow.cpp b/src/widgets/notification/notificationWindow.cpp
index 463d4c1..e518e13 100644
--- a/src/widgets/notification/notificationWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/notification/notificationWindow.cpp
@@ -44,23 +44,29 @@ NotificationWindow::NotificationWindow(uint64_t notificationId, std::shared_ptr<
         header_box->append(*img);
     }
 
-    auto app_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>(StringHelper::trimToSize(notify.app_name, 24));
+    auto app_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>(notify.app_name);
     app_label->set_halign(Gtk::Align::START);
+    app_label->set_ellipsize(Pango::EllipsizeMode::END);
+    app_label->set_max_width_chars(24);
     app_label->set_wrap(false);
     app_label->add_css_class("notification-app-name");
     header_box->append(*app_label);
     vbox->append(*header_box);
 
     // Summary label
-    auto summary_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>("<b>" + StringHelper::trimToSize(notify.summary, 20) + "</b>");
+    auto summary_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>("<b>" + notify.summary + "</b>");
     summary_label->set_use_markup(true);
     summary_label->set_halign(Gtk::Align::START);
+    summary_label->set_ellipsize(Pango::EllipsizeMode::END);
+    summary_label->set_lines(1);
     summary_label->set_wrap(true);
     vbox->append(*summary_label);
 
-    auto body_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>(StringHelper::trimToSize(notify.body, 100));
+    auto body_label = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>(notify.body);
     body_label->set_use_markup(true);
     body_label->set_halign(Gtk::Align::START);
+    body_label->set_ellipsize(Pango::EllipsizeMode::END);
+    body_label->set_lines(3);
     body_label->set_wrap(true);
     vbox->append(*body_label);
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/notification/spotifyNotification.cpp b/src/widgets/notification/spotifyNotification.cpp
index 78e3f3c..79d9867 100644
--- a/src/widgets/notification/spotifyNotification.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/notification/spotifyNotification.cpp
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@ SpotifyNotification::SpotifyNotification(uint64_t notificationId, std::shared_pt
 
     auto artistLabel = Gtk::make_managed<Gtk::Label>();
     if (!mpris.artist.empty()) {
-        artistLabel->set_text(StringHelper::trimToSize(mpris.artist[0], 30));
+        artistLabel->set_text(mpris.artist[0]);
     } else {
         artistLabel->set_text("Unknown Artist");
     }
+    artistLabel->set_ellipsize(Pango::EllipsizeMode::END);
+    artistLabel->set_max_width_chars(30);
     artistLabel->set_hexpand(true);
     artistLabel->set_halign(Gtk::Align::CENTER);