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How to Fix Android Notifications Not Showing

By SpecCairn · Published October 28, 2026 · Documentation-based explanation, not a hands-on review

A smartphone with its screen off lying on a weathered wooden bench, with green leaves behind it.
Illustrative photo, not a product test. Photo by Olga Nayda on Unsplash. License & image notes.

Short answer: Open Settings > Notifications > App notifications, find the app and make sure its notifications are on.1 Then check that Do Not Disturb or another mode isn’t silencing it.2

How this guide was made: SpecCairn did not test a particular phone for this guide. The steps follow Google’s Android Help; menu names vary by phone maker and Android version.

Step-by-step: find the missing notifications

  1. Open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications.1
  2. Find the app under Most recent, or choose All apps from the dropdown.1
  3. Tap the app and turn its notifications on. If it has categories, make sure the ones you want are on.1
  4. Swipe down from the top of the screen and make sure Do Not Disturb is off.2
  5. Check the app’s own settings menu too; many apps have their own notification options.3

Notifications arrive but you don’t notice them

What you seeWhat to check
No sound or banner, but they’re in the shadeThe app may be set to Silent. Choose Alerting, and turn on Pop on screen for a banner.4
Nothing on the lock screenCheck Settings > Notifications > Notifications on lock screen. If Don’t show notifications is the default, it applies to every app.5
Quiet during a burst of alertsNotification cooldown reduces sounds and pop-ups when many arrive at once. Find it under Settings > Notifications > General.6
Silent at night or while drivingA mode such as Bedtime or Driving may be on. Under Settings > Modes, open the mode and check Notification filters > Apps.2

Find notifications you already missed

Some phones keep a notification history. Look under Settings > Notifications for snoozed and recently dismissed notifications.7

How to check it worked

Change one setting at a time, then wait for the app’s next notification.8

If it still doesn’t work

Google notes that settings vary by phone and suggests contacting the phone maker. Check the app’s own help pages and your phone maker’s support pages; the cited Google pages don’t cover maker-specific battery or background settings.98

FAQ

Why do notifications show in the shade but make no sound?

The app’s notifications are probably set to Silent, which shows them when you swipe down but makes no sound or vibration.4

Can Do Not Disturb block only some apps?

Yes. Under Settings > Modes, open a mode and use Notification filters to choose which apps can notify you. Some of these steps need Android 14 or later.2

About this guide

Not affiliated with Google or any phone maker. See the methodology.

Scope: Android phones and tablets. Steps follow Google Android Help; menu names vary by phone maker and Android version. Research-based; not device-tested.

Sources and reference notes

  1. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Turn notifications on or off for certain apps, Option 1; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  2. Android Help: Modes and Do Not Disturb on Android. Quickly turn interruptions off or back on; Set up Do Not Disturb and other modes; Change your interruption settings; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; some steps need Android 14 and up. Back to text
  3. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Turn notifications on or off for certain apps, Options 2 and 3; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  4. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Choose if notifications interrupt you or stay silent; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  5. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Change notification settings; Control how notifications show on your lock screen; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  6. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Turn Notification cooldown on or off; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  7. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Notification history; Snooze notifications; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Back to text
  8. SpecCairn editorial guidance based on the cited sources; not a statement by a manufacturer or publisher. Back to text
  9. Android Help: Control notifications on Android. Introduction and Important notes; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; settings can vary by phone. Android Help: Modes and Do Not Disturb on Android. Important notes; date not stated; accessed 2026-10-28; official; some steps need Android 14 and up. Back to text

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