Why am I not getting notifications even though they are turned on Android?

Check Notification Settings

The first step is to check your overall notification settings to confirm notifications are enabled for the app not sending notifications. Here are the steps to check your notification settings on Android:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Apps & notifications and then Notifications.
3. Under “Recently Sent,” tap the app that is not sending notifications.
4. Tap Notification settings for the app.
5. Make sure Show Notifications is toggled on.

As per the Google Android support page, toggling Show Notifications on will allow notifications from that app. If it is already on but you aren’t getting notifications, continue troubleshooting with the steps below.

Check Do Not Disturb Settings

One common reason you may not be getting notifications on your Android device is if Do Not Disturb mode is enabled. According to Google Support (source):

• Open your phone’s Settings app
• Tap Sound and then Do Not Disturb preferences
• Confirm Block visual disturbances is disabled

Do Not Disturb mode blocks notifications, alerts and other visual/audio disturbances when enabled. Check that Do Not Disturb is disabled or that notifications are allowed under exceptions to ensure your apps can send notifications.

Even when Do Not Disturb is off entirely, some Android skins like Samsung (source) have additional options to block notifications that may need to be checked.

Check App Notification Settings

Some individual apps may have their notifications turned off even though general notification settings are enabled. To check, open the Settings for the app you are having notifications issues with.

According to Google’s documentation, you should “tap Apps & notifications and then Notifications. Under “Recently Sent,” tap an app. Tap a type of notification. Choose your settings.”

Look for any toggle switches, sliders, or buttons related to “Enable Notifications”, “Allow Notifications”, or similar within that app’s settings. Try toggling them on/off to re-enable notifications for that app if they were somehow disabled. Some apps may also have a “Mute notifications” setting or slider that you can check.

The settings and parameters of notification controls can vary from app to app. So be sure to check through the individual app’s Settings screen thoroughly for any notification options.

Update the App

If you are still having issues with notifications after checking your phone and app settings, then updating the app itself may fix the problem. Apps are continually updated with bug fixes and performance improvements that can resolve notification issues.

Open the Play Store app on your Android device and go to the app that is having notification problems. Check if there is an update available. Tap “Update” to download and install the latest version.

According to Android Police, outdated app versions commonly cause notification problems on Android phones. After updating your app, check if notifications are now working properly.

If the app does not have any available updates, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling the latest version. This may clear out any corrupt files that are preventing notifications.

Restart Your Phone

One of the simplest troubleshooting steps to try if notifications are not appearing on your Android device is to restart your phone.

Rebooting your device will reset the Android operating system which can resolve temporary errors in the software that could be preventing notifications from being sent or received correctly.

As recommended in this article, “Rebooting your phone gives it a fresh start, clearing any software bugs that may be occurring.”

To restart your Android phone:

1. Hold down the power button on the side of your device until you see a “Power off” prompt.
2. Tap “Power off” and wait for your phone to fully shut down.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again to turn your phone back on.

Once your phone has fully restarted, check if your notifications are now appearing properly.

Restarting helps reset any temporary glitches in the notification system and in many cases can resolve any issues that were preventing notifications from showing up on your Android OS.

Check Notification History

One way to diagnose notification issues is to check your notification history. According to ZDNet, all Android devices running Android 8.0 or higher have a notification history that shows notifications you’ve recently received, even if they didn’t show up on your screen. Here’s how to access it:

Pull down your notification shade once and then scroll all the way to the bottom. You should see a “History” button. Tap it to view your recent notifications.

Check if recent notifications are showing up in your history. If you see notifications listed there, it means your device is receiving them properly but they may not be displaying on your screen for some reason.

Potential reasons they aren’t showing could include having Do Not Disturb mode enabled, notifications disabled for that specific app, or a full notification tray. Checking notification history can help diagnose where in the process notifications are getting lost.

Clear App Cache/Data

Clearing the cache and app data for apps causing notification issues can help resolve the problem. Over time, cache files and data can become corrupted or too large, which can prevent apps from running properly or sending notifications.

To clear app cache and data on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications
2. Tap on the problematic app
3. Tap Storage & Cache > Clear Cache and/or Clear Storage

After clearing the cache/data, you may need to restart your Android device and check if notifications are now working properly. Clearing app data will revert app settings, so you may need to reconfigure notification settings for that app.

As noted in this Reddit thread, clearing Google Play Services data can sometimes cause issues with push notifications, so avoid clearing data for system apps if possible.

Check for Software Updates

Your Android device relies on having the latest software and security updates installed in order to function properly. Over time, Google issues updates to fix bugs, close security vulnerabilities, and add new features.

If you are not receiving notifications, your device may need an OS or security update that addresses the issue. You can check to see if an update is available by going to Settings > Software Updates. If an update is available, tap “Download and install” to update your phone. If not, you can also try contacting your device manufacturer to see if they have a pending software update that fixes notification issues.

Updating your phone’s software to the current version is often the easiest way to fix notification problems. Once you have downloaded and installed any available updates, check your notification settings again to see if the problem is resolved.

Factory Reset as a Last Resort

If none of the other troubleshooting steps have resolved the notification issue, a factory reset can be performed on your Android device to completely wipe the data and restore it back to factory default settings. A factory reset should only be done as an absolute last resort if the notification problem persists and all other options have failed.

To perform a factory reset:

1. Back up any critical data first to secure it. A factory reset will completely wipe all data on your device.
2. Open your device’s Settings app.
3. Tap on System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset)
4. Tap Reset device/phone.
5. Confirm the reset when prompted.
6. Your device will restart and wipe itself back to factory default settings, clearing any issues that were preventing proper notifications.

Be aware that you will need to reconfigure various settings after the reset, as well as restore your data from backups if desired. Notifications and all apps should start working normally after the reset, though.

Contact Your Manufacturer

If you have tried all other troubleshooting steps and are still not receiving notifications on your Android device, contacting your device manufacturer may be the next best step. The manufacturer’s support team may be able to provide customized troubleshooting or identify if there is an issue with your specific device model.

To contact your device manufacturer:

• Locate the customer service contact information for your device brand. This is often available on the manufacturer’s website.
• Call or email the manufacturer’s support team and explain that you are not receiving notifications on your Android device.
• Be prepared to provide details about your device model, Android version, apps you are having notification issues with, and the troubleshooting steps you have already tried.
• The manufacturer’s support team can walk through additional device-specific troubleshooting, or diagnose if your device has a hardware or software defect causing the notifications issue.
• If there is a device defect, they may offer solutions like a system update, factory reset, or device replacement under warranty.

Getting assistance directly from the company that made your Android device is the best way to resolve persistent notification problems. They have specialized knowledge to pinpoint and fix issues specific to your phone or tablet model.