How to Set Up PR Manager in 5 Minutes

Ready to take control of your Pull Requests? This guide will have you up and running with PR Manager quickly, whether you’re on macOS or Windows.

Step 1: Download PR Manager

Head to our download page and grab the installer for your operating system.

macOS

• Download the .dmg file
• Double-click to mount
• Drag PR Manager to your Applications folder

Apple Silicon and Intel Macs are both supported.

Windows

• Download the .exe installer
• Run the installer
• Follow the installation wizard
• PR Manager will be added to your Start menu

Step 2: Launch and Initial Setup

When you first open PR Manager, you’ll see the welcome screen. Let’s connect your account.

Note: Currently, you can connect either GitHub or GitLab to PR Manager. Multi-provider support (using both simultaneously) is coming in a future release.

Connecting GitHub

1. In PR Manager, go to Settings
2. Click Add Account and choose GitHub
3. A browser window opens for authentication
4. Review the permissions and click Authorize
5. Return to PR Manager - you’re connected!

What permissions does PR Manager need?

PR Manager requests read access to your repositories and PRs. For full functionality (approve, comment, merge), you’ll need to grant write access.

Connecting GitLab

1. In Settings, click Add Account
2. Choose GitLab
3. Enter your GitLab instance URL:
   • For GitLab.com: https://gitlab.com
   • For self-hosted: Your instance URL (e.g., https://gitlab.company.com)
4. Create a Personal Access Token in GitLab:
   • Go to GitLab > Preferences > Access Tokens
   • Name: “PR Manager”
   • Scopes: read_api (add api for write access)
   • Click Create token
   • Copy the token
5. Paste the token in PR Manager
6. Click Connect

Self-hosted GitLab note: Make sure your GitLab instance is accessible from your computer. If it’s behind a VPN, connect to VPN first.

Step 3: Your First View

Now that you’re connected, let’s create your first custom view.

The “Needs My Review” View

This is the most useful view - PRs waiting for your attention:

1. Click the + button in the sidebar
2. Choose the Review requested template
3. Give it a name like “Needs My Review”
4. Click Save

Your new view appears as a tab. Click it to see PRs awaiting your review.

The “My Open PRs” View

Track your own work:

1. Click + again
2. Choose the My PRs template
3. Name it “My Open PRs”
4. Save

Step 4: Configure Notifications

Don’t miss important updates. Let’s set up notifications:

1. Click the gear icon (Settings)

2. Go to Notifications

3. Enable the notifications you want:

   • New PRs - Get notified when new PRs need your attention
   • New comments - Get notified when someone comments on your PRs

4. Configure auto-refresh:

   • Enable background polling to stay updated
   • Set your preferred refresh interval (30 seconds to 10 minutes)

5. Click Save

Step 5: Explore the Interface

You’re set up! Here’s a quick tour:

Sidebar / Tabs

• Your saved views appear as tabs
• Built-in views: Notifications and Pinned
• Click + to create new views

PR Cards

• Each PR shows title, author, status, and CI status
• Hover to see quick actions (Approve, Request Changes, Comment)
• Click to expand details

PR Details

• File changes, additions, and deletions
• Reviewers and their status
• Comments (expandable)
• CI/CD checks (expandable)
• Merge button when ready

Settings

• Account management
• Display preferences (theme, zoom)
• Notification settings
• Follow-up preferences

Optional: Fine-Tuning

Display Preferences

Customize how PR Manager looks and behaves:

1. Settings > Display
2. Options:
   • Show/hide comments by default
   • Show/hide CI checks by default
   • Choose theme (System, Light, Dark)
   • Adjust zoom level (80% - 150%)

Filtering Preferences

1. Settings > Filtering
2. Configure explicit reviewer behavior - show only PRs where you’re directly requested, not just team requests

Troubleshooting Common Issues

”No PRs showing up”

• Check that your token has the correct permissions
• Try clicking Refresh in the app
• Verify your account connection in Settings

”GitHub connection failed”

• Make sure you completed the OAuth flow in your browser
• Check if you have an ad blocker that might interfere
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting

”GitLab token not working”

• Verify the token hasn’t expired
• Confirm scopes include read_api at minimum
• For self-hosted, ensure the URL is correct (include https://)

“Notifications not appearing”

• Check system notification settings for PR Manager
• On macOS: System Settings > Notifications > PR Manager
• On Windows: Settings > System > Notifications > PR Manager
• Ensure Do Not Disturb/Focus mode isn’t blocking them

What’s Next?

You’re all set up! Here are some next steps:

1. Create more views - Set up views for different projects or contexts
2. Pin important PRs - Keep critical PRs visible
3. Follow PRs - Get notified about specific PRs you care about
4. Use quick actions - Approve and comment without opening your browser

Need Help?

If you run into issues, check our blog for more guides and tips.

Welcome to PR Manager! We’re excited to help you manage your PRs more efficiently.

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Ready to explore more features? Learn about custom views or check out our roadmap for multi-provider support.