1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, by a computing system, an indication to display information for an alert; displaying, by the computing system, a first level of information for the alert in a status area of a user interface that is displayed by the computing system, wherein the status area of the user interface is distinct from an application area of the user interface in which the computing system is configured to display user interfaces of applications that are executed by the computing system; receiving, by the computing system, a first user input associated with the status area; displaying, by the computing system in response to receiving the first user input associated with the status area, a second level of information for the alert in a window that occupies less than all of the application area, wherein the second level of information for the alert provides information not included in the first level of information for the alert; receiving, by the computing system, a second user input associated with the displayed second level of information for the alert; and displaying, by the computing system in response to receiving the second user input associated with the displayed second level of information for the alert, a third level of information for the alert, wherein the third level of information for the alert provides information not included in the first level of information for the alert and not included in the second level of information for the alert.