14 Ways to Fix Android Push Notifications Not Working

If you’re an Android user, you’re probably quite familiar with push notifications. These alerts deliver important and sometimes time-sensitive messages directly to your mobile device. But what happens when they stop coming in? Learn what you can do to fix your Android push notifications not working.

Good to know: wondering what push notifications are all about? Check out all the details here.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

If you’ve noticed an absence of push notifications on your Android device, check whether your Internet connection is up and running. If there’s a problem, you may want to unplug your router for a few seconds, then plug it back in to see if it helps.

If the issue persists, learn how to fix Wi-Fi not working issues on Windows. We also have tips for Linux or Mac users.

If you’re using mobile data on Android, check out these suggestions on what to do if you’ve noticed it’s not working properly.

2. Turn Airplane Mode Off

Accidentally enabling Airplane Mode could be the reason your Internet connection is not working.

Swipe down from the top of your Android screen to bring up the Quick Settings menu. Find the Airplane Mode toggle, check whether it’s turned on, and tap it to disable it.

Tip: Bluetooth won’t connect on your mobile device? Find out how to fix it.

3. Restart Device

If you’re not getting push notifications, quickly reboot your Android to automatically close all running apps and associated processes, giving your device a fresh start.

On most Androids, you have to long-press the power button until the power menu shows up, then press Restart or Power off (depending on your Android model).

Note: on some phones, like the Pixel, the power button may have been reconfigured to bring up Google Assistant when you long-press it. Go to Settings -> System -> Gestures, then press and hold the power button to change this behavior.

4. Verify Push Notifications Are Enabled

If you’re not seeing notifications from a certain app, double-check whether notifications are enabled for that app. On Android, there’s no global notification switch, so you’ll have to see whether push notifications are on for the app you’re targeting. Check out how to enable or disable push notifications on Android.

5. Check Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Modes

If you’ve enabled DND mode or Bedtime mode has gone into effect, your notifications were automatically silenced. To reverse the situation and allow notifications to go through again, go to Settings -> Notifications -> Do Not Disturb, and ensure that it’s set to Off.

Continue by going back to Settings -> Digital Wellbeing -> Bedtime mode, and check whether any settings are enabled. Customize it according to your needs so that you can see notifications during the day or your active hours. Select None under Bedtime routine to disable Bedtime mode.

FYI: learn how to change your default apps on Android.

6. Verify Whether Apps Can Run in the Background

If you’re missing notifications from a specific app, verify whether the app can run in the background. The app won’t be able to send you notifications unless you open it.

Go to Settings -> Apps -> See all apps, and find the app in the list. Tap on Mobile data usage.

The Background data toggle should be enabled.

7. Check the App’s Notification Settings

If you still can’t see notifications from an app, even after you’ve confirmed that push notifications are on and background processes running, you may want to check the settings in the app.

We’re using Snapchat in this example. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner. On the next page, tap the gear-shaped icon on the right.

Find Notifications in the list of options.

Enable the types of notifications you would like to see.

Tip: your Android can notify you when its battery is full, with one of these apps.

8. Verify Battery-Saving Settings

Android phones have a Battery Saver/Optimization mode that allows phones to last longer. However, the feature delays notifications and turns off background activities. Check whether you’ve inadvertently activated Battery Saver/Optimization. On some phones, you’ll see a small battery notification at the top of the screen when Battery Saver is active.

Alternatively, go to Settings -> Battery -> Battery Saver. Make sure the feature is off.

If your phone also has Battery optimization, find it under Settings -> Battery, locate the app that is no longer sending notifications, and tap on it.

Ensure that the app is not set to Optimize. Select one of the other two options.

9. Disable Adaptive Battery

Adaptive Battery is a battery-saving feature on Android that takes advantage of Google’s DeepMind AI technology to learn your app usage patterns. It limits background activity for apps you don’t use frequently. This translates into delayed notifications. Try disabling the feature to avoid that.

Go to Settings -> Battery -> Battery Saver -> Adaptive Battery. Turn off the switch next to Use Adaptive Battery.

Tip: if your phone won’t charge, run through this list of tips.

10. Disable App Pausing

Newer versions of Android will deactivate notifications for apps you’re not using. To prevent this from happening, disable App pausing from the app’s info page.

Go to Settings -> Apps -> See all apps, and find the app. Scroll down and turn off Pause app activity if unused.

11. Update the App

It may also be worth checking out whether there’s a new update for the app that isn’t sending notifications. Open the Play Store, and search for the app. If there’s an update button underneath the app, tap it to install the new app version.

12. Check for System Updates

You may also want to see whether new system updates are available for your phone. If the push notifications not working issue is tied to a bug or a system malfunction on your Android, a new update could fix that.

To check manually if a new build is available, go to Settings -> System -> Software updates.

Tip: stumble upon the Android System WebView app and don’t know what it is? Learn all about its use.

13. Check Lock Screen Settings

If you’re not seeing lock screen notifications, check your phone’s lock screen settings.

Go to Settings -> Notifications, and scroll down to Notifications on lock screen. Make sure the feature is set to Show conversations, default, and silent.

14. Reset App Preferences

If you tried everything on this list but still aren’t seeing notifications, it may be time to reset the app preferences on your Android device. This will impact preferences you’ve previously set for unused apps, app notifications, permission restrictions, background data restrictions, and more. The process won’t affect app data.

Go to Settings -> System -> Reset Options. Select Reset app preferences from the menu on the next page.

Tap Reset apps in the pop-up that appears to confirm the action.

If your Android is plagued by other issues, perhaps your Android GPS is not working. It could also be that your Android apps are not working properly.

Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.