WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features that makes WhatsApp so useful is the ability to receive notifications when you get a new message. However, sometimes WhatsApp notifications can stop working properly, leaving you wondering why you aren’t getting notified of new messages.
Quick Fixes
Before diving into more complex troubleshooting, try these quick fixes that could get your WhatsApp notifications working again:
- Restart your phone – Simply turning your phone off and back on can sometimes fix notification issues.
- Update WhatsApp – Make sure you’re running the latest version of WhatsApp, as updates often include bug fixes.
- Check Do Not Disturb settings – Make sure WhatsApp notifications aren’t silenced in your Do Not Disturb settings.
- Verify notifications are enabled – Open WhatsApp settings and confirm notifications are enabled.
- Check OS notification settings – Make sure all OS-level notification settings for WhatsApp are enabled.
Notification Channels on Android
If you’re using an Android phone, one common cause of WhatsApp notification issues is having a notification channel disabled. Here’s what you need to know about managing notification channels:
- Starting in Android 8 (Oreo), notification channels categorize notifications.
- Each app can have multiple notification channels for different purposes.
- You can control notification settings for each channel individually.
- WhatsApp has 3 channels – Messages, Group Notifications, Calls.
- Check Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications to verify these channels are enabled with proper settings.
Common Notification Problems
Below are some of the most common specific issues that can prevent WhatsApp notifications from coming through properly:
Muted Chat Threads
If you’ve muted specific chats or groups, you won’t get notifications from those chats. Go through your chats and make sure you haven’t muted threads you want to get notifications from.
Do Not Disturb Enabled
If Do Not Disturb is enabled on your phone during certain times, you will not get WhatsApp notifications during those times. Make sure Do Not Disturb is not inadvertently silencing your notifications.
Outdated Software Version
Using an outdated version of WhatsApp can cause notification bugs. Ensure you update to the latest WhatsApp version which may contain notification fixes.
Full Storage
If your phone storage is completely full, some apps may not be able to provide proper notifications. Try freeing up storage space on your phone.
Disabled Auto-Start
If you have disabled auto-start for WhatsApp, the app can’t run in the background to generate notifications. Make sure auto-start is enabled.
Restricted Battery Optimization
Aggressive battery optimization settings can stop apps from working properly in the background. Make sure WhatsApp is not heavily restricted by battery optimization.
Disabled Show Previews
If “Show Previews” is disabled in WhatsApp notification settings, you may only get a generic notification sound without a preview of the message content.
Web/PC Notifications
If you aren’t getting notifications through WhatsApp’s web/desktop app, here are some things to check:
- Verify browser supports notifications – Chrome, Firefox, Safari allow notifications but Internet Explorer does not.
- Confirm web notifications are allowed – Check browser notification settings to make sure WhatsApp web notifications are enabled.
- Notification bells must be enabled in WhatsApp web settings.
- Your phone must be connected to the internet to get web notifications.
- Restart browser/clear cache if issues persist.
Third-Party Notification Apps
Some Android devices have third party apps pre-installed that take over notification services. Examples include Security apps, Task killers, Battery savers, etc. If you have any of these apps, try disabling them and see if WhatsApp notifications start working normally.
Phone Manufacturer Specific Steps
Some phone manufacturers like Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung etc. have their own battery optimization and notification settings which could interfere with WhatsApp notifications. You may need to dig through your device’s specific settings options to disable any features that may be blocking notifications.
Network Issues
In some cases, being on an unstable network connection can cause delayed or missed notifications for apps like WhatsApp. Try switching to a more stable WiFi or cellular data connection to see if it resolves any notification delays.
Re-Register Phone Number
As a last resort, you can try unregistering and re-registering your phone number with WhatsApp. This will reset all your notification settings and can potentially fix any erroneous settings that may be preventing notifications.
Factory Reset
If all else fails, doing a factory reset of your phone will wipe out any problematic settings that could be causing issues with WhatsApp notifications not coming through. Make sure to backup important data before resetting your device.
Conclusion
WhatsApp notifications are important for staying in touch, so if you aren’t getting them properly, be sure to troubleshoot the issue. Try the quick fixes first, then step through the possible notification problems methodically. With consistent testing and process of elimination, you should be able to get your WhatsApp notifications working again.