The most common reason notifications disappear is a setting you changed without realizing it
Notifications stop arriving for three main reasons: a setting got turned off (either by you or by an app update), your device ran out of storage space, or the app itself lost permission to send them. The fastest way to fix it is to check your notification settings first, then your app permissions, then restart the app. Most of the time one of these three steps solves it.
The reason this happens so often is that notification settings live in three different places — your device's main settings, your app's own settings, and sometimes your account settings inside the app. A single toggle in any one of those places can silence everything, and you might not remember changing it.
Key Takeaways
- Check your device's main notification settings first, because a system-wide toggle can silence all notifications from a specific app.
- Open the app itself and look for its own notification settings, which often override what your device allows.
- Make sure the app has permission to send notifications in your device settings — this permission can be revoked by updates or accidentally.
- Restart the app completely (close it and reopen it) after changing any settings, because some apps do not reload notification rules until you do.
- If notifications still do not arrive after these steps, uninstall and reinstall the app, which resets its permissions and settings to default.
How to check notification settings on your device
On Android, go to Settings, then Apps (or Application Manager), find the app that is not notifying you, tap it, then tap Notifications. You will see a toggle that says something like "Allow notifications" — make sure it is turned on. If it is already on, look for a second toggle below it that controls whether notifications appear on your lock screen or in your notification center. Both need to be on for you to see them.
On iPhone, go to Settings, then Notifications, scroll down to find the app, and tap it. Make sure "Allow Notifications" is toggled on. Below that, check that "Sounds" or "Badges" are turned on — if both are off, the notification arrives but you will not see any sign of it. Also check whether the app is set to deliver notifications to your lock screen, notification center, or banners; if none of those are selected, you will miss the notification even though it was sent.
On Windows, go to Settings, then System, then Notifications. Scroll down to find the app and make sure its toggle is on. On Mac, go to System Settings, then Notifications, find the app, and check that "Allow notifications" is enabled.
Check the app's own notification settings
Many apps have a second layer of notification controls inside the app itself. Open the app, look for Settings or Preferences (usually a gear icon or three horizontal lines), and search for "Notifications" or "Alerts." You might find toggles for different types of notifications — for example, a messaging app might let you turn on notifications for direct messages but turn off notifications for group chats.
If you see a toggle that says something like "Notifications" or "Push notifications," make sure it is on. Some apps also have a setting for notification frequency — if it is set to "Never" or "Off," you will not receive any. After you change any setting here, close the app completely and reopen it so the change takes effect.
Verify the app has permission to send notifications
Even if you turned notifications on in both places above, your device might have revoked the app's permission to send them. This often happens after a system update or if you manually denied permission at some point.
On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, find the app, tap Permissions, and look for "Notifications." If it says "Not allowed," tap it and select "Allow." On iPhone, go to Settings, then Notifications, find the app, and check that the toggle next to "Allow Notifications" is on — if it is grayed out, the app was denied permission and you need to turn it back on here.
On Windows, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Notifications, and make sure the app is listed and toggled on. On Mac, go to System Settings, then Notifications, find the app, and check that "Allow notifications" is enabled.
Restart the app and clear its cache
After changing any notification setting, close the app completely — do not just minimize it. On Android and iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top on older iPhones) to see your open apps, then swipe the app upward to close it. Wait a few seconds, then reopen it.
If notifications still do not arrive, try clearing the app's cache. On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, find the app, tap Storage, and tap "Clear Cache." This removes temporary files the app stored but does not delete your data inside the app. On iPhone, you cannot clear cache for individual apps, but you can offload the app instead: go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage, find the app, and tap "Offload App." This removes the app but keeps your data. Then reinstall it from the App Store.
Uninstall and reinstall the app
If you have tried all the steps above and notifications still are not arriving, uninstall the app completely and reinstall it fresh. This resets all its settings and permissions to their defaults, which often fixes notification problems that settings changes alone cannot solve.
On Android, go to Settings, then Apps, find the app, tap the three dots at the top right, and select "Uninstall." Then go to the Google Play Store, search for the app, and tap "Install." On iPhone, press and hold the app icon on your home screen, tap "Remove App," then "Delete App," then "Delete." Then go to the App Store, search for the app, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it.
When you reopen the app after reinstalling, it will ask for permission to send notifications. Make sure you tap "Allow" at that prompt. If you tap "Don't Allow," you will have to go back into your device settings to turn notifications on manually.
Check whether your device is in Do Not Disturb or Focus mode
If notifications are turned on everywhere but you still are not seeing them, your device might be in a mode that silences them. On iPhone, check whether Focus mode is on — swipe down from the top right corner to see your Control Center, and look for a Focus icon. If one is active, tap it and select "Turn Off." On Android, check whether Do Not Disturb is on — swipe down twice from the top to open your full Quick Settings, and look for "Do Not Disturb." If it is on, tap it to turn it off.
Some Focus modes and Do Not Disturb schedules are set to turn on automatically at certain times of day or when you are using certain apps. If notifications disappear at the same time every day, check your Focus or Do Not Disturb settings to see whether a schedule is active. You can edit or delete the schedule there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I get notifications on my phone but not on my computer?
Each device has its own notification settings, and they do not sync automatically. You need to turn on notifications separately on each device. Go to your device's notification settings and follow the steps above for that specific device. Also check whether the app itself has a setting to send notifications to multiple devices — some apps let you choose which device receives each type of notification.
I turned notifications back on but they still are not arriving. What else could it be?
Your device might be low on storage space, which can prevent apps from working correctly. Go to Settings and check your available storage — if you have less than 1 GB free, delete some files or apps to free up space. Also check whether the app needs an update: go to your app store, search for the app, and see if an "Update" button appears. Outdated apps sometimes lose the ability to send notifications.
Can I get notifications from one app but not another?
Yes. Each app has its own notification settings, so you can turn notifications on for some apps and off for others. Go to your device's notification settings, find each app, and toggle notifications on or off individually. You can also control notification types within an app — for example, allow notifications for messages but not for promotional emails.
What if I accidentally denied notification permission and cannot find where to turn it back on?
Go to your device's main notification settings (Settings > Notifications on iPhone, Settings > Apps > Notifications on Android) and look for the app in the list. If it is there but grayed out, tap it and toggle "Allow Notifications" on. If the app does not appear in the list at all, uninstall and reinstall it, then tap "Allow" when it asks for permission the first time you open it.
Do notifications use a lot of battery?
Notifications use very little battery on their own. The battery drain comes from the app checking for new messages in the background, not from the notification itself. If you are concerned about battery life, turning off notifications for apps you do not need to hear from immediately will help more than turning off notifications for apps you do use.