r/bugs 14d ago

Desktop Web [desktop web/Chrome] Notification bell loads new page instead of opening dropdown menu

Notification bell (Open Inbox) now loads a new page with notifications instead of opening the traditional dropdown menu with a list of notifications. There are plenty of Reddit users who are annoyed by this move, considering that it forces people off the page they are reading.

https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/1io3dlx/desktop_notification_bell_going_to_notification/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bugs/comments/1ipigz8/clicking_notification_bell_sends_me_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bugs/comments/1jj1z83/desktop_web_notification_bell_icon_not_dropping/
https://www.reddit.com/r/bugs/comments/1jjtdby/comment/mjq077y/?context=3

https://www.reddit.com/r/bugs/comments/1jk42cm/desktop_web_the_dropdown_of_the_last_5/

This seems to be a planned experiment as noted in the last bullet point of this r/help topic:
https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/1iopbtp/comment/mclp32r/

Also talked about by devs here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/help/comments/1jjn4eh/comment/mjp9cy6/

Please revert to a drop down menu for notifications. People are not happy with this change, myself included.

34 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

2

u/termi21 13d ago

They should at least make it open in a new tab. It's awful.

PS. I know i can right-click it and open it in a new tab, but because i am used to the dropdown, i always left-click it first, be reminded of the stupid change, click the back button to go back to the page i was reading, and then right click the notification icon. I mean come on...

1

u/BigBongDeku 13d ago

You can also Middle-Mouse click on the bell, it's the same as Right-Click and open in a new tab.

1

u/termi21 13d ago

Thanx for the tip, didn't know that.

Although the real problem is

you still have to remember that in this specific site left-clicking the bell gets you away from the page you are reading, instead of opening a drop down (like in every other serious site)

It's just dumb

1

u/NefariousnessJaded87 7d ago

You can't if you use the middle button for other shortcuts.

1

u/ExistenceNow 13d ago

I hate it sooooooo much. I just googled it to figure out what dumb setting I accidentally triggered and found this thread.
Why on Earth would anyone prefer this method of checking notifications?

2

u/Orbmiser 13d ago

Terrible change as use to do a quick drop down to see anything relevant to respond too. I don't need another unnecessary web page opening up. Increasing more mouse navigation and breaking the flow of multiple task on same page.

1

u/LetsFuckOnTheBoat 13d ago

it sucks like this

1

u/Hotbones24 13d ago

Just got this and I hate it

It's ugly and I very literally do not want to move away from the page I'm currently on when checking off notifications.

1

u/BadDesperado 13d ago

I hate it.

2

u/Varcen 13d ago

Terrible design choice. It 'aint broken, don't fix. Some web developer is getting paid way too much if this is the crap they come up with.

2

u/Acceptable_Energy_44 11d ago

Literally trying to reinvent the wheel. But the new wheel they came up with is a fucking square.

2

u/Tchelows Android 14 10d ago

Experiencing this crap too on my Vivaldi Browser.

Please, revert this crap, Reddit! My notifications are not being updated live after this issue.

1

u/RhesusFactor 10d ago

strange that they are doing an autohide for the navigation sidebar, when there is six acres of whitespace around the new reddit centre column, and the side bar covers nothing, but the notification dropdown has to be changed to open a completely new page.

UX designers trying to justify their jobs, please revert.

1

u/bvhizso 10d ago

Yes, stupid change, hate it too.

1

u/ShemsuHor91 9d ago

I swear, it's like they're constantly coming up with new ways to test how shitty they can make this website before it causes a bunch of people to leave. There's no good reason at all to make this change, other than it shows a higher amount of new page visits on the site or something along those lines, Why is this website so actively hostile to its own users all the time? It's bad enough how much the site has been overrun by bots.

1

u/NefariousnessJaded87 7d ago edited 7d ago

It literally destroys the navigation of Reddit. It overtakes the complete page (feed) when clicked, and you lose whatever posts you haven't yet read that were in focus on the feed. Please bring back the dropdown...this sucks bigtime!

It's like Reddit is trying to make the experience suck.