WhatsApp Notifications Not Working? 11 Ways to Troubleshoot it

WhatsApp is a popular free communication app that allows users to interact via texts, voice calls, or video calls and is compatible with almost all mobile and desktop platforms. Notifications from such apps are important because our family and friends can send text messages anytime. 

If the notification is not working, we need to open the app every single time to check if we have missed the messages. Such an issue can get on our nerves if it keeps repeating. Fortunately, we have different solutions to get the notifications to work back normally. 

So, without wasting time, let’s see what causes this issue and the methods to fix this issue.

Why is my Whatsapp Not Getting Any Notifications?

How to Fix WhatsApp Notification Not Working

There are several ways to fix the issue of Whatsapp notifications not working. Here, I’ve mentioned some of the suitable options you can take to fix this issue. These methods are very simple and they won’t take much of your time.

Check the Internet Connection

You won’t get a notification unless you are connected to the internet. So, first, make sure you have a stable internet connection. If your internet is not working, then switch to mobile data.

Also, if you are using mobile data, you must have a strong or medium network to run smoothly. You can use various websites or apps to test your internet connection speed.

Disable Airplane Mode

Enabling the Airplane Mode prevents internet and cellular connectivity, which means you won’t be able to make or receive calls, messages or use the internet. If you have enabled Airplane Mode, you should disable it unless you are traveling by air. 

On Android

1. Open Control Center.
2. Click on the Airplane Icon to disable it if you have turned it on.
   

Alternatively, you can also follow these steps to disable the airplane mode:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Connection and Sharing.
   
3. Tap Airplane Mode to turn it off.
   

On iPhone

1. Open Control Center.
2. Click on the Airplane Icon to disable it.
   
   

Alternatively, you can also follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Airplane Mode to turn it off.
   

Enable Whatsapp Notification

You need to see if your Whatsapp built-in notification is enabled or not. If your Whatsapp Notification is disabled, then you need to enable it to get a notification. Here’s how you can enable it.

On Android

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap on Three Dots at the top right corner.
   
3. Go to Notifications.
   
4. Tap on Popup Notification, enable Always Show Popup, and enable Use High Priority Notifications.
   

On iPhone

1. Open Whatsapp.
2. Click on Settings.
3. Tap on Notifications. 
   
4. Enable Show Notification under Message Notification and Group Notification.
   
5. Tap In-app Notification. Choose your alert style, and also make sure to turn on sounds and vibrate. 
   

Disable DND

DND is a great feature if you are a busy person who wants less distraction from your device. Enabling this feature will cut off every notification you might get from people or apps, depending on your chosen settings. If you are not getting notifications, then consider disabling this feature.

On Android 

1. Open the control center by scrolling down from top to bottom.
2. Click on DND to turn it off if you have enabled it.
   

Alternatively, you can also disable DND mode using the steps below:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Sound & Vibrations.
   
3. Scroll down and Hit on Do Not Disturb to disable it.
   

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Focus.
   
3. Click on Do Not Disturb and disable it.
   

Alternatively, you can also follow these steps:

1. Open Control Center.
2. Long press on Focus.
   
3. Tap Do Not Disturb to disable it.
   

Enable Device Notification

This is another useful feature that specifically blocks notifications from some apps. You have disabled Whatsapp notifications and might have forgotten to disable them. So, you need to enable it to receive notifications.  

On Android 

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Notifications & Control Center.
   
3. Tap on App Notifications.
4. Look for WhatsApp and enable the notification.
   

Alternatively, you can follow these steps:

1. Long Press on WhatsApp App.
2. Tap on App Info.
   
3. Click on Notification and Tap on Show Notifications to enable it. 
   

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Look for WhatsApp and click on it.
3. Tap on Notifications.
   
4. Tap Allow Notification to enable it.
   

Turn Off Battery Saver Mode

If you run out of battery, turning on battery save mode can help run your device a bit longer. However, turning on this mode will limit the device’s function properly, like killing the apps to run in the background.  

On Android 

1. Open Settings.
2. Find Battery and click on it.
3. Click on the Battery Setting Icon at the top right corner.
4. Hit on Battery Saver and click on it to turn it off.
   

For iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Battery.
3. Click on the Low Power Mode to disable it. 
   

Unmute Person/Group Notifications

You also won’t be able to get notifications if you have muted a certain person/group on Whatsapp. You can only see their messages once you go into the app. You need to unmute notifications to receive notifications from such a certain person/group. Follow the given instructions to unmute. 

On Android 

1. Open Whatsapp.
2. Look for the Person/Group you have muted.
3. Long Press on that person/Group name.
4. Click on Unmute Notification.
   

On iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Look for the Person/Group you have muted.
3. Swipe Right to Left and Click on More.
   
4. Tap on Unmute.
   

Enable Restrict Data Usage

You won’t be able to get updates and notifications by enabling this feature. It prevents the apps from running in the background to save mobile data consumption. You can enable it by following the given steps.

On Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Connection & Sharing.
3. Tap on Data Usage.
   
4. Look for WhatsApp and click on it.
5. Tap on Background Data to enable it.
   

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Click on Background App Refresh and turn on Wi-Fi or with data.
4. Look for WhatsApp and tap to enable it.
   

Reboot Your Device

Most of the time, simply rebooting your device works fine and solves issues like this. Once in a while, we should consider rebooting our device. It can start fresh and help our device to perform better. So, let’s not underestimate the power of rebooting the device.  

On Android

1. Press the power button for 2-3 seconds.
2. Tap on Reboot.
   

On iPhone

Here’re the steps to turn off your iPhone:

1. Press the side button and volume down at once.
2. Swipe to the right to shut down. 

To turn it back on, press the side button until you see the Apple logo appear on the screen

Update Whatsapp

If you are still unable to fix the notifications issues, consider updating your Whatsapp. You won’t be able to get notifications if it has bugs or is running on older versions. Therefore, updating your Whatsapp can fix this issue with no hassle.  

On Android

1. Open Play Store.
2. Search WhatsApp.
3. Tap on Update if the new version is available. 
   

On iPhone

1. Open App Store.
2. Search WhatsApp.
3. Tap on Update if the new version is available.

Update Your Device

If your phone is running on a buggy software version, it’s normal to have an issue like not getting notifications. So, if your device has a new software version available, then updating to the latest version of the OS can fix this. 

On Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to About Phone.
3. Tap System Update.
   
4. It will begin downloading automatically once you give permission.

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to General.
3. Tap on Software update.
    
4. Hit on Download and Install.
   

How to Fix WhatsApp Notification Not Working for PC

If you are facing trouble with not getting notifications on your PC, you can also simply try these fixes to resolve them in no time.  

Enabling In-built Notifications

Whatsapp has in-built notifications for Mobile and Desktop versions. Mistakenly you have disabled it and forgot to turn it on. So, make sure to check the notification.

1. Open Whatsapp on your PC.
2. Click on the Three Dots on the top left corner of the screen, then tap on Settings.
3. Tap on Notifications.
   
4. Click on the Checkbox for Sounds, Desktop Alerts, and Show Previews.

Enabling Desktop Notification

If you haven’t enabled the desktop notification, it forces the apps and software to stop pushing notifications. Therefore, you should check it as well. 

1. Open Settings on your PC by pressing the Windows icon
2. Search Notifications & Action Settings.
3. Click on it.
4. Toggle on the Notifications.