Starred and Watched Repositories

Starred Repositories lists the repositories you have starred on GitHub, most recently starred first. Watched Repositories lists the ones you watch. Open either from its entry near the top of the repository list, or from View → View Mode → Starred Repositories or Watched Repositories.

GitHub watches your own repositories for you automatically, so they appear in Watched Repositories as well as other people’s.

Each row shows the repository’s name, description, main language, stars, and when it was last pushed to. A repository that is archived, a fork or private says so at the start of its description. The details panel adds its address, forks and open issues. View → Columns can also show the owner.

Watch settings

Actions → Watch Settings… (Ctrl+Shift+U) sets how GitHub notifies you about a repository: Participating and @mentions (only what you take part in, GitHub’s default), All Activity (watching: every issue, pull request, release and discussion), or Ignore (nothing, not even mentions). The current setting is selected when the list opens.

It acts on the repository in front of you, the same one New Issue uses: the open repository, the one selected in the repository list when that has focus, or the selected row’s repository in Notifications, My Work, Activity, search results, Starred, Watched or Favorites. GitHub’s Custom setting, to be told about only some kinds of activity, isn’t available to programs, so for that use the repository’s Watch button on github.com.

The first time, it will most likely tell you it needs gh’s “notifications” permission; see Permissions gh does not ask for.

These lists keep other people’s repositories out of the main repository list, which stays short: just your own and the ones you opened by address. To keep a starred repository one keystroke away, favorite it with F, or open it by address with Ctrl+Shift+O to pin it in the repository list.