Check if notifications are turned on for Snapchat at the system level
Snapchat notifications stop arriving most often because your phone's operating system has blocked them, not because Snapchat itself is broken. Both iPhone and Android let you turn off notifications for individual apps, and this setting overrides anything you choose inside Snapchat.
On iPhone, open Settings, scroll down and tap Snapchat, then tap Notifications. Make sure Allow Notifications is toggled on (the switch will be green). If it's off, tap it to turn it back on. On Android, open Settings, go to Apps or process Manager, find Snapchat, tap Notifications, and make sure notifications are enabled there.
After you turn on system-level notifications, wait a few seconds and ask a friend to send you a Snap. You should hear or feel your notification arrive. If nothing happens, move to the next section.
Key Takeaways
- Your phone's operating system can block Snapchat notifications even if the app itself is set to send them, so check Settings first.
- Snapchat's notification settings inside the app control which types of messages alert you — Messages, Snaps, and Stories each have separate toggles.
- Do Not Disturb mode, Focus modes on iPhone, and battery saver modes can silence notifications without turning them off entirely.
- Restarting Snapchat or reinstalling it fixes notification problems caused by app glitches that a straightforward settings check won't catch.
- If you muted a specific person or group, you won't see notifications from them even though notifications are on for everyone else.
Turn on notifications inside the Snapchat app itself
Once system-level notifications are on, check Snapchat's own notification settings. Open Snapchat, tap your profile icon in the top left, then tap the gear icon for Settings. Scroll down to Notifications and tap it.
You'll see toggles for Messages, Snaps, and Stories. Each one controls whether you get notified for that type of content. If you want notifications for all three, make sure all three toggles are on. If only Messages is on but Snaps is off, you'll get alerted when someone texts you but not when they send you a photo or video.
Below those main toggles, you may see options like Notification Sounds and Vibration. Turn on whichever one you want — if both are off, your phone won't make a sound or vibrate when a notification arrives, so you might miss it unless you're looking at your screen.
Check if Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is silencing your phone
Do Not Disturb on iPhone and Focus modes silence all notifications, including Snapchat, even when notifications are fully turned on in Settings and in the app. These modes are designed to give you uninterrupted time, but they can make you think notifications are broken when they're actually just muted.
On iPhone, swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center and look for a crescent moon icon. If it's highlighted, Do Not Disturb is on — tap it to turn it off. On Android, swipe down twice from the top to open Quick Settings and look for Do Not Disturb. If it's on, tap it to turn it off.
Also check whether you've set up a Focus mode (iPhone) or a custom Do Not Disturb schedule (Android) that turns on automatically at certain times. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap Focus, and review which Focus modes are active. On Android, go to Settings, tap Notifications, then Do Not Disturb, and check whether a schedule is enabled.
Restart Snapchat or reinstall it if notifications still don't work
If notifications are on everywhere but you're still not receiving them, the app itself may have a glitch. The fastest fix is to close Snapchat completely and reopen it. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer models) to see all open apps, find Snapchat, and swipe it up to close it. On Android, open Settings, go to Apps, find Snapchat, tap Force Stop, then open Snapchat again from your home screen.
If restarting doesn't work, uninstall and reinstall the app. On iPhone, press and hold the Snapchat icon on your home screen, tap Remove App, then Remove from Home Screen. Go to the App Store, search for Snapchat, and tap Get to reinstall it. On Android, go to Settings, tap Apps, find Snapchat, tap Uninstall, then go to the Google Play Store and reinstall it.
Reinstalling clears out corrupted files that can prevent notifications from working. After you reinstall, sign back in and ask a friend to send you a Snap to test whether notifications are working.
Look for muted conversations or people you've silenced
Snapchat lets you mute notifications from specific people or group chats without turning off notifications for everyone else. If you're not getting notifications from one person or one group, you may have muted them without realizing it.
Open the Chat tab and find the conversation you're not getting notifications from. Press and hold the conversation until a menu appears. Look for an option like Mute Notifications or Mute. If it's already muted, you'll see an option to Unmute — tap it. After you unmute, you should start receiving notifications from that person or group again.
Restart your phone if nothing else works
A full restart of your phone clears temporary glitches that can affect how apps send notifications. This is different from just closing the app — a restart powers down your entire phone and starts it fresh.
On iPhone, press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone, wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo. On Android, press and hold the power button until a menu appears, tap Power Off or Restart, and wait for your phone to turn back on.
After your phone restarts, open Snapchat and test notifications again. Most notification problems that survive all the steps above are fixed by a restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting notifications for some people but not others?
You may have muted notifications from specific people or groups. Open the Chat tab, press and hold the conversation, and look for a Mute option. If it's muted, unmute it. You could also have Do Not Disturb on, which silences all notifications regardless of who they're from.
Can I get notifications for Snaps but not Messages?
Yes. Open Snapchat, go to Settings, tap Notifications, and toggle Snaps on while leaving Messages off. You can customize which types of content send you notifications independently of each other.
What if I reinstalled Snapchat and notifications still don't work?
Restart your phone completely — not just the app. A full restart fixes glitches that survive app reinstalls. If notifications still don't arrive after a restart, contact Snapchat Support through the app by going to Settings, tapping Support, and describing the problem.
Do battery saver modes affect Snapchat notifications?
Yes. Battery saver or low-power mode can delay or block notifications to save power. On iPhone, go to Settings and tap Battery, then turn off Low Power Mode. On Android, go to Settings, find Battery or Device Care, and turn off battery saver mode.
Why do I get notifications on my phone but not my smartwatch?
Smartwatch notifications are a separate setting from phone notifications. On your phone, go to Snapchat Settings, tap Notifications, and look for a smartwatch or wearable option. Make sure it's enabled. You may also need to check your smartwatch's app settings to allow Snapchat notifications there.