Snapchat notifications stop arriving for four main reasons: you turned them off in settings, the app lost permission to send them, your phone's Do Not Disturb mode is blocking them, or Snapchat itself has a technical problem
The fastest fix is to check your phone's notification settings for Snapchat first, because that's where most people accidentally disable them. If notifications are already on there, the problem is usually in Snapchat's own settings or in your phone's Do Not Disturb schedule. You can test whether the issue is Snapchat-specific or phone-wide by checking if you're getting notifications from other apps.
This guide walks you through each place notifications can get stuck, in the order you should check them. Most people find the problem in the first two steps.
Key Takeaways
- Check your phone's notification settings for Snapchat first — iOS and Android both let apps turn off their own notifications, and this is the most common culprit.
- Snapchat has its own notification controls inside the app that can override your phone settings, so you may need to turn notifications on in both places.
- Do Not Disturb mode on your phone will silence Snapchat notifications even if they're turned on everywhere else, and it may be scheduled to turn on automatically at certain times.
- If notifications work for some friends but not others, the problem is Snapchat's friend-specific settings, not your phone.
- Restarting the Snapchat app or your phone fixes most technical glitches that cause notifications to stop suddenly.
Check Snapchat notifications in your phone's settings
Your phone controls whether any app can send you notifications, regardless of what the app itself says. On iPhone, open Settings, scroll down and tap Snapchat, then tap Notifications. Make sure "Allow Notifications" is toggled on (it will be green or blue). If it's off, tap it to turn it back on.
On Android, open Settings, tap Apps or process Manager, find and tap Snapchat, tap Notifications, and make sure "Show notifications" is toggled on. The exact wording and location varies slightly by Android version and phone brand, but the principle is the same: you're looking for a toggle that says notifications are allowed.
If notifications were already on, move to the next section. If you just turned them on, wait a few minutes and have a friend send you a Snap to test whether they arrive now.
Turn on notifications inside the Snapchat app itself
Even if your phone allows Snapchat to send notifications, Snapchat has its own settings that can turn them off. Open Snapchat, tap your profile icon in the top left corner, then tap the gear icon for Settings. Scroll down to "Notifications" and tap it.
You'll see toggles for different types of notifications: Messages, Snaps, Stories, and others depending on your Snapchat version. Turn on whichever types you want to receive. The most important ones are usually "Messages" and "Snaps" — if both are off, you won't get notified when friends send you anything.
After you turn these on, test by having a friend send you a message or Snap. Notifications should arrive within a few seconds.
Check whether Do Not Disturb is blocking notifications
Do Not Disturb mode silences all notifications on your phone, even if every other setting says they should come through. On iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center and look for a crescent moon icon. If it's highlighted or colored, Do Not Disturb is on — tap it to turn it off. You can also check Settings > Focus to see if a Focus mode (which works like Do Not Disturb) is active.
On Android, swipe down from the top twice to open the full Quick Settings panel. Look for "Do Not Disturb" or "Quiet" and tap it if it's active. Some Android phones also have a "Bedtime mode" or "Sleep mode" that works the same way.
If Do Not Disturb was on, turn it off and test notifications again. If you use Do Not Disturb on a schedule (for example, every night from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.), check whether that schedule is the reason you're not getting notifications at certain times.
Check notification settings for individual friends
Snapchat lets you mute notifications from specific people without turning off notifications entirely. If you're getting notifications from some friends but not others, this is likely the cause. Open a chat with the friend whose notifications aren't coming through, tap their name at the top, and look for a "Mute" or "Notifications" option. Make sure notifications are not muted for that person.
You can also check this from your Friends list: long-press or hold on a friend's name and look for a mute icon or option. If it shows that friend is muted, tap it to unmute them.
Restart Snapchat and your phone
If notifications are on in every setting but still aren't arriving, the app or your phone may have a temporary glitch. Close Snapchat completely — on iPhone, swipe up from the bottom (or swipe down from the top right on newer models) and swipe Snapchat off the screen. On Android, open your recent apps and swipe Snapchat away. Wait 10 seconds, then open Snapchat again.
If that doesn't work, restart your entire phone. This clears temporary memory and resets connections between apps and your phone's notification system. After your phone restarts, open Snapchat and test notifications again.
Check your internet connection and app version
Snapchat needs an active internet connection to receive notifications. If you're on WiFi, try switching to mobile data, or vice versa — sometimes one connection is unstable while the other works fine. Open another app like Safari or Chrome and load a website to confirm you have internet access.
Also check whether you're running the latest version of Snapchat. Open your phone's app store (App Store on iPhone, Google Play on Android), search for Snapchat, and see if an "Update" button appears. If it does, tap it to update. Older versions sometimes have notification bugs that newer versions fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting notifications from Snapchat but not from specific friends?
You've likely muted that friend's notifications. Long-press their name in your Friends list or open a chat with them and look for a mute option. Unmuting them will restore notifications from that person.
Do Not Disturb is off but I still don't get Snapchat notifications at night
Check whether you have a Focus mode or Sleep mode scheduled. On iPhone, go to Settings > Focus and look for any active schedules. On Android, check Settings > Digital Wellbeing or your phone's equivalent. These modes work like Do Not Disturb and may be set to turn on automatically at certain times.
Notifications work on WiFi but not on mobile data
Your mobile carrier or phone may be restricting Snapchat's background activity. Try turning off any data-saving modes in your phone's settings, or contact your carrier to ask whether they limit notifications for certain apps. Restarting your phone often fixes temporary connection issues too.
I turned notifications on but they still don't arrive
Make sure you turned them on in both places: your phone's settings and inside the Snapchat app itself. Snapchat requires permission from both. If you've checked both and restarted the app, uninstall and reinstall Snapchat — this clears out corrupted settings that sometimes prevent notifications from working.
Why do I get notifications on my phone but not my computer?
Snapchat on web and desktop has separate notification settings from the mobile app. Open Snapchat on your computer, click your profile icon, go to Settings, and look for Notifications. Turn on the types you want to receive on that device.