Android notifications not showing? 8 settings to check

2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Android can silence an app in several places at once: the app's own switch, single categories inside the app, a mode such as Do Not Disturb, and the battery optimisation that puts apps to sleep. Work through them in this order.

Menu names below are from Google Pixel phones on a recent Android version. Samsung, Xiaomi and other brands rename some of them. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the screen, not screenshots.

Step by step

1. Switch the app's notifications on

   Open Settings, Notifications, App notifications. Tap the app and switch on All notifications.

   Done

2. Check the categories

   On the same screen, most apps list categories, for example Messages, Groups or Promotions. A category that is switched off stays silent even when the app as a whole is allowed.

   Done

3. Look in the notification history

   Open Settings, Notifications, Notification history and switch it on. It lists recently dismissed and snoozed notifications, so you can see whether a notification arrived and was swiped away or silenced.

   Done

4. Switch off Do Not Disturb

   Swipe down from the top and check the Do Not Disturb or Modes tile. A schedule, such as Bedtime, may switch it on every evening. See how to turn on Do Not Disturb on Android.

   Done

5. Switch off Battery Saver

   Battery Saver limits background activity, and notifications arrive late or only when you open the app. Turn it off under Settings, Battery.

   Done

6. Allow the app to run in the background

   Open Settings, Apps, choose the app and tap App battery usage. Allow background usage, or choose Unrestricted. Samsung, Xiaomi and others have their own lists of sleeping apps in the battery settings. Remove the app from them.

   Done

7. Check the notification settings inside the app

   Many apps, such as WhatsApp or Gmail, have their own notification switches in the app's settings, per chat or per account. A muted chat stays silent whatever the system settings say.

   Done

8. Update and restart

   Update the app in the Play Store, install system updates (how to check your Android version and update your phone) and restart the phone.

   Done

Good to know

Notifications that appear without sound are set to Silent. Touch and hold the notification and choose Default.

To show notifications on the lock screen, open Settings, Notifications and look under Notifications on lock screen.

If calls do not ring: Android phone not ringing: 8 settings to check. The opposite problem: how to turn off notifications from an app on Android.

In short: App notifications on, categories, notification history, Do Not Disturb, Battery Saver, background usage, in-app settings, update and restart.