Fine-tuning repository notifications
GitHub's notification overhaul earlier this year introduced filters aimed at surfacing the most relevant updates, and a recent update added recommendations for unwatching inactive repositories. Still, many users find themselves inundated with notifications simply because they want to track a single aspect of a project.
To address this, GitHub is rolling out more granular controls over which types of content trigger notifications. The watch button now offers a clearer, more accessible interface that includes a new custom option for fine-grained selection.
Custom watch categories
Previously, watching a repository meant subscribing to all activity, forcing users with specific roles—such as reviewers or community managers—to sift through irrelevant updates. The new custom category lets you choose notification types based on your focus areas:
- Limit updates to pull requests if code review is your primary concern.
- Select Discussions if you're managing community conversations.
- Additional notification categories will appear in this menu as they're introduced.
These controls are accessible from the watch button on any repository page, as well as from the watching page, where you can adjust settings for repositories you already follow.
Ongoing improvements
This update is part of GitHub's continued effort to streamline notifications and help users manage their attention more effectively. Feedback on the new controls can be submitted through the product feedback form.
