Android Notifications Not Showing? How to Fix It
Missing Android alerts? Fix them by checking Do Not Disturb, per-app switches, notification channels, battery restrictions, and Data Saver on Pixel and Samsung.
If your Android phone suddenly stopped showing notifications, the cause is almost always a setting, not a broken app. Rule out Do Not Disturb and the per-app switch first, then check battery restrictions, notification channels, and Data Saver. If several apps went quiet the day your phone moved to Android 16 or One UI 8, suspect the update itself: Galaxy owners widely reported delayed notifications after One UI 8, and the workaround that helps most is setting the affected app’s Battery usage to Unrestricted.
Rule out Do Not Disturb, Bedtime, and Sleep mode
Swipe down the quick settings panel and check whether the Do Not Disturb tile is on; it silences and hides alerts. Scheduled modes are sneakier: Pixel’s Bedtime mode and Samsung’s Sleep or Bedtime mode can mute notifications on a timer, so an alert that works at noon goes quiet overnight. Open Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and review any schedules.
Check the app’s own switches
Every app has two layers: a master toggle and its categories. On both One UI and Pixel, long-press the app icon, open App info, and tap Notifications. If the master switch is off, nothing gets through. If it is on but some alerts still miss, scroll the categories; an app can keep chats on while reminders or promotions are off. These are notification channels. If you muted an app on purpose before, our walkthrough on how to disable Android app notifications shows the same screens in reverse.
Free the app from battery and data limits
Aggressive power saving is a common reason one app goes quiet. When Android marks an app Restricted or puts it to sleep, it delays or drops that app’s background work, notifications included. Here is where they live.
| What is holding notifications back | Where to check on One UI and Pixel |
|---|---|
| Battery restriction | Settings > Apps, pick the app, open Battery, set Unrestricted |
| Sleeping apps (Samsung) | Settings > Battery and device care > Battery, then Background usage limits |
| Data Saver | Network & internet (Pixel) or Connections > Data usage (Samsung) |
| Muted category | App info, then Notifications, then the channel |
Data Saver blocks background mobile data for most apps, which can hold back alerts that rely on it; add key apps to the unrestricted list, or check whether it turned itself on. Unrestricted access costs some battery, so our notes on how to save battery on Android cover which limits are safe to keep.
When an update resets things
Major Android updates sometimes reset notification preferences or re-enable battery limits and Data Saver. If several apps went silent the day your phone updated, revisit the switches above.
Work top to bottom: Do Not Disturb, then the master switch and channels, then battery and data limits. If one app stays silent after all that, it may be crashing rather than muted; the fixes for an Android app that keeps crashing are the next step.
Common questions
Why are my notifications delayed after the One UI 8 update?
Delayed alerts across nearly every app were widely reported after One UI 8. The fix that helps most is setting the app to Unrestricted under Settings > Apps > the app > Battery, and installing any pending software update, since Samsung has issued patches for post-update stability.
Why do I get an app’s notifications only when I open it?
A battery restriction or Samsung’s Sleeping apps setting is holding that app’s background work, so its alerts arrive only when you open it and wake it. Set it to Unrestricted on Pixel, or remove it from Background usage limits and Sleeping apps on Samsung.
My notifications work during the day but not at night. Why?
A scheduled Do Not Disturb, Pixel Bedtime mode, or Samsung Sleep or Bedtime mode is muting alerts on a timer, which is why an alert that arrives at noon goes quiet overnight. Open Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and review the schedules.
One app shows some alerts but not others. What is off?
That app’s notification channels are partly muted. Open the app’s Notifications screen and scroll its categories, then turn the specific channel back on, since an app can keep chats enabled while reminders or promotions are switched off.