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How do I fix Android notifications not working?

By the AndroidAnswers Editorial Team · Updated

About 5 minutes · Sound & calls

Illustration of a phone showing a notification bell, with a speech bubble on one side and a check badge on the other

Steps to check

  1. Turn notifications on for the app that should alert you

    Open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications. Find the app and turn its notifications on. If the app lists categories (messages, promotions, and so on), turn on the ones you care about. You can also touch and hold a notification from that app, if you still see one, and turn the app back on from there.

    Samsung Settings → Notifications → App notifications → choose the app → turn on Allow notifications. Also check Notification categories if the app has themPixel Settings → Notifications → App notifications → choose the app → turn notifications on

  2. Turn off Do Not Disturb and bedtime or sleep modes

    Do Not Disturb silences most alerts on purpose, and a nightly schedule can leave it on without you noticing. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Do Not Disturb if the tile is lit. Also check bedtime, sleep, or driving modes, which can quiet alerts the same way. If you like Do Not Disturb, you can keep it and allow calls or messages from your favorites.

    Samsung Quick settings → Do not disturb. Or Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb. Also check Settings → Modes and Routines for Sleep or similar modesPixel Quick Settings → Do Not Disturb. For schedules: Settings → Modes → Do Not Disturb (older versions: Settings → Sound & vibration → Do Not Disturb)

  3. Raise the notification volume and check the sound mode

    Alerts can show on screen but stay silent if the notification volume is down, or if the phone is on Vibrate or Mute. Press a volume button, open the volume menu, and slide Notification volume up. Make sure the phone is set to Ring, not Mute. Then ask someone to message you, or use another of your devices to trigger a test alert.

    Samsung Settings → Sounds and vibration → Volume → raise Notifications. Also choose Sound, not MutePixel Press a volume button → menu → raise Notification volume. Settings → Sound & vibration for the default notification sound

  4. On Samsung, check Mute all sounds and Deep sleeping apps

    Samsung phones have a hearing setting that silences every sound, including notification sounds. They can also put rarely used apps into Deep sleeping, which can stop those apps from alerting you. Turn Mute all sounds off, then look at App notifications for a Deep sleeping label on the app you care about and allow its notifications again if needed.

    Samsung Settings → Accessibility → Hearing enhancements → turn off Mute all sounds. For Deep sleeping: Settings → Notifications → App notifications → check the app list

  5. Check Battery Saver and Adaptive Battery

    Battery Saver and Adaptive Battery can delay or stop some alerts to save power. Google notes this as a common reason alerts do not show when you expect them. Turn Battery Saver off while you test. If only one app is late, open that app's battery settings and allow it to run in the background when the phone offers that choice. Names can differ by phone.

    Samsung Settings → Battery and device care → Battery → turn off Power saving if it is on. For one app: Settings → Apps → the app → BatteryPixel Settings → Battery → Battery Saver. Adaptive Battery is under Settings → Battery → Adaptive preferences on many Pixels

  6. Restart the phone, then recheck after an update

    Restarting clears many leftover glitches. Swipe down, tap the power icon, and choose Restart. On some phones you hold the power button instead. After a big system update, notification menus can move or a temporary bug can quiet the shade. If alerts still never arrive for every app after the steps above, check for a system update, then contact your phone maker or carrier if nothing helps.

Normal vs. not

Usually normal

Silence because Do Not Disturb or a bedtime schedule was on, or one app's notifications were turned off by mistake.

Worth a closer look

No alerts from any app with Do Not Disturb off, notification volume up, and every app permission on, or the notification shade itself will not open or respond.

What people are saying

Common questions

Why do I see the notification but hear no sound?

Raise the notification volume and make sure the phone is not on Mute or Vibrate. On Samsung, also turn off Mute all sounds under Accessibility. Then check that the app's category is set to Alerting, not Silent.

Why do only some apps alert me?

Each app has its own notification switch. Open Settings → Notifications → App notifications and turn on the quiet app. Battery restrictions on that one app can also delay its alerts.

Should I factory reset for missing notifications?

Only as a last resort after the steps above. A factory reset erases the phone, so back up photos and accounts first. Most missing-alert problems are a setting that is quick to change.

Sources we checked

Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.