Notifications disappear because of settings you didn't know you changed
Notifications stop appearing for three main reasons: your phone's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode is on, the app itself has notifications turned off, or your phone's notification settings for that specific app are blocked. The fastest way to find the problem is to check your phone's main notification settings first, then the individual app, because most people accidentally enable a system-wide setting and never realize it's hiding everything.
On iPhone, check Control Center (swipe down from the top right) for Focus mode — a colored icon means a Focus is active and blocking notifications. On Android, pull down the notification shade twice and look for Do Not Disturb or a moon icon. If either is on, tap it to turn it off. This solves the problem about half the time.
If that's not it, the app itself may have notifications disabled. Open the app, go to its settings (usually a gear icon or three dots), and look for a Notifications or Alerts section. If notifications are off there, turn them on. Some apps hide this setting inside Privacy or Permissions instead.
Key Takeaways
- Focus mode on iPhone and Do Not Disturb on Android block all notifications system-wide, even if individual apps have notifications turned on.
- Each app has its own notification setting that can be off even when your phone's notification system is working normally.
- Your phone's operating system can block notifications for an app separately from the app's own settings — check both places.
- Some notifications are silenced because you changed the notification style to "silent" or "banner only" instead of turning them off completely.
Check your phone's system-wide notification settings
On iPhone: Open Settings, tap Notifications, and scroll through the list of apps. Each app shows whether notifications are on or off. If an app says "Allow Notifications" is off, tap it and turn it on. Also check that the notification style is set to "Banners" or "Alerts" — if it's set to "None," you won't see anything.
Look for a section called "Focus" in Settings. If a Focus is active (you'll see it listed under Focus), it may be silencing notifications from specific apps or all apps. Tap the active Focus and check what's allowed through. You can turn off the Focus entirely or edit which apps can notify you while it's on.
On Android: Open Settings and search for "Notifications" or go to Apps & Notifications. Tap Notifications and look for a toggle called "Show Notifications" or similar. If it's off, turn it on. Then scroll down and check individual apps — if an app shows "Notifications off," tap it and turn them on.
Some Android phones have a "Do Not Disturb" setting separate from notification settings. Pull down your notification shade twice and look for a Do Not Disturb icon (usually a moon or circle with a line through it). If it's on, tap it to turn it off. Check whether Do Not Disturb is set to allow notifications from specific contacts or apps only.
Turn notifications on inside the app itself
Even if your phone's notification system is working, the app may have its own off switch. Open the app and look for Settings — this is usually a gear icon in the corner, three horizontal lines, or three dots. Tap it and search for "Notifications," "Alerts," "Messages," or "Push Notifications."
If you find a Notifications section, make sure the main toggle is on. Then check the sub-settings below it. Some apps let you turn on notifications overall but silence specific types — for example, you might have messages on but mentions off. If a notification type is set to "Off" or "Silent" and you want to see it, change it to "On" or "Loud."
Some apps hide notification settings inside Privacy, Permissions, or Sound & Vibration instead of a dedicated Notifications section. If you can't find it in the obvious place, try searching the app's settings for "notification" or "alert" using the search function if the app has one.
Check your phone's app-level permission settings
Your phone's operating system can block notifications for an app even if the app itself has them turned on. This is separate from the app's own settings and is straightforward to miss.
On iPhone: Open Settings, tap Notifications, find the app, and scroll to the bottom. Look for a section called "Notification Settings" or similar. Make sure "Allow Notifications" is toggled on. If it's off, the app cannot send notifications no matter what you do inside the app.
On Android: Open Settings, go to Apps & Notifications, find the app, and tap Notifications. Look for a toggle that says "Show Notifications" or "Allow Notifications." If it's off, turn it on. Some Android phones also have a separate Permissions section — go to Settings, Permissions, and check whether the app has permission to send notifications.
Look for notification styles that hide alerts
Some notifications are technically on, but you're not seeing them because they're set to a silent style. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Notifications, find the app, and check the "Notification Style" section. If it's set to "None," you won't see anything. Change it to "Banners" (which appear at the top and disappear) or "Alerts" (which stay until you dismiss them).
You can also check whether the app is set to deliver notifications only to the lock screen or only to the notification center. If it's set to "Lock Screen Only," you'll only see it when your phone is locked. Change this to "Lock Screen and Notification Center" if you want to see it everywhere.
On Android, open the app's notification settings and look for a "Notification Importance" or "Priority" setting. If it's set to "Low" or "Silent," the notification may not make a sound or vibrate, and it might not appear as a banner. Change it to "High" or "Urgent" if you want to see it prominently.
Restart your phone and the app
If you've checked all the settings and notifications still aren't showing, restart both the app and your phone. Close the app completely — on iPhone, swipe up from the bottom (or swipe down from the top right on newer models) and swipe the app away. On Android, open Recent Apps and swipe the app away.
Then restart your phone. Power it off completely, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. This clears temporary glitches that can prevent notifications from working. After your phone restarts, open the app again and test whether notifications appear.
If notifications still don't work after a restart, check whether the app itself needs an update. Open your phone's app store (App Store on iPhone, Google Play on Android), search for the app, and see if an update is available. Outdated apps sometimes have notification bugs that are fixed in newer versions.
Check whether your phone is in low-power mode
Low Power Mode on iPhone and Battery Saver on Android can delay or disable notifications to save battery. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Battery, and check whether Low Power Mode is on. If it is, turn it off. Notifications should resume when ready.
On Android, open Settings, search for "Battery," and look for Battery Saver or Power Saving Mode. If it's on, turn it off or set it to a lower level. Some Android phones have multiple power-saving levels — the highest levels disable background activity for most apps, including notifications.
If you want to keep Low Power Mode or Battery Saver on, check whether you can add the app to an exception list. Some phones let you allow notifications for specific apps even while in power-saving mode. Look for a section called "Allowed Apps" or "Exceptions" in your battery settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some notifications come through but others don't?
The app may have different notification types with different settings. Open the app's notification settings and look for sub-categories like "Messages," "Mentions," "Likes," or "Updates." Each one can be turned on or off separately. You might have messages on but mentions off, which is why you see some notifications but not others.
My notifications work sometimes but not always. What's going on?
This usually means a Focus mode or Do Not Disturb schedule is turning on automatically at certain times. Check your Focus settings on iPhone or Do Not Disturb schedule on Android. You may have set up a Focus that activates during work hours or bedtime and blocks notifications. Edit or delete the Focus if you don't want it.
I turned notifications on but I still don't see them. What else could it be?
Check whether your phone is in low-power mode, whether the app needs an update, and whether you've muted the app's notification sound. On iPhone, swipe left on a notification in the notification center and tap "Manage" to see muting options. On Android, long-press a notification and look for a mute or silence option.
Can I get notifications from one app but not another?
Yes. Each app has its own notification setting, so you can turn notifications on for some apps and off for others. Go to your phone's notification settings, find each app, and toggle notifications on or off individually. This is the main way to control which apps can notify you.
Why did my notifications suddenly stop working?
You likely enabled a Focus mode, Do Not Disturb, or low-power mode without realizing it. Check Control Center on iPhone or your notification shade on Android for any active modes. You may also have accidentally turned off notifications in the app's settings or your phone's app permissions. Start by checking these three places.