WhatsApp Notifications Not Working: How To Fix It

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If there’s an issue with your WhatsApp push notifications, the best solution is to restart your phone. You can do this by holding down the power button for roughly 10 secs. In addition to rebooting your phone, you should also make sure to clear the app cache for your WhatsApp.

Have you been missing your WhatsApp notifications or just not getting any at all? Sometimes it can be frustrating waiting to hear that familiar ping letting you know that someone has responded to an important message on WhatsApp, but it doesn’t come. 

If your WhatsApp notifications haven’t been working, read on to learn how to fix your WhatsApp notifications issue on both your Android and iPhone. 

How To Fix WhatsApp Notifications

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps on the market. It boasts close to 2 billion active users and offers a wide range of features. These include media sharing, voice calls, video calls, creating group chats, and more. 

There could be a number of reasons why you’re not receiving WhatsApp notifications when you’ve closed the app. Luckily, all of them are easy to fix.

Restart Your Phone

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. If you notice your WhatsApp notifications are on the fritz, restart your phone

This can help to clear any data in the background and typically can fix any WhatsApp notification issue you may be having. 

Restarting mobile phone

Here’s how to restart your iPhone:

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Check Your Network Connection

If you don’t receive any WhatsApp notifications or receive notifications late or not at all, then the culprit might be a poor network. A poor network connection affects your phone’s background data, which can lead to either late or zero app notifications. 

You can check your network’s strength from the home screen to see if you have full bars. If you have a weak internet connection then connect to a stronger network. 

If you’re using Wi-Fi, restart your router. This is often the solution to Wi-Fi issues. 

Wifi connection indicator

If you’re using data, it might help to turn it off, wait about 30 seconds, then turn it on again to see if that improves your connection.

Check Your Device’s Notification Settings

Sometimes, people turn off their device’s notifications, so they can reply on their own time. If this sounds like you, check your device’s notification settings and see if your WhatsApp notifications are toggled on. 

To do this on your Android device, open Settings > Notifications and check for WhatsApp from the list of apps. 

Accessing device notifications

For iPhone, the process is the same, enter iPhone’s settings > Notifications and check for WhatsApp from the list of apps. 

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Turn On WhatsApp’s Notifications

Besides your device’s notification settings, WhatsApp also has its own settings for notifications within the app. You can use it to set WhatsApp’s notification preferences.  

If you’re not receiving any WhatsApp notifications, check the app’s settings to see if it’s on or not. 

If you have an Android, open WhatsApp, tap the three vertical dots on the top right-hand corner of the screen, then tap Settings > Notifications. There, you will see your notification preferences for WhatsApp and check to see if you’ve made or left WhatsApp notifications silent. 

Accessing whatsapp notification settings

If you have an iPhone, open WhatsApp, tap the gear icon for Settings > Notifications to check and correct anything that’s out of place. 

Here’s a video showing you how to access the settings for notifications in WhatsApp

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Force Stop WhatsApp

If you find that WhatsApp’s notifications are faulty, a possible fix is to force stop the app. This will close the app and stop any background data processes. 

On an Android device, open Settings > Apps > WhatsApp and tap Force stop. Afterward, open the app again and your WhatsApp notifications should be back to normal. 

Force stopping whatsapp

Here’s how to force stop WhatsApp on an iPhone:

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Uninstall And Reinstall WhatsApp 

One of the drawbacks of WhatsApp is that it eats up a lot of your phone’s internal storage. This is because there’s a lot of data being stored, chats, media files, contacts, as well as the fact that WhatsApp stores temporary data that dwarfs a lot of other apps. 

The large space that WhatsApp takes up can cause the app to malfunction, which often results in delayed or no notifications.

Many times, uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp can rectify this.  

Note, it’s important to back up all of your chats before you decide to uninstall WhatsApp. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android device, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and tap “Back Up Now” to back up your WhatsApp chats. 

backing up chats in Whatsapp

Afterward, uninstall WhatsApp and then reinstall it. Once you’ve restored your backup, your notifications should be working as good as new again. 

Turn Airplane Mode On And Off

Airplane Mode disconnects your phone from all wireless networks. This includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular network, and GPS. 

When your phone is on Airplane mode, there’s zero mobile data usage, so you can’t send or receive data, much less any WhatsApp notification

Sometimes turning Airplane Mode on and off can also help to correct any minor issues on your phone, such as not receiving WhatsApp notifications. 

To do this on Android, simply swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the airplane icon. This will turn on Airplane mode, afterward, tap the airplane icon again to turn it off. 

Setting Android phone to Airplane mode

On an iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of your screen and replicate the same process to turn Airplane Mode on and off. 

Setting iPhone to Airplane mode

Log Out Of WhatsApp On Other Devices

If you’re logged into WhatsApp Web or the PC version of WhatsApp, you may be receiving your notifications on those devices rather than your phone. 

If that’s the case, log out of WhatsApp Web or the WhatsApp Desktop app and see check to see if your notifications start to show on your phone again. 

Logging out of whatsapp desktop app

Update WhatsApp

Sometimes the reason for you not receiving any WhatsApp notifications is an outdated WhatsApp app

If this is the case then the solution is to go to the app store on your phone, (Google Play Store for the Android app and App Store for iPhone), search WhatsApp, and select to update the app

Updating the WhatsApp app typically rectifies any issues you may have with delayed or no notifications. 

Check Do Not Disturb

The Do Not Disturb option on your phone stops any notification from coming through no calls, texts, alerts, or app notifications of any kind. 

While it’s great for when you need some “you” time, sometimes it can be accidentally left on

If that’s the case, check the Do Not Disturb feature on your phone to see if it’s on. If you find that it was left on, turn it off, and you should receive WhatsApp notifications like normal. 

Logging out in Whatsapp for pc

Turn Off Power Saving Mode

One of the best features of many smartphones is the power-saving mode. It will restrict background data and many other processes to reduce your phone’s power consumption.

Because of this, you’ll find that you may receive either delayed WhatsApp notifications or none at all. You can fix WhatsApp notifications by turning off power-saving mode. For Android, you can swipe down and tap the power saving mode icon to turn off power-saving mode

Turning on power saving mode in Android

Here’s how to turn off power saving mode on your iPhone:

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FAQs

Why is my WhatsApp not giving me notifications?

There can be a number of reasons why WhatsApp is not giving you notifications. One of the most common is that your Do Not Disturb (DND) was accidentally left on. If that’s the case, turn it off, and you will start receiving WhatsApp notifications.

Why am I not getting WhatsApp notifications when my iPhone is locked?

There are two main reasons why you’re not getting WhatsApp notifications or WhatsApp messages when your iPhone is locked. Either notification settings are not turned on for your phone or for WhatsApp itself. If they are, then the issue might be your network connection or your iPhone’s iOS needs updating.

WhatsApp Notifications Not Working – Wrapping Up

What’d you think of this article?

As you can see, there are a number of reasons for your WhatsApp notifications not working, as well as fixes for those issues. Whether it’s the settings for your notifications, background data restriction, or poor connection, you can fix them with ease and receive any WhatsApp notification

If your WhatsApp notifications weren’t an issue, but you want to know when someone has come online or how to mute on WhatsApp, I’ve got you covered. 

Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments
Also, don’t forget to share this article with anyone who you know may be having WhatsApp notification issues.

About The Author

  • Akshay Thapliyal

    Akshay Thapliyal is the co-founder of TechUntold and mainly looks into strategic planning at TechUntold. He also loves writing articles on apps & problems he faces related to tech. Follow him on Twitter.

Photo of author

Akshay Thapliyal

Akshay Thapliyal is the co-founder of TechUntold and mainly looks into strategic planning at TechUntold. He also loves writing articles on apps & problems he faces related to tech. Follow him on Twitter.

7 thoughts on “WhatsApp Notifications Not Working: How To Fix It”

  1. Hi. I checked everything written. I applied to all but still not receiving whatsapp notifications. What could be the problem. Please help!

    Reply
  2. I have the same issue with my Windows phone running 8.1 , I’m getting WhatsApp messages with a 4 – 5-minute delay. I tried all the troubleshooting and still issue persists

    Reply
  3. Hello
    I used to see the Red circle on whatsapp tap when I receive a msg but since I update my Android….. I no longer can see this red circle….
    I did checked the notification settings in whatsapp…. All works well but the Red circle does not appear.

    How can I make it appear again pls

    Reply

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