How to Fix Not Getting Text Notifications on iPhone

Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .

• Western Governors University

Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.

This article explains why your iPhone is not getting text notifications and how to get it working again.

What Causes Not Getting Text Notifications on iPhone?

Text notifications are typically handled with the Messages app, which comes preinstalled on all iPhones. When text notifications stop working on an iPhone, it can manifest in a few ways:

• You notice texts that weren’t accompanied by an alert sound
• Notifications for new iMessage or SMS messages aren’t showing up on the lock screen
• No red dot on the Messages app when messages arrive

You might not be getting text notifications on an iPhone for many reasons. If you aren’t receiving text messages, and you know people have sent you messages, it’s probably a connectivity problem. In that case, make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi and cellular data and that MMS and SMS are configured correctly. If you are receiving texts but not notifications, here are the most common causes:

• Misconfigured notification settings
• Incorrect volume settings
• Software bug

We'll tackle these in the sections below, but we won't be covering notifications from other apps like Facebook Messenger and other messaging apps.

How to Fix iPhone Message Notification Not Working

If you pick up your iPhone from time to time and see messages that weren’t accompanied by a notification sound, vibration, or any other kind of alert, that means something is preventing you from receiving text notifications. To fix that problem and start receiving notifications again, try these fixes.

1. Check your notification settings. You won't receive message notifications if your notification settings aren't configured correctly.

Open Settings > Notifications > Messages, and make sure the Allow Notifications toggle is turned on. Then make sure the boxes for Lock Screen, Notification Center, and Banners are all checked.

Open Settings > Sound & Haptics > Text Tone, and select a message tone you think you’ll notice.

Open the Messages app, and locate any conversation that has a crossed-out bell icon next to it. Swipe left on the conversation, and tap the bell icon that appears to unmute that person.

Open Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts, and see if anyone is on the list accidentally. If they are, swipe left on the contact’s name and tap Unblock.

Open the Control Center, tap the focus icon, and select any setting other than Do Not Disturb.

You can also tap Do Not Disturb in the Focus options to turn it off without activating any other Focus mode.

• iPhone X and newer: swipe halfway up to open multitasking, then swipe up on Messages to close it.
• iPhone 8, 7, and SE: double-press the Home button, and swipe up on Messages.
• Older iPhones: double-press the Home button, tap and hold Messages, then tap the red badge.

• iPhone X or newer: simultaneously press and hold the side and volume down buttons.
• Older iPhones: press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until the power off slider appears, then release Sleep/Wake.

Open Contacts, and tap the name of the person you aren’t receiving notifications from. Tap Text Tone, and select any option other than None. After you’ve chosen a tone, tap Done.

Open Settings > Messages and ensure the Notify Me toggle is turned on.

Open Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding, and turn off the toggles for your connected devices.

To mute iPhone text notifications, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and turn off the Allow Notifications slider. You can also choose your message notification location, sound, and banner style.

To keep your text message notifications private, go to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and select Never. You can also turn off notification sounds and set your phone to vibrate when getting a message, but this may still be apparent to people around you.

To mute group text notifications on an iPhone, open the group text, tap the contact group at the top of the screen, and tap the Information icon. Turn the Hide Alerts slider to on/green. To leave the group text, select Information > Leave This Conversation (only possible if all participants are using iMessage).