Notifications are an important way for apps and services to send you timely updates and reminders. However, sometimes you may find that you have notifications turned on but aren’t actually receiving them. There are a few potential reasons why this might happen.
Check Your Notification Settings
The first thing to check is whether notifications are truly enabled for the app in question. Open the Settings app on your device and go to Notifications. Look for the app and make sure that notifications are toggled on and not set to off.
Additionally, check if the notification settings for the app are customized. For example, you may have disabled certain types of notifications like sounds and badges. Enabling all notification options can help ensure you don’t miss anything.
App Permissions
Notifications require certain permissions to work properly. Make sure the app has been granted notification access in your device settings.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > (app name) and check if notifications are enabled.
On Android, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > App Permissions > (app name) and confirm notification access is turned on.
Granting notification access allows apps to send notifications through the proper channels. Revoking access could prevent notifications from coming through.
Do Not Disturb Is On
If your device is set to Do Not Disturb mode, you will not receive notifications until the mode is disabled. Check to see if Do Not Disturb is currently on by swiping down from the top of your screen on iPhone or going to Quick Settings on Android.
Make sure that Do Not Disturb is not scheduled during time periods when you expect notifications. You can customize Do Not Disturb settings to allow notifications from certain apps or contacts too.
Outdated App Version
Using an outdated version of an app can also cause issues with notifications. Developers frequently update apps to fix bugs and improve performance.
Make sure you are running the latest version of the app in question by checking your device’s app store. Update the app if a newer version is available.
App Notifications Disabled on Server
For apps that connect to a server or online service, notification settings may need to be enabled both on your device and in your account.
Log into the service through a web browser and check your notification settings there. Enable notifications if they are currently turned off.
Notification Center Is Full
iOS and Android have limits on how many notifications can be stored in the notification center at one time. If the limit is reached, new notifications will not show up until older ones are cleared.
Try opening the notification center and swiping away some old notifications. This should allow new ones to come through again.
Out of Storage Space
If your device is critically low on storage space, it may prevent new notifications from coming through. This is because there is no room to store notification data.
Check your storage settings and clear space by removing unneeded apps and files. Make sure to have at least 500MB of free space. Restarting your device can also help.
Incorrect Date and Time
An incorrect date and time setting on your device can interfere with proper notification delivery. Notifications rely on accurate time to know when they should be shown.
Go into your device’s Date & Time settings and make sure the time zone is set correctly and the date/time are proper. Correct any errors.
Connectivity Issues
Of course, if your device lacks an internet connection or is in a poor coverage area, this can prevent apps and services from being able to send notifications.
Make sure your WiFi is enabled or toggle Airplane mode off. Move to an area with better cell service if possible. Confirm that notifications start coming through when connectivity improves.
Restart Your Device
As a blanket troubleshooting step, try restarting your iPhone, Android, or other device entirely. This resets many components and fixes temporary glitches that could be preventing delivery of notifications.
Power your device off completely, wait a minute, and then power it back on. See if notifications now come through when turned back on.
Update Your Operating System
Having an outdated operating system can introduce compatibility issues and bugs that affect notifications. Ensure your device’s OS is upgraded to the latest version.
On an iPhone, update to the newest version of iOS in the Settings app. For Android, check for OS updates in the Settings menu. Perform a full system update if one is available.
Factory Reset as Last Resort
If no other troubleshooting steps have worked, performing a factory reset can wipe your device back to a clean state which may resolve persistent notification issues.
Back up important data first, then reset your device to factory settings. Set up your device again and check if notifications are now working properly.
Contact Developer Support
For issues affecting notifications from a particular app, you may need to reach out to the developer for troubleshooting assistance.
Find support contact information in the app or on the developer’s website. Reach out to their support team with details about the notification problem you are experiencing.
Conclusion
There are many potential reasons why notifications may not be coming through even when turned on. Following the troubleshooting steps outlined above can typically resolve notification issues:
- Check notification settings
- Verify app permissions
- Disable Do Not Disturb
- Update the app
- Enable notifications online
- Clear notification center
- Free up storage space
- Set proper date and time
- Fix connectivity issues
- Restart your device
- Update operating system
- Factory reset if all else fails
- Contact developer support
With some dedicated troubleshooting, you should be able to get notifications working again so you don’t miss important alerts and updates.