When are Notifications going to be RELIABLE??? (Android + all other Element platform releases)

[BloodyIron]

Steps to reproduce

Notifications have been extremely unreliable for going on 5 years now, and there are an endless supply of github issues for the Android, Desktop, Web, iOS, other platforms.

It's gotten to the point now where I really don't see ANY developer engagement on this topic, or even any actual interest in having it corrected.

It is completely pointless to use any chat program where notifications of messages (or even having the messages at all) are as unreliable (extremely unreliable) as they are with the Element + Matrix ecosystem.

I don't want to switch away from Element + Matrix, but frankly this is now being ignored by the developers (so far as I can tell) and it's genuinely that big of a deal that if this really isn't taken seriously, myself and many others are going to just stop using Element. I know many already have.

The devs NEEEEEEED to take this seriously. This is a CHAT app. It's extremely obvious why this matters, and why the notifications (and background sync/related) problems NEED TO BE COMPREHENSIVELY FIXED ON ALL PLATFORMS.

This issue is not tied to any specific version or platform, it happens on ALL of them and has done so for years.

Many people have already submitted logs, reports, and on and on and on... only to lead to silence from the devs, and no releases with any changes improving it.

So... WHEN is this going to be taken SERIOUSLY???

Outcome

.

Your phone model

No response

Operating system version

No response

Application version and app store

No response

Homeserver

No response

Will you send logs?

No

Are you willing to provide a PR?

No

[sans-c]

I'd like to second this. I just came here to see if there are any new bug reports regarding notifications because they have been extremely unreliable for me since a few weeks now.

Element's notifications on Android have always been a little bit finicky in my experience but it has gotten to a point where I do not get notifications at all for hours on end. Only when I explicitely open the app, I notice that I missed messages from ages ago.

The built-in notifications trouble shooter says that everything is fine, but it definitely is not. For me the issue is most prevalent with a ntfy-setup. Background sync does work more or less but even there I get delays which cannot be explained by my settings.

I also know people who have all sorts of notification issues and who consider turning away from Element/Matrix which is a shame really. In spirit of the original post: yes, notifications should be a chief concern for a chat app.

I am willing to provide logs/more info/whatever is needed but it seems there is alreay a huge amount of data available from previous bug reports.

[BloodyIron]

I would like to bring attention that the issues I myself have observed (me and those around me using Element/Matrix) see the issues not just for android, but desktop too, so it looks to be an ecosystem-wide problem. Problems that have been present for years, getting fixed, breaking again, fixed, breaking again... And now seemingly radio silence from the devs on a critical aspect to any chat ecosystem.

[akallabeth]

got an incident yesterday where my android phone did not get notifications (not even synced when opening the rooms) while the laptop in the same network got them.
took a day to get fixed - no idea how, was a server side thing I assume (account on matrix.org and https://status.matrix.org/ did not show degradation of service)

so, the notifications are getting more reliable for me, but the service does have hickups more often these days it seems

[BloodyIron]

Can we PLEASE get notifications fixed in the Element ecosystem already? It's been going on like 4 YEARS where this has been a problem.

[SanifC]

The "Mark as Read" feature in the Pop-up notifications is not working for my Android phone. Needs to be fixed please

[iamtalhaasghar]

The "Mark as Read" feature in the Pop-up notifications is not working for my Android phone. Needs to be fixed please

looks like you are facing this issue #3394. May be kindly provide some context & video if possible. @SanifC

[stephen304]

@iamtalhaasghar There are already several videos in that issue, one of which is mine (from like 2 years ago apparently). I still experience the issue and it's unclear what more info is needed for a fix to be prioritized.

[iamtalhaasghar]

This repo and this version of the element app is in maintenance mode. We are only fixing security issues and high priority bugs.
We currently have (or going to have) the 2 apps in the store: Element and Element X. When ready, the Element app will use the Element X code. Element X is a temporary app using a code name.

src: #8606 (comment)

@stephen304

[stephen304]

@iamtalhaasghar Right, that's another good reason why adding more copies of issue reproduction videos is kind of a fruitless effort, which is my point.

[warioishere]

I am also having issues with notifications. I am calling for help and finding infos for years. Using own ntfy server, Messages notifications work, but somestimes with a huge delay, at least they work, but calling notification doesnt work at all. Switching to google servers changes this behavior instantly. Faster notification and also call notification works.

I am really sad, just looked a bit through and seems that a lot of people are having this issue.

[BloodyIron]

I am also having issues with notifications. I am calling for help and finding infos for years. Using own ntfy server, Messages notifications work, but somestimes with a huge delay, at least they work, but calling notification doesnt work at all. Switching to google servers changes this behavior instantly. Faster notification and also call notification works.

I am really sad, just looked a bit through and seems that a lot of people are having this issue.

What do you mean by switching to google servers? I don't exactly follow you on how that lines-up with Element. Which google servers for which services?

[warioishere]

I am also having issues with notifications. I am calling for help and finding infos for years. Using own ntfy server, Messages notifications work, but somestimes with a huge delay, at least they work, but calling notification doesnt work at all. Switching to google servers changes this behavior instantly. Faster notification and also call notification works.
I am really sad, just looked a bit through and seems that a lot of people are having this issue.

What do you mean by switching to google servers? I don't exactly follow you on how that lines-up with Element. Which google servers for which services?

shouldnt be so hard to understand? I mean switching to google Push (FCM)
I dont think there much other options and you should understand pretty well, what I mean with Google Push Servers Works on Element, Ntfy doesnt work or very unreliable.

I think it should be first priority for a secure and private messenger like element to support ntfy push implemention.
I really dont know if the cause is synapse itself or element.

the issues are multiple present. All of them dont realy get answered at all, here are my two issues:

element-hq/synapse#17269
#8761

[BloodyIron]

I am also having issues with notifications. I am calling for help and finding infos for years. Using own ntfy server, Messages notifications work, but somestimes with a huge delay, at least they work, but calling notification doesnt work at all. Switching to google servers changes this behavior instantly. Faster notification and also call notification works.
I am really sad, just looked a bit through and seems that a lot of people are having this issue.

What do you mean by switching to google servers? I don't exactly follow you on how that lines-up with Element. Which google servers for which services?

shouldnt be so hard to understand? I mean switching to google Push (FCM) I dont think there much other options and you should understand pretty well, what I mean with Google Push Servers Works on Element, Ntfy doesnt work or very unreliable.

I think it should be first priority for a secure and private messenger like element to support ntfy push implemention. I really dont know if the cause is synapse itself or element.

the issues are multiple present. All of them dont realy get answered at all, here are my two issues:

element-hq/synapse#17269 #8761

Google Push isn't a server, it's a service local to your device, which is where the confusion comes from.

In my case I/we have already been using Google Push Services for actual years and still have problems.

And yeah it is unclear if it's a synapse/matrix issue or Element issue, but the silence from github issue lack-of-engagement is deafening. They (Element Devs) used to actually work on notification problems but stopped I think well over a year ago. I have no idea why.

[warioishere]

I am also having issues with notifications. I am calling for help and finding infos for years. Using own ntfy server, Messages notifications work, but somestimes with a huge delay, at least they work, but calling notification doesnt work at all. Switching to google servers changes this behavior instantly. Faster notification and also call notification works.
I am really sad, just looked a bit through and seems that a lot of people are having this issue.

What do you mean by switching to google servers? I don't exactly follow you on how that lines-up with Element. Which google servers for which services?

shouldnt be so hard to understand? I mean switching to google Push (FCM) I dont think there much other options and you should understand pretty well, what I mean with Google Push Servers Works on Element, Ntfy doesnt work or very unreliable.
I think it should be first priority for a secure and private messenger like element to support ntfy push implemention. I really dont know if the cause is synapse itself or element.
the issues are multiple present. All of them dont realy get answered at all, here are my two issues:
element-hq/synapse#17269 #8761

Google Push isn't a server, it's a service local to your device, which is where the confusion comes from.

In my case I/we have already been using Google Push Services for actual years and still have problems.

And yeah it is unclear if it's a synapse/matrix issue or Element issue, but the silence from github issue lack-of-engagement is deafening. They (Element Devs) used to actually work on notification problems but stopped I think well over a year ago. I have no idea why.

No of course Googles FCM isnt just a local service on your device. Theres a server same like you run your ntfy instance somewhere that Google controlls and has full aware who is in contact with whom when you use it.

Its absolutly important that the problem with own ntfy instances is going to be fixed asap

[warioishere]

i would like everyone to open request and show the importance of this topic to the devs, so maybe they realize. We need a working Push solution beside of googles FCM bullshit

[su-sd]

You are so lucky. I am still waiting for messages to decrypt properly. I don't need notifications, I want to see those messages...
(/discardsession, deleting cache and so on does not work, all sessions are verified)

[BloodyIron]

You are so lucky. I am still waiting for messages to decrypt properly. I don't need notifications, I want to see those messages... (/discardsession, deleting cache and so on does not work, all sessions are verified)

Not trying to say your issue isn't worth getting fixed, but that's tangibly off-topic there bud. I empathise with your situation, but let's not necessarily fight amongst ourselves to achieve goals we generally agree are worthwhile. Yours and the ones we speak of too. ❤️

I think what really irks me the most is the lack of any engagement from devs on the topic of notification fixes. Years ago the devs were very active responding, even if it was things we didn't want to hear. Now? Silence... and that's really not okay, especially for something as core to any chat app as reliable notifications (or lack thereof).

[kroeckx]

I'm using the f-droid version. As far as I know, it does not use the Google Push Services, which meant that element needs to be running to receive notification. Android sometimes stops element from running in the background. I've installed ntfy about a year ago, changed the android settings so ntfy can keep running in the background, and I probably configured element to use it, and think things have worked without issues for me since then.