When Android text message notifications are not working, your phone can feel “half broken.” Messages still arrive, but you don’t get the sound, vibration, pop-up, or lock-screen alert—so it’s easy to miss time-sensitive texts like OTP codes, delivery updates, school messages, or family check-ins.
This usually happens after:
In this guide, you’ll get:
Pick the symptom that matches your case:
Once you know the symptom, you’ll fix it faster.
These solve a large percentage of “Android SMS notifications not working” cases.
A restart clears stuck notification services and background rules.
Your ringtone can be fine while notifications are muted.
Even if you think it’s already off, toggling can reset a stuck state.
If texts still arrive with no alert, move on.
Android can block notifications at the system level.
Many Android versions group alerts by categories (also called channels). Even if “Notifications” is ON, the “Incoming messages” category can be OFF.
Inside the app’s notification settings, turn on categories like:
If you only fix one thing in this guide, fix categories.
If notifications work sometimes but don’t show on the lock screen:
Also check privacy options that hide content. It’s okay to hide message previews, but the notification itself should still appear.
Do Not Disturb can block sound, vibration, banners, and lock-screen notifications—sometimes only at certain hours.
If it keeps coming back, check schedules in:
Add an exception:
If you rely on OTP or family texts, this is a must.
Even if Android allows notifications, Google Messages can still be set to silent.
Open: Google Messages → Profile icon → Messages settings → Notifications
Check:
A single thread can be muted while everything else works.
If you ever tapped “Mute,” this is where it shows up.
Samsung often adds extra layers like Modes/Routines and battery rules.
Try:
Then check:
If Android text notifications are delayed, battery restrictions are the most common cause.
Classic pattern:
Go to Settings → Battery (or Battery and device care) and look for:
Then:
Also check Data Saver:
If your issue started after:
Do these:
Open the Play Store and update Google Messages (or your SMS app). Updates often fix notification bugs introduced by OS changes.
Avoid “Clear storage/data” unless you’re okay resetting app settings.
If notifications are broken across multiple apps:
This can reset defaults and permissions across apps, so only do it if you’re comfortable reselecting a few defaults afterward.
On Android 13 and newer, some apps need explicit permission to post notifications. If you tapped “Don’t allow” during setup, you may get zero alerts even though texts arrive.
Check:
Tip: toggling notifications OFF then ON can refresh the permission state on some devices.
If you can’t find a menu exactly, these shortcuts help:
Most likely:
Start with Step 1 + Step 8.
Most likely:
Check Quick fixes + Step 3 + Step 4 conversation settings.
Fix via Step 2 lock screen settings.
That chat thread is muted/silent. Fix via Step 4 (per-conversation settings).
Battery restrictions / sleeping apps. Fix via Step 6.
If you’re a parent, a missed notification can feel more serious—especially when you’re worried about bullying, harassment, or scam attempts.
Fixing notifications is worth doing. But for child safety, it helps to have a plan beyond “hope notifications pop up.” With responsible use, clear consent, and family rules, Calls & Texts monitoring can provide more reliable oversight routines on a device you manage.
Clearing cache typically does not delete your texts. It clears temporary files. “Clear storage/data” is the one that can reset app settings.
That’s almost always a background/battery restriction. Go straight to Step 6.
Yes. Updates can reset permissions, change notification categories, or re-enable battery restrictions. Steps 1, 6, 7, and 8 cover the most common update-related causes.
Turning on the correct notification categories (Incoming messages/Chats/Conversations) and removing Messages from battery optimization.
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