diff --git a/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.spec.ts b/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.spec.ts
index b0e6b5ab24..ba61eb4843 100644
--- a/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.spec.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import {
   VectorClockComparison,
   compareVectorClocks,
   hasVectorClockChanges,
+  vectorClockPruned$,
 } from './vector-clock';
 import { MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE } from '../../op-log/core/operation-log.const';
+import { OpLog } from '../log';
 
 describe('vector-clock', () => {
   describe('limitVectorClockSize', () => {
@@ -66,6 +68,56 @@ describe('vector-clock', () => {
 
       expect(Object.keys(result).length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE);
     });
+
+    it('should emit on vectorClockPruned$ when pruning occurs (drives the user notice)', () => {
+      const events: { originalSize: number; maxSize: number }[] = [];
+      const sub = vectorClockPruned$.subscribe((e) => events.push(e));
+
+      const clock: Record<string, number> = { current: 500 };
+      const overflow = MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE + 3;
+      for (let i = 0; i < overflow; i++) {
+        clock[`client_${i}`] = 100 + i;
+      }
+      limitVectorClockSize(clock, 'current');
+      sub.unsubscribe();
+
+      expect(events.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(events[0].originalSize).toBe(overflow + 1); // + current
+      expect(events[0].maxSize).toBe(MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE);
+    });
+
+    it('should NOT emit on vectorClockPruned$ when within the limit', () => {
+      const events: unknown[] = [];
+      const sub = vectorClockPruned$.subscribe((e) => events.push(e));
+      limitVectorClockSize({ a: 1, b: 2 }, 'a');
+      sub.unsubscribe();
+      expect(events.length).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    it('should log pruned + surviving client IDs at WARN level for bug-report diagnostics', () => {
+      const warnSpy = spyOn(OpLog, 'warn');
+
+      const clock: Record<string, number> = {
+        current: 500,
+        staleLow: 1, // lowest counter → gets pruned
+      };
+      for (let i = 0; i < MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE; i++) {
+        clock[`client_${i}`] = 100 + i;
+      }
+
+      limitVectorClockSize(clock, 'current');
+
+      expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const payload = warnSpy.calls.mostRecent().args[1] as {
+        prunedIds: string[];
+        survivingIds: string[];
+        prunedCount: number;
+      };
+      expect(payload.prunedIds).toContain('staleLow');
+      expect(payload.survivingIds).toContain('current');
+      expect(payload.prunedCount).toBe(payload.prunedIds.length);
+      expect(payload.survivingIds.length).toBe(MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('compareVectorClocks', () => {
diff --git a/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.ts b/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.ts
index 75c7097080..1704b3b754 100644
--- a/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.ts
+++ b/src/app/core/util/vector-clock.ts
@@ -307,11 +307,21 @@ export const limitVectorClockSize = (
     return clock;
   }
 
-  OpLog.info('Vector clock pruning triggered', {
+  const limited = sharedLimitVectorClockSize(clock, [currentClientId]);
+  const prunedIds = Object.keys(clock).filter((id) => !(id in limited));
+
+  // WARN (not info): pruning is meant to be rare, so when it fires it is worth
+  // surfacing in the exported log history users share in bug reports (see issue
+  // #8696). clientIds are safe to log — they are not user content — and knowing
+  // which identities keep churning is the key diagnostic for stale-device
+  // accumulation.
+  OpLog.warn('Vector clock pruning triggered', {
     originalSize: entries.length,
     maxSize: MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE,
     currentClientId,
-    pruned: entries.length - MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE,
+    prunedCount: prunedIds.length,
+    prunedIds,
+    survivingIds: Object.keys(limited),
   });
 
   vectorClockPruned$.next({
@@ -319,5 +329,5 @@ export const limitVectorClockSize = (
     maxSize: MAX_VECTOR_CLOCK_SIZE,
   });
 
-  return sharedLimitVectorClockSize(clock, [currentClientId]);
+  return limited;
 };
diff --git a/src/app/imex/sync/sync.effects.ts b/src/app/imex/sync/sync.effects.ts
index 62dc1983b8..81b3801555 100644
--- a/src/app/imex/sync/sync.effects.ts
+++ b/src/app/imex/sync/sync.effects.ts
@@ -100,15 +100,24 @@ export class SyncEffects {
   vectorClockPruningNotification$ = createEffect(
     () =>
       vectorClockPruned$.pipe(
+        // Pruning fires on essentially every download-merge once a user has
+        // accumulated >20 client IDs (see #8696). Show a calm breadcrumb at
+        // most once per app session — enough to recognise it is happening,
+        // without nagging. The durable record lives in the (WARN-level) log.
+        take(1),
         tap(({ originalSize, maxSize }) => {
           this._snackService.open({
             msg: T.F.SYNC.S.VECTOR_CLOCK_LIMIT_REACHED,
-            type: 'WARNING',
+            // CUSTOM (not WARNING): this is a benign, self-healing cleanup, not
+            // an alert the user must act on. Neutral icon, auto-dismiss — but a
+            // touch longer than the 3s default so the sentence is readable.
+            type: 'CUSTOM',
+            ico: 'sync',
             translateParams: {
               originalSize,
               maxSize,
             },
-            config: { duration: 0 },
+            config: { duration: 5000 },
           });
         }),
       ),
diff --git a/src/assets/i18n/en.json b/src/assets/i18n/en.json
index 494ea64b6d..d2c211cd3c 100644
--- a/src/assets/i18n/en.json
+++ b/src/assets/i18n/en.json
@@ -1579,7 +1579,7 @@
         "UNKNOWN_ERROR": "Unknown Sync Error: {{err}}",
         "UPLOAD_ERROR": "Unknown Upload Error (Settings correct?): {{err}}",
         "UPLOAD_OPS_REJECTED": "{{count}} operation(s) were permanently rejected by the server and won't be synced.",
-        "VECTOR_CLOCK_LIMIT_REACHED": "Sync has tracked {{originalSize}} devices/browsers, exceeding the limit of {{maxSize}}. Inactive device entries were pruned. Consider a sync reset if you experience issues.",
+        "VECTOR_CLOCK_LIMIT_REACHED": "Sync tidied up old device entries ({{originalSize}} → {{maxSize}}). This is normal — no action needed.",
         "VERSION_TOO_OLD": "Your app version is too old for the synced data. Please update!",
         "VERSION_UNSUPPORTED": "Cannot sync: data requires a newer app version. Please update.",
         "WEB_CRYPTO_NOT_AVAILABLE": "Encryption is not available on this device. On Android, encryption requires a secure context (HTTPS) which is not available. Please disable encryption in sync settings or sync from a desktop web browser."