The most common reasons iMessage notifications stop working
iMessage notifications fail most often because Do Not Disturb is on, your notification settings are turned off for Messages, or your device is muted. Less commonly, the problem is a bad internet connection, an outdated iOS version, or a glitch that requires restarting your phone or signing out of iMessage and back in.
The fastest way to troubleshoot is to check these things in order: whether Do Not Disturb is active, whether Messages notifications are enabled in Settings, whether your phone is muted, and whether you have a working Wi-Fi or cellular connection. If all four are correct and you still see no notifications, move to the deeper fixes below.
Key Takeaways
- Do Not Disturb silences all notifications including iMessage, and it can be turned on by accident through Control Center, scheduled automatically, or enabled by a Focus mode.
- Notifications for Messages must be switched on separately in Settings > Notifications > Messages, and you can turn them on for lock screen, notification center, and banners independently.
- Your phone's physical mute switch silences notifications even when Do Not Disturb is off, so check that the switch is in the unmuted position.
- Signing out of iMessage in Settings > Messages and signing back in fixes notification problems that survive a restart, and takes about two minutes.
- If notifications work for some contacts but not others, check whether those conversations are muted individually or whether you have a Focus mode that silences them.
Check Do Not Disturb and Focus modes first
Do Not Disturb silences all notifications, including iMessage. It can be on without you realizing it because it turns on through three different routes: you can swipe up from the bottom of your screen to open Control Center and tap the crescent moon icon, iOS can schedule it automatically at certain times, or a Focus mode (like Work or Sleep) can activate it.
Open Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your screen. If the crescent moon icon is highlighted in white or colored, Do Not Disturb is on — tap it to turn it off. Then check Settings > Focus to see whether a Focus mode is scheduled. If one is active, tap it and turn off the toggle, or wait until the scheduled time ends.
Do Not Disturb and Focus modes can also allow certain people to reach you while blocking everyone else. If you have Do Not Disturb on but want iMessage notifications from specific contacts, go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb (or whichever Focus is active) and tap Allowed Notifications to add people to the list.
Turn on Messages notifications in Settings
Notifications for the Messages app must be enabled separately. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages. Make sure the toggle next to "Allow Notifications" is turned on (it should be green). If it is already on, scroll down and check that at least one notification style is enabled — you need either "Lock Screen", "Notification Center", or "Banners" turned on to see alerts.
You can also control how notifications appear. If you have "Banners" on, iMessage alerts will pop up at the top of your screen. If you have only "Notification Center" on, alerts will appear only when you swipe down from the top. If you have only "Lock Screen" on, you will see notifications only on your lock screen. Most people want at least Banners or Notification Center enabled so they notice messages right away.
Scroll further down in the Messages notification settings to check "Sound" and "Vibration". If Sound is set to "None" or Vibration is off, you may not notice the notification even if it arrives. Set Sound to a ringtone or alert tone you can hear, and turn Vibration on if you want your phone to buzz.
Check your phone's mute switch and volume
The physical mute switch on the left side of your iPhone silences all notifications, including iMessage, even when Do Not Disturb is off. Look at the switch — if the orange stripe is visible, your phone is muted. Flip the switch toward the back of the phone to unmute it.
After unmuting, check your volume by pressing the volume up button and looking at the volume slider that appears on screen. It should show a speaker icon, not a muted speaker. If it shows muted, press volume up again until the slider shows an unmuted speaker.
Restart your phone and check your connection
A restart fixes many notification problems. Turn off your iPhone completely by going to Settings > General > Shut Down, then wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. While your phone restarts, check that you have a working internet connection — iMessage needs either Wi-Fi or cellular data to deliver notifications.
If you are on Wi-Fi, open a web browser and try to load a website to confirm the connection is working. If the website does not load, disconnect from Wi-Fi and use cellular data instead, or reconnect to a different Wi-Fi network. If you are on cellular, try turning Airplane Mode on and off: swipe down from the top right to open Control Center, tap the airplane icon to turn it on, wait 5 seconds, then tap it again to turn it off.
Sign out of iMessage and sign back in
If notifications still do not work after a restart, sign out of iMessage and sign back in. Go to Settings > Messages and scroll down to find "Send & Receive". Tap it, then tap your Apple ID at the top and select "Sign Out". Wait 30 seconds, then go back to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive and tap "Sign In". Enter your Apple ID password when prompted.
This process takes about two minutes and fixes notification problems caused by a corrupted iMessage account connection. After you sign back in, send yourself a test message from another device or ask a friend to text you to confirm notifications are working.
Check for muted conversations and outdated iOS
If notifications work for some contacts but not others, the conversation itself may be muted. Open the Messages app, find the conversation that is not sending notifications, swipe left on it, and tap the bell icon with a slash through it. If that icon appears, the conversation is muted — tap it again to unmute.
You can also check whether a Focus mode is silencing specific people. Go to Settings > Focus and tap the Focus that is currently active (or the one you use most). Scroll to "People" and check whether the contact who is not sending notifications is listed there. If they are, tap the minus icon to remove them so they can reach you.
Finally, make sure your iOS is up to date. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available update. Notification bugs are sometimes fixed in iOS updates, and an outdated version can cause problems with iMessage delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get iMessage notifications on my iPad but not my iPhone?
This usually means Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode is on only on your iPhone, or your iPhone's notification settings for Messages are turned off while your iPad's are on. Check Settings > Notifications > Messages on your iPhone to confirm notifications are enabled. You can also have different notification settings on each device — go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive on both devices and make sure your phone number or email is checked on the iPhone.
Can I get notifications from iMessage but not regular text messages?
Yes. iMessage and SMS (regular text messages) have separate notification settings. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and check that notifications are on. Then go to Settings > Messages and scroll down to "SMS/MMS" to see if that is enabled separately. You can turn on notifications for one and off for the other.
What if restarting and signing out of iMessage did not work?
Try resetting all notification settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Notification Settings. This erases all custom notification rules you have set but often fixes persistent problems. After resetting, go back to Settings > Notifications > Messages and turn notifications back on.
Why am I getting iMessage notifications but they are delayed?
Delayed notifications usually mean your internet connection is weak or your phone is in Low Power Mode. Check Settings > Battery to see if Low Power Mode is on and turn it off if it is. Also confirm you have a strong Wi-Fi or cellular signal — if the signal is weak, move closer to your router or to an area with better cell coverage.
Do I need to turn on notifications separately for group chats?
No. Group chats use the same notification settings as individual conversations. However, you can mute a specific group chat without muting your other messages. Open the group chat, swipe left on it in the Messages list, and tap the bell icon to mute or unmute it.