How to stop missing pull request review requests
Updated
Short answer: Bookmark a GitHub search for open pull requests waiting on you (is:open is:pr user-review-requested:@me), filter your notifications inbox by reason:review-requested, and set up a scheduled reminder that posts your review queue to Slack each morning. Then review at two set times a day, so nobody waits on you for more than half a day.
Why do review requests slip?
A review request arrives the same way as everything else: a GitHub notification next to CI results, comments and mentions, an email that a filter files away, or a bot message in a busy Slack channel. None of them stays in front of you, and the author can’t tell whether you saw it.
See everything waiting on you in one place
- Search pull requests for is:open is:pr user-review-requested:@me to see requests made to you personally; review-requested:@me also includes requests to your teams. Bookmark the result.
- In your notifications inbox, filter by reason:review-requested, and save it as a custom filter so it’s one click away.
- Look at the oldest first: the request that’s waited longest is the one blocking someone.
Get reminded on a schedule
GitHub’s scheduled reminders post the open pull requests waiting on your review to Slack at times you choose, for you personally or for a team, and can also alert you the moment you’re asked to review. An organization owner has to authorize your Slack workspace first. Each reminder covers up to five repositories and shows up to 20 of the oldest pull requests in each, so busy setups need more than one.
Agree on a rhythm with your team
- Aim for a first response within half a working day, even if the full review comes later.
- Review at two set times, such as after standup and after lunch, rather than whenever a notification lands.
- If you can’t get to it, say so and hand it on, so the author isn’t left guessing.
I can’t get to #482 until tomorrow morning. @Sam, could you take a first look?
The same goes for Linear and coding agents
Review requests are one kind of thing someone is blocked on. Linear mentions and issues assigned to you are another, and so is a coding agent like Claude Code or Codex waiting for your approval while you’re in a meeting. They all belong in the same place you look every day.
Questions people ask
How do I see all pull requests waiting for my review on GitHub?
Search pull requests for is:open is:pr user-review-requested:@me, or review-requested:@me to include requests to your teams, and bookmark the search. In notifications, filter by reason:review-requested.
Can GitHub remind me about pending reviews in Slack?
Yes. Scheduled reminders post your review queue to a Slack DM or channel at the times you choose, once an organization owner has authorized the Slack workspace, and can also alert you in real time.
How quickly should I review a pull request?
Many teams aim for a first response within a working day; within half a day keeps the author moving. If you can’t, say when you will, or hand it to someone who can.
Sources
What this guide says about other products and research comes from these sources, checked on the date above.