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mikaelbr merged 1 commit into from
Oct 9, 2026
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docs: adds troubleshooting for cron, PM2 and services #471

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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions CHANGELOG.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Features:
Fixes:

- Windows: `WindowsToaster` now accepts `remove` without a `message`, the same as `close` ([#431](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/431)).
- Docs: adds README troubleshooting for cron, PM2 and services ([#226](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/226), [#333](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/333)).
- Windows: updates the bundled 64-bit SnoreToast to 0.9.1, so clicks and action buttons are reported back when using a custom `appID` ([#326](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/326), [#332](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/332), [#375](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/pull/375)). The binary is KDE's own build of the official release. The 32-bit binary stays on 0.7.0, as KDE publishes no 32-bit build. Note that the new binary is not code-signed.
- Windows: fixes `notify` throwing in `cluster` worker processes ([#410](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/410)).

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16 changes: 16 additions & 0 deletions README.md
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Expand Up @@ -506,6 +506,22 @@ point `customPath` to it.
See [Issue #71 for more info](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/71)
<https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/71>.

### Notifications from cron, PM2 or services

Notifications are shown on the desktop of the logged-in user, so the process must run as that same user, while they are logged in.

**Linux:** cron and some process managers start without the user's session environment, so `notify-send` can't reach the session bus. Set `XDG_RUNTIME_DIR`, and `DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS` if that isn't enough. On a standard systemd user session they are:

```sh
* * * * * XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u) DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$(id -u)/bus node /path/to/app.js
```

With PM2, start it as the desktop user (not root), or set the same variables in its environment.

**Windows:** services running as `SYSTEM` can't show notifications on the user's desktop. Set the service (or PM2) to log on as the logged-in user's account.

See [#226](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/226) and [#333](https://github.com/mikaelbr/node-notifier/issues/333).

### Within Electron Packaging

If packaging your Electron app as an `asar`, you will find `node-notifier` will fail to load.
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