I’m using Nextcloud AIO v10.11.0 and I have enabled the notification for the following event:
A file or folder shared by mail or by public link was downloaded
This notification is enabled for both Push and Email.
Push notifications work perfectly and arrive instantly, which I have confirmed through testing.
However, based on my own testing and observation, I’ve noticed the following behavior for email notifications:
Even though Mmail notifications are enabled, the email does not arrive immediately after the file is downloaded. Instead, it is included later as part of a summary email, which is sent according to the following setting:
The email notification for this event does not trigger an immediate email, but simply includes the event in the periodic summary email.
So my question is:
Is this the expected behavior? Or is it a bug – because I would expect that an email notification for this kind of event should be sent immediately, not delayed as part of a summary?
I’ve seen this topic mentioned in several threads already, but I haven’t come across any clear or final explanation.
The option you’re looking at “Send email reminders about unhandled notifications” is intended for handling notifications that haven’t been seen (i.e. for users that never use the web interface).
Scroll to the very bottom and use the “Send activity emails” option. I believe that’s the one you’re looking for, for the situation you’re in.
How Email Notifications Work in Nextcloud (e.g., when a shared file is downloaded)
This guide explains how Nextcloud’s email notification system works for user activities.
As an example, we’ll use the activity:
A file or folder shared by mail or by public link was downloaded
This means someone downloaded a file that you shared with them using a public link.
Based on this example, you’ll learn how to configure email notifications – whether you want a summary (e.g., hourly) or an immediate alert as soon as the activity occurs.
Step 1: Open Your Personal Notification Settings
Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Choose Personal settings.
In the left sidebar, go to Notifications.
Step 2: Select the Activities You Want to Be Notified About
Scroll down to the Activity section and find the line:
A file or folder shared by mail or by public link was downloaded
This tells Nextcloud: “I want to receive an email when this activity happens.”
Step 3: Choose How Often You Want Emails to Be Sent
Below the list of activities, you’ll find the option:
Send activity emails
Here you can choose:
“1 hour”, “daily”, etc.
→ You’ll receive a summary email with grouped activities at the chosen interval.
“As soon as possible”
→ Nextcloud will send you an email immediately after the activity occurs. This is the recommended setting if you want real-time notifications.
This option does NOT send activity notifications.
It only sends reminders if you haven’t read your notifications via the web interface (e.g., the bell icon).
It’s meant for users who rarely log into the web UI and might miss notifications.
Technical Notes:
Make sure your server is running cron (or systemd-based background jobs) correctly.
The Activity app must be installed and enabled (it usually is by default).
Emails are only sent after the cron job processes the activity.
Recommended Testing:
Share a test file using a public link.
Open the link in another browser or private window and download the file.
Check your inbox – you should receive an email shortly after (usually within a minute or two, depending on cron).
How Email Notifications Work in Nextcloud (e.g., when a shared file is downloaded)
Step 1: Open Your Personal Notification Settings
IMPORTANT: Difference Between “Send activity emails” and “Send email reminders about unhandled notifications”
Technical Notes:
Recommended Testing: