Migration Tool

Overview

Watchtower includes a notify-upgrade command to help convert legacy notification configurations to Shoutrrr URLs for use with the NOTIFICATION URL.

The output is written to a temporary file, which you can copy using:

docker cp <CONTAINER>:<FILE_PATH> ./watchtower-notifications.env

SMTP Migration Walkthrough

Example Legacy Configuration:

1. Run the following Docker Compose configuration / Docker CLI command:

   Docker ComposeDocker CLI (Env Vars)Docker CLI (Flags)

   services:
       watchtower:
           image: nickfedor/watchtower:latest
           environment:
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATIONS: email
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER: smtp.example.com
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_PORT: 587
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_USER: [email protected]
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_PASSWORD: secret
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_FROM: [email protected]
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_TO: [email protected]
           volumes:
              - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
   

   docker run -d \
   --name watchtower \
   -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATIONS=email \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER=smtp.example.com \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_PORT=587 \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_USER=[email protected] \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_PASSWORD=secret \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_FROM=[email protected] \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_TO=[email protected] \
   nickfedor/watchtower
   

   docker run -d \
   --name watchtower \
   -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
   nickfedor/watchtower \
   --notifications email \
   --notification-email-server smtp.example.com \
   --notification-email-server-port 587 \
   --notification-email-server-user [email protected] \
   --notification-email-server-password secret \
   --notification-email-from [email protected] \
   --notification-email-to [email protected]
   

2. The following converted Shoutrrr URL should be produced:

   smtp://[email protected]:[email protected]:587/[email protected]&[email protected]&encryption=ExplicitTLS&usestarttls=yes
   

3. Replace the deprecated configuration with the coverted Shoutrrr URL:

   Docker ComposeDocker CLI (Env Vars)Docker CLI (Flags)

   services:
       watchtower:
           image: nickfedor/watchtower:latest
           environment:
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_URL: smtp://[email protected]:[email protected]:587/[email protected]&[email protected]&encryption=ExplicitTLS&usestarttls=yes
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATIONS_DELAY: "10"
               WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_TITLE_TAG: Watchtower
           volumes:
              - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
   

   docker run -d \
   --name watchtower \
   -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_URL=smtp://[email protected]:[email protected]:587/?fromaddress=[email protected]&toaddresses=[email protected]&encryption=ExplicitTLS&usestarttls=yes \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATIONS_DELAY=10 \
   -e WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_TITLE_TAG=Watchtower \
   nickfedor/watchtower
   

   docker run -d \
   --name watchtower \
   -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
   nickfedor/watchtower \
   --notification-url "smtp://[email protected]:[email protected]:587/[email protected]&[email protected]&encryption=ExplicitTLS&usestarttls=yes" \
   --notifications-delay 10 \
   --notification-title-tag Watchtower
   

Note

• Avoid using unrecognized flags like WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_EMAIL_SERVER_SSL, as they are ignored and may cause confusion.
• Use the encryption and usestarttls URL parameters in the smtp:// URL to control TLS behavior rather than deprecated flags.