Notifications
OpenTodo tells you about three things: a task someone assigned to you, a comment that mentions you, and reminders you set. Nothing else, and never anything from outside your server.
On this page
The bell#
The bell at the top right shows a red count when something new arrived from other people:
- assigned you: someone assigned you a task in a shared project,
- mentioned you: someone wrote
@your namein a comment.
Select an entry to open the task. Opening the task marks it as read. You don't get notified about your own actions.
Reminders inside the app#
While OpenTodo is open, a reminder appears in the corner of the screen when it's due, with Snooze 10 min, 1 hour, Tomorrow 09:00 and Dismiss. It needs no permission and no connection. Press Esc to dismiss it.
If the OpenTodo tab is in the background and your browser allows notifications for it, you get a system notification instead.
How to add reminders is covered in Recurring tasks and reminders.
Get reminders when the app is closed#
Push notifications deliver reminders even when OpenTodo isn't open. Each device decides for itself.
- Open Settings → Notifications on the device.
- Tick Enable notifications on this device and allow notifications when the browser asks.
- Select Send test notification to check that one arrives.
Repeat this on every device where you want them: your phone, your laptop, your tablet. Turning it off, or signing out, removes that device.
From a push notification you can Snooze 10 min or Dismiss, and that applies on all your devices.
On iPhone and iPad#
Push needs iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later, and only works in the installed app. Add OpenTodo to your home screen first (Installing the app), open it from there, then turn on notifications in its settings.
Privacy#
A push message goes through your browser's push service (run by the browser maker). It contains only an id and a time, encrypted so the push service can't read it. Your device then shows the title from its own copy of the task.
Include task titles puts the title in the encrypted message as well, so the notification can show it even before that device has synced the task. Notes are never sent. If your account uses end-to-end encryption, titles are never included.
When notifications don't arrive#
- "Notifications are blocked for this site": you said no when the browser asked. Allow notifications for your OpenTodo address in the browser's site settings, then select Re-enable.
- "Push notifications are turned off on this server": the person running your server has switched push off. Reminders still show inside the app.
- "This browser does not support push notifications": try the installed app, or open OpenTodo over
https://. - Nothing arrives on a phone: check that the operating system allows notifications for the app (or the browser), and that battery saving or focus modes aren't holding them back.
More fixes in Troubleshooting.