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[Bug]: Watchtower only logs startup messages, no container check/update summary #1266

Description

@MISIKEX

Bug Report Checklist

  • I checked existing issues and found no duplicates.
  • I have reviewed Watchtower's documentation and confirmed compliance with documented configuration specifications.
  • I have restarted Docker, re-pulled the latest image, and confirmed that the issue persists.

Bug Description

I am seeing a confusing logging behavior with Watchtower 1.14.0.

Watchtower starts correctly and logs only the following messages:
Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51
Using no notifications
Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:13:16 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds

No log lines are printed about:

  • checking containers
  • number of containers checked
  • number of containers updated

Expected behavior

I would expect Watchtower to log a message indicating that a container check was performed, e.g.:

  • “Checking X containers”
  • “Updated Y containers”
  • or at least “0 containers checked”

Steps to Reproduce

.

Expected Behavior

.

Watchtower Version

latest

Docker Version

Docker 29.2.0

Docker Info

Watchtower Configuration

services:
watchtower:
container_name: watchtower
image: nickfedor/watchtower:latest
restart: unless-stopped
networks:
matrix:
ipv4_address: 192.168.10.3
ipv6_address: fd94:484b:1133::10:3
environment:
TZ: "Europe/Budapest"
WATCHTOWER_CLEANUP: "true"
WATCHTOWER_INCLUDE_STOPPED: "true"
WATCHTOWER_REVIVE_STOPPED: "false"
WATCHTOWER_REMOVE_VOLUMES: "true"
WATCHTOWER_POLL_INTERVAL: "43200"
WATCHTOWER_NOTIFICATION_SPLIT_BY_CONTAINER: "true"
volumes:
- /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
- /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro

networks:
matrix:
external: true

Debug Logs

[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.573959294Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.574034423Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.574043519Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:13:16 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888639036Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888659107Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888661146Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:13:44 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159822569Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159919358Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159924613Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:49:34 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142221935Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142325385Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142330936Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 22:16:57 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879385729Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879441037Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879452399Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 22:54:20 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.573959294Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.574034423Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:16.574043519Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:16+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:13:16 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888639036Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888659107Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:13:44.888661146Z time="2026-02-01T08:13:44+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:13:44 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159822569Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159919358Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T07:49:34.159924613Z time="2026-02-01T08:49:34+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 20:49:34 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142221935Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142325385Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:16:57.142330936Z time="2026-02-01T10:16:57+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 22:16:57 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879385729Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Watchtower 1.14.0 using Docker API v1.51"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879441037Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Using no notifications"
[watchtower] 2026-02-01T09:54:20.879452399Z time="2026-02-01T10:54:20+01:00" level=info msg="Next scheduled run: 2026-02-01 22:54:20 CET in 11 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds"

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