Fix: Facebook Messenger notification not working

How to Fix Facebook Messenger Notifications Not Working?

Are you finding that the push notifications from your Facebook or Facebook Messenger app are not working or that the sound isn’t playing on your Android or iOS device (iPhone)?

Like other messaging apps, Messenger also sends alerts 🔔 when we get a message or call on our Facebook account. It’s a great way to keep track of the calls and texts we get without repeatedly opening the app. But sometimes, it fails to send alerts of new calls and messages, and we end up seeing those messages and calls after a delay of several hours. 😞

Many users reported that they could not get notifications of new messages and calls, even if the in-app notifications settings were configured properly. Some users said they aren’t receiving notifications from a specific person or group. While a set of users mentioned that they don’t receive any notifications.

There can be several reasons behind this issue, and we’ve mentioned them below. But, to help you out, we’ve prepared a list of the 18 best solutions ⚒️ that can help you resolve the push notifications issue in the Messenger app. So, let’s begin and fix the Facebook Messenger notification not working issue.

Note: The workarounds mentioned in this guide apply to all devices where the Facebook Messenger app and Facebook’s web version are easily accessible. These devices are Android (App), iPhone (App), Windows (App + Website), and Mac (App + Website). You must try all the mentioned solutions carefully.

In case, you find that you aren’t receiving messages or the texts aren’t loading on Facebook Messenger you can check out our other more complete guide with 22 fixes for this issue, here.

Why Aren’t You Receiving Messenger Notifications On Your Device?

There can be several reasons behind this issue in the Messenger app. But these are some of the most common reasons that are expected to cause this issue.

  • Issues With Facebook Messenger Servers (Fix 1)
  • Slow & Unsteady Internet Connection Speed (Fix 2)
  • Enabled Do Not Disturb (DND) Mode (Fix 3)
  • Built-in Notifications Are Disabled (Fix 5)
  • Mute Person/Group Notification (Fix 6)
  • Restricted Background Data Usage (Fix 10)
  • Corrupted Cache Files & Browser Data (Fix 12)
  • Bugs Within the App (Fix 14)

4 Quick Fixes You Should Try First

Before trying complex troubleshooting methods, we want you to try some easy techniques first. We’ve mentioned four quick fixes 🔧 in this section. So, apply all the quick fixes and check if they resolve the issue.

1. Restart the Messenger App: The first quick solution is to restart the Messenger app 🔄. You might have already tried this before. So here’s a bit of change in this. You have to restart the app three or four times in a row. We hope doing this will resolve the issue.

2. Reboot the Device: If restarting the app doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try rebooting the affected device 📱. Restarting the device can fix the problem in seconds and can save a lot of time and effort.

3. Connect to a Working Internet Connection: It could be possible that you aren’t connected to a working internet connection 📶, which is why you aren’t receiving Messenger push notifications. If you’re bound to a working relationship, and it’s still not working, enable and disable the WiFi 📶 option twice or thrice.

4. Turn Off the Battery Saver Mode: During the research, we found that keeping the Battery saving mode enabled 🔋 can also cause this issue. The Battery saving mode prevents the applications from performing specific tasks that consume many batteries. So, we suggest ensuring the Battery saver mode of your device is disabled.

We hope these quick fixes help you resolve the issue with the Messenger app. If they do, we’re more than happy for you. If the problem is still there, we suggest you follow other fixes on the list.

18 Fixes for the Facebook Messenger Notifications Not Working Issue

There are more than 15 troubleshooting methods that you can try to fix this annoying notification issue in the Messenger app. Here in this section, we’ve explained all fifteen solutions in detail with screenshots to make it easier to understand for you. Let’s start with the first solution and resolve all the issues with the Messenger app.

1. Check if Facebook Messenger Is Down

Popular social media platforms, like Instagram and WhatsApp, have experienced server downtime several times in the past few months. Unfortunately, this could be the same with Facebook Messenger. In that case, we suggest checking Messenger’s server status 🌐 to know if the issue emerged from the server side or on your end.

Plus, this will also help you know if other users are also facing the same issue or if you’re the one facing it. You can check the DownDetector tool by Ookla to check the real-time problem with Messenger servers.

Check if Facebook Messenger is down to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

If the servers are facing some problems, you can’t do anything other than waiting for the servers to go live again. Until then, why don’t you take a break from social media? Just try some outdoor activities 🏸 and relax for a while.

2. Check Your Internet Connection Speed

Previously, in the Quick Fixes section, we asked you to ensure you’re connected to a working internet connection. But that’s not it. You also need to ensure you’re bound to a high-speed internet connection. Many users reported that a slow and unsteady internet connection 📶 could also be the reason behind this issue, so it’s better to check.

You can use the Speedtest tool by Ookla to check your internet connection’s speed and stability. Once the speed results are out, ensure it’s good enough to use the Facebook Messenger app without any hassles. If the internet speed isn’t good as required, we recommend restarting the WiFi router 🔄. Besides this, you can also try some below-mentioned tips to improve the internet speed:

  • Reboot the Affected Device 📱/🖥️
  • Close All Unnecessary Apps From the Background
  • Stops All Running Downloads 🚫
  • Enable & Then Disable the Airplane Mode ✈️
  • Re-enable the WiFi 📶
  • Reset the Router

3. Disable Do Not Disturb Mode On Your Device

Do Not Disturb (DND) mode is a great way to stay focussed while working on something as it mutes the messages and calls alerts. It could be possible that your device’s DND mode is enabled, which is why you’re receiving push notifications from the Messenger app or any other app. We suggest disabling the Do Not Disturb (DND) mode 🔕 on your device to avoid this issue.

Follow the below-mentioned steps to disable the DND mode on your smartphone or computer:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and move to the Notifications (🔔) section.
Disable do not disturb mode on your device on Android to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. In the Notifications section, tap on Do not disturb (🔕) and then disable (📴) the toggle next to it to turn off the Do not disturb mode.

Note: Ensure the toggle is in Grey or black when the option is disabled.

Disable do not disturb mode on your device on Android

Tip: You can also enable and disable the Do not disturb (DND) mode from your smartphone’s notification panel.

For iOS

You can also enable/disable the Do Not Disturb (DND) mode from your iPhone’s Control Centre panel. Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Control Panel and hold the Focus option. Now make sure the Do Not Disturb is disabled.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. Launch the Settings app (⚙️) on your Windows PC using the Windows + I keyboard shortcut and move to the Focus section.
Disable do not disturb mode on your device on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, click on Notifications (🔔) in the Related settings section and search for the Do not disturb option.
Disable do not disturb mode on your device on desktop

  1. Next, click the toggle next to the Do Not Disturb (🔕) option to disable it. Make sure the toggle is set to Off when disabled.
Disable do not disturb mode on your device on desktop

  1. In the end, click on Turn on do not disturb automatically and then make sure the During these times checkbox is unchecked.
Disable do not disturb mode on your device on desktop

Tip: You can also disable the Do Not Disturb (DND) from the Notifications section of your Windows system. Click on the date and time widget at the bottom right corner of the screen to open the Notifications panel, and click on the blue bell icon to disable (📴) it.

Disable do not disturb mode on your device on desktop

You must now receive push notifications from the Messenger app in real-time without any issues.

4. Allow Facebook Messenger To Send Notifications

During work hours, we prefer to keep our device’s notifications disabled to avoid distractions. It’s possible that you had earlier disabled the notifications of the Facebook Messenger app and then forgot to enable it. You can again enable notifications for the Messenger app 🔛 from the Settings app to receive alerts of messages and calls.

Follow the below-mentioned steps to enable the Messenger app notifications:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your smartphone and proceed to the Apps section.
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, please search for the Facebook Messenger app in the Apps section and tap on it to view app properties.
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on mobile

  1. Next, click on the Notifications (🔔) option in the Privacy section and click on the Show notifications toggle to enable (🔛) the app notifications.
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on mobile

Note: You must ensure the Show notifications toggle is in Blue when enabled. If it’s in Grey, it means it’s disabled.

For iOS

  1. Firstly, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your iPhone and click on the Notifications (🔔) option to manage the notifications settings of all the apps.
  2. Next, look for the Messenger app in the Notification Style section and tap on it to open the notifications settings.
  3. In the end, ensure the All Notifications toggle is enabled (🔛). You can also try re-enabling the toggle by tapping on the toggle.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Windows PC by pressing the Windows + I key combination.
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, click on Notifications (🔔) in the System section and ensure the Notifications option is set to ON (🔛).
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on desktop

  1. Next, search for the Messenger app in the Notifications from other apps and services section and make sure the toggle next to it is set to ON (🔛).
Allow Facebook Messenger to send notifications on desktop

That’s it! Now check if the issue is resolved or still there.

5. Enable Built-in Messenger Notification

If you’re still not receiving notifications of calls and messages, then it could be possible that you haven’t customized the in-app notifications settings properly. To receive notifications, you must ensure that the built-in app notifications are enabled (🔛). You can ensure the same by following the below-mentioned steps:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

  1. First, open the Facebook Messenger app on your device and tap on your Profile Photo at the display’s top left corner.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, scroll down and tap on Notifications & sounds (🔔) to customize the notification preferences.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on mobile

  1. Lastly, enable the toggle next to the On (🔛) option on Android. If you’re an iOS user, click the Turn on Notifications option.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on mobile

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS) – App Users

  1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Windows Search Box (🔎) and type Messenger.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, select the Messenger app from the Best match section and click on the Profile Profile at the bottom right corner of the tap.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

  1. Next, click on the Preferences option and navigate to the Notifications (🔔) section to manage the settings.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

  1. At last, ensure the Do not disturb option is disabled (📴), and the Allow notifications when the app is closed toggle is enabled (🔛).
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

For Desktop Users (Windows – Google Chrome) – Website Users

  1. To start, open the Google Chrome Browser on your system, visit the Facebook website, and click on the Padlock icon (🔒) at the left side of the search bar.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

  1. Select Site settings (⚙️) from the dropdown and search for Notifications in the Permissions section.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

  1. In the end, set the Notifications (🔔) settings to the Allow option from Ask (default). Now, close the Site Settings tab and refresh the Facebook website.
Enable built-in Messenger notifications on desktop

The issue must be resolved now.

6. Unmute Contacts

We all have one friend or group on Messenger that keeps sending us messages every minute, which irritates us a lot. This is why Messenger offers a Mute option 🔕 to mute notifications from a particular person or group. It could be possible that you’ve muted that friend or group in the past and are now wondering why Messenger isn’t sending notifications when they send a text or call you.

In that case, you must unmute that person 🔕 in the Messenger app. Here are the exact steps to do the same in a few simple steps:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

  1. You must first open the Facebook Messenger app and tap on the Person’s Profile for which Messenger isn’t sending notifications. Once the chat window is opened, tap on their Profile Name at the top.
Unmute contact on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. At last, tap on Unmute (🔕) underneath the Profile Photo to unmute the particular person on Messenger.
Unmute contact on mobile

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS) – App Users

  1. First, open Messenger on your Windows PC or Mac PC and click on the person’s or group’s profile in the left window that you want to unmute.
Unmute contact on desktop

  1. Next, click on the three dots (…) at the top left corner of the window and click on the Unmute (🔕) option in the pop-up.
Unmute contact on mobile

For Desktop Users (Google Chrome & Safari) – Website Users

  1. To start, open the Facebook website on your web browser and click on the Messenger icon in the top menu.
Unmute contact on desktop

  1. Now, the Messenger window will open on the screen. You need to hover the arrow on Person or Group Profile and click on the three dots next to it.
Unmute contact on desktop

  1. Lastly, click on Unmute notifications in the pop-up to start receiving the messages and call reports again for that person or group.
Unmute contact on desktop

7. Log Out and Log Back Into Your Facebook Account

Another tried and tested solution to resolve this issue is to refresh the account information hard. Doing this can fix various problems with the Facebook app and Messenger app. The process is pretty simple to do. You must first log out of your account and then log in again. Follow the below-mentioned steps to do the same:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

  1. First, open the Facebook app on your device and click on the Hamburger Menu at the top right corner of the screen.
Log out and log back into your Facebook account on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Lastly, scroll down until the end and tap the Log Out option to sign out of the currently logged-in device.
Log out and log back into your Facebook account on mobile

  1. Once you do this, you’ll be automatically logged out of the Messenger app. You need to now re-login to the Facebook app as well as the Messenger app.

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS) – App + Website Users

  1. Launch the Messenger app or website on your Windows or Mac PC and click on the Profile Menu or Profile Photo at the top right corner of the tab.
Log out and log back into your Facebook account on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working
  1. Now, click on the then click on the Logout option in the dropdown menu to sign out of the account.

That’s it!

8. End All Facebook Sessions and Reset Your Password

This solution might seem irrelevant to this issue, but this did wonders for many users. Some users say signing out of all signed-in devices and resetting the password can resolve the issue. You must first log out of your Facebook from all the currently signed-in devices and then reset the password.

The best part is you only need to press one button to log out of your account from all your devices instantly. We’ve explained the entire process in the below-mentioned steps with ease:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

  1. First, open the Facebook app on your device and click on the Hamburger Menu and Profile Photo at the top right corner.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications

  1. Next, scroll down, expand the Settings & privacy (⚙️) section, and select the Settings option from the raised area.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on mobile

  1. Now, move to the Security (🛡️) section and tap on Security, and log in to get access to all account security settings.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on mobile

  1. In the Security and login section, tap on the See all option next to Where you’re logged in to see all the devices you’re currently on.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on mobile

  1. Lastly, scroll until (🤳) the end, and tap on the Log Out Of All Sessions option to instantly sign out of all the devices.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on mobile

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS)

  1. Launch the Facebook app on your PC and click on your Profile Photo in the top ribbon menu of the app.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Now, select Settings & privacy from the dropdown and select the Settings (⚙️) option from the sub-section.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on desktop

  1. Next, select Security and log in (🛡️) from the left-sidebar and then click on the See more option in the Where you’re logged in section.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on desktop

  1. Now, scroll down (🤳) to the list and then click on Log out of all sessions to log out of all the currently signed-in devices.
End all Facebook sessions and reset your password on desktop

Once you click on Log out of all sessions, you’ll be logged out of all the logged-in devices, including the one you’re using right now. You must re-login to the Facebook app (Fix #7) and the Messenger app with the same account.

9. Force Restart the Messenger App

Most troubleshooting guides mention this solution because this has solved a lot of issues with ease. We suggest the users force close and restart the app or service 🔄 whenever an app becomes unresponsive or stops functioning properly. It closes the app and all its operations and then starts them again.

Below are the steps to force close and restart the Messenger app on different devices:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and navigate to the Apps section.
Force restart the messenger app on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. After that, look for the Messenger app in the Apps section, either using the search bar (🔎) or scrolling, then tap on it.
Force restart the messenger app on mobile

  1. Next, tap the Force stop (🚫) button to stop all the running operations of the Messenger app in that particular second.
Force restart the messenger app on mobile

For iOS

  1. Press the volume up (🔊) button on the left of the iPhone and then press the volume down (🔉) below the volume up button. Then, press the Power button and hold it until the Power Off screen appears.
  2. Next, tap on AssistiveTouch Ball, tap on the Home option and hold it until the lock screen pops up.
  3. Lastly, enter your iPhone’s password (🔐) to move further. Once you do this, the screen will blink for a second, and all the apps running in the background will reset.

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS)

For Windows

  1. Press the Windows key (⌨️) on your keyboard to open the Search Box (🔎) and type Task Manager.
Force restart the messenger app on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Next, select Task Manager from the Best match section to open the Task Manager utility on your Windows PC.
Force restart the messenger app on desktop

  1. Then, please search for the Messenger app in the Processes tab of the Task Manager app and select it.
Force restart the messenger app on desktop

  1. Lastly, click on End task (🚫) in the top ribbon menu to stop all the current operations of the app.
Force restart the messenger app on desktop

For macOS

  1. Firstly, use the Option + Command + Esc keyboard shortcut to launch the Force Quit Applications tab on your PC.
  2. Once the Force Quit Applications window is opened, select the Messenger app and click on the Force Quit option.

We hope you can now get Messenger to push notifications without such issues.

10. Allow Unrestricted Data Usage of the Facebook App

One of the most common reasons behind this issue is restricted background data usage 🚫. To let the Messenger app send notifications, you need to allow the app to run in the background and use storage. This way, the app will be able to send messages even when you’re using it to help you stay notified.

This section explains how you can allow the Messenger app to run in the background and send notifications.

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your smartphone, navigate to the Apps section, and search for the Messenger app.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Now, move to the Data usage or Mobile data usage section and enable the Allow background data usage option.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on mobile

  1. Then, ensure the All data usage while data saver is on option is turned on (🔛) to let the app use the internet even if the Battery saving mode is enabled.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on mobile

For iOS

  1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your iPhone, move to the General section, and tap Background app refresh.
  2. Now, search for the Messenger app in the list and ensure the toggle next to it is enabled (🔛). If it isn’t allowed, tap on the toggle to enable it.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

  1. To begin, press the Windows + I key combination to open the Settings app (⚙️) and then move to the Apps section from the left navigation pane.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger not working

  1. Then proceed to the Installed apps section and search for the Messenger app in the app list using the search box.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on desktop

  1. Now, click on the three dots (…) and then select Advanced options from the dropdown to open the advanced app settings.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on desktop

  1. In the end, scroll down (🤳) to the Background app permissions and set it to Always (🔛) to let it run in the background.
Allow unrestricted data usage of the Facebook app on desktop

Once everything is done, open the Messenger app on your device and re-login.

11. Clear the Facebook Messenger App Cache

This is another standard solution we recommend to users when an app or service stops functioning correctly. We all know what cache files are and how corrupted cache files can affect the app’s functioning. Like other apps, corrupted app cache files can affect the Messenger app’s functioning. So, you can try clearing the Facebook Messenger app cache 🗑️ and see if it resolves the issue. Here are the steps to do the same:

For Mobile Users (Android)

For Android

  1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and navigate to the Apps section to view all the applications installed.
Clear the Facebook Messenger app cache on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Now, search for the Messenger app in the Apps section, and tap on it to open the app’s properties section.
Clear the Facebook Messenger app cache on mobile

  1. At last, move to the Storage (💾) section in the properties section and tap on the Clear cache (🗑️) option to clear the app’s cache on the device.
Clear the Facebook Messenger app cache on mobile

You should now be able to receive Messenger push notifications without any delay or failure. 😀

12. Clear the Web Browser Cache and Cookies

If you’re facing this issue in the web version of Facebook Messenger, then we have an easy solution for you. Clearing the browser’s cache and cookies (🗑️) can also quickly resolve the issue with the web browser. This will ensure all the corrupted cache has been deleted and all the problems are eliminated.

You can follow the below-mentioned steps to clear the cache of Google Chrome and Safari:

For Desktop Users (Windows & macOS)

For Windows (Google Chrome)

  1. Open the Google Chrome Browser on your device, and press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keyboard shortcut to open the Clear browsing data pop-up.
Clear the web browser cache and cookies on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Lastly, check all the checkboxes, including Cached images and files, and then click on Clear data (🗑️) to clear all the browsing data.
Clear the web browser cache and cookies on desktop

For macOS (Safari)

  1. Firstly, open the Safari Browser on your Mac PC and then press the Command, Shift and Delete keys simultaneously to open the History panel.
  2. Then, click on the Reset Safari option, check all the options, and then click on Reset to delete all the temporary cache and cookies data.

That’s it! Now check the status of the issue with the Messenger app.

13. Update Facebook Messenger App

Most users started facing this issue during the research after updating the Messenger app to the latest version. It could be possible that the new update was incompatible with the device, which led to this issue. The best way to fix these annoying bugs and incompatibility issues is to check if developers have released another app update to resolve these issues.

We suggest updating the app from the native app store to download the latest build. Follow the mentioned steps to update the Messenger app:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. To start, open Google Play Store on your Android smartphone and search for the Messenger app.
Update the Facebook Messenger app on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Now, tap on the Messenger app in the search results and tap the Update button next to it to start updating the app.
Update the Facebook Messenger app on mobile

For iOS

  1. First, open the Apple App Store on your iPhone and tap on your Profile Photo at the top right corner.
  2. Now, search for the Facebook Messenger app in the Upcoming Automatic Updates section.
  3. Next, tap on Update next to the Facebook Messenger app to start updating the app instantly.

Note: The same steps apply to Mac or macOS users.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. To begin, open the Microsoft Store program on your Windows PC and click on the Library icon at the screen’s bottom left corner.
Update the Facebook Messenger app on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Now, search for the Messenger app in the Updates section and click on the Update button next to it to update the app.
Update the Facebook Messenger app on desktop

Once the app is updated, open it on the device, and check if the issue is resolved.

14. Uninstall & Reinstall the Facebook Messenger App

If updating the Messenger app doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try re-installing the app 🔄 on the device. Doing this will ensure all the problems have been eliminated with the reinstallation of the Messenger app. Follow the below-mentioned to know the entire process of re-installing the app on different devices:

Note: Make sure to uninstall the previous version of the Messenger app from the device before following the below-mentioned steps.

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. First, open Google Play Store on your smartphone and tap the search bar (🔎) at the top to open it.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Next, type Messenger in the search box and press the Search key on the phone’s keyboard to view the search results.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on mobile

  1. Now, tap the Install (⏬) button next to the Messenger app in the search results to install it on the device.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on mobile

For iOS

  1. To start, open the Apple App Store on your iPhone and search for the Messenger app using the search box.
  2. Lastly, tap on the Download (⏬) option beside the Messenger app to install it on the current device.

Note: The same steps apply to Mac or macOS users.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. First, launch the Microsoft Store program on your Windows PC, and click on the Search icon (🔎) at the top.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Then type Messenger in the search box, and press the Enter key (⌨️) to search for the app on the store.
  2. Once the search results are in front of you, click on the Install (⏬) option beside the app name to start installing it.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on desktop

Once the Facebook Messenger app is installed on the device, launch it and log in with your Facebook account. You should now receive notifications when someone sends you a message on Facebook or make a call to you.

15. Update Your Affected Device

It could be possible that the bugs are within the device on which you’re using the Messenger app. OEMs consistently monitor their operating systems and push regular updates to fix the bugs within the device. Likely, the developers have already released the updates with a fix, and you haven’t downloaded it yet.

Thus, you can try updating your affected device and see if it resolves the issue. Below are the exact steps to update operating systems like Windows, macOS, etc.

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. As always, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and move to the Software update section.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Once you move to the Software update section, the device will start scanning for new OS updates. If it shows some updates on the display, tap on the Download & install (⏬) option to install it on your device.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on mobile

For iOS

  1. You must first open Settings (⚙️) of your iPhone and move to its General section and then the Software Update section.
  2. Now, wait until the OS is searching for new updates. If it finds some new iOS updates, tap on the Download & Install (⏬) button to install them.

Note: If it’s already updated to the latest version, it’ll display a message saying, “Your software/device is up to date.”

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your PC, either using the Windows + I keyboard shortcut or manually.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications

  1. Now, select Windows Update from the bottom of the left navigation pane and click on Check for updates (🔄) to scan for new Windows updates.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on desktop

  1. Lastly, click on the Download & install (⏬) option to install the pending Windows updates and wait for it to install.
Uninstall and reinstall the Facebook Messenger app on desktop

Once the PC/smartphone is updated, re-install the Facebook Messenger app (Fix #14) on your device and check the issue’s status. We hope the issue is resolved now.

16. Reset the Device’s Network Settings

According to some users, faulty network settings could be the reason behind this issue in the Messenger app. The incorrect network settings could also be the reason behind slow or unsteady internet speed 📶. In this case, you can try resetting the network settings of the affected device and see if it resolves the issue.

Follow the below-mentioned steps to reset your device’s network settings in a few simple steps:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your smartphone and navigate to the General management section.
Reset the device's network settings on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Then, tap on the Reset option in the General section and tap on the Reset network settings (🗑️) option.
Reset the device's network settings on mobile

  1. Now, tap on the Reset settings option and then enter your phone’s password (🔐) to start the reset process.
Reset the device's network settings on mobile

For iOS

  1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your iPhone, move to the General section, and then Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  2. In the Transfer or Reset iPhone section, tap on Reset and select Reset Network Settings from the pop-up menu.
  3. Enter your iPhone’s password (🔐) to initiate the smartphone reset process.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. First, press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Windows Search Box (🔎) and type Settings.
Reset the device's network settings on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Now, choose the Settings app (⚙️) from the Best match section and then move to the Network & internet from the left sidebar.
Reset the device's network settings on desktop

  1. Next, click on the Advanced network settings (📶) and select the Network reset option from the More settings section.
Reset the device's network settings on desktop

  1. Lastly, click the Reset now (🗑️) option next to Network Reset to reset the PC’s network settings to default.
Reset the device's network settings on desktop

Once done, set up the smartphone/computer and re-install the Messenger app (Fix #14) on your device. You should now be able to use the Messenger app.

17. Reset the Affected Device

If resetting the network settings doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try resetting the entire device. Resetting the device will make sure all the problems in the device have been fixed, and they won’t appear again. This will also set the device’s settings to their default state.

So, if the issue appeared due to a problem in the device settings, that will also be fixed during the reset process. You can reset your device and fix all the issues with the device. Here are the steps to reset your device:

For Mobile Users (Android & iOS)

For Android

  1. Firstly, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and navigate to the General section of the app.
Reset the affected device on mobile to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

  1. Lastly, tap on Reset in the General section and tap on the Factory data reset option (🗑️) to reset your smartphone to the default configurations.
Reset the affected device on mobile

For iOS

  1. Firstly, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your iPhone, move to the General section, and then Transfer or Reset iPhone (📱).
  2. In the Transfer or Reset iPhone section, tap on Reset all content and settings (🗑️) to reset the entire smartphone.
  3. You need to enter your iPhone’s password now (🔐) to remove all the content from the iPhone and reset the settings to the default state.

For Desktop Users (Windows)

For Windows

  1. Firstly, open Settings (⚙️) on your Windows 11 PC by pressing the Windows + I keyboard shortcut.
Reset the affected device on desktop to fix Facebook Messenger notifications not working

  1. Next, click on Recovery in the System section (🖥️) and then click on Reset (🗑️) to move to the reset settings.
Reset the affected device on desktop

  1. Click Reset PC (🗑️) under the Recovery options section to remove everything on your PC.
Reset the affected device on desktop

  1. Lastly, select the Remove everything option in the Reset this PC pop-up to remove all the data in your system’s storage drives.
Reset the affected device on desktop

Once the above mentioned process is completed, re-install the Messenger app on your device (Fix #14) from the native application store. After re-installing the app, you should now receive Messenger push notifications without such previous issues.

18. Request Help From Facebook

If nothing helps resolve the issue, the last option is to take help from Facebook Help Support ☎️. Facebook has a dedicated help forum with many helpful troubleshooting and walkthrough guides that help users easily use Facebook and its other platforms. You can visit the Facebook Help Centre and search for the issue you’re facing with the Messenger app.

We tried searching for the same issue on the Facebook Help Centre and found a lot of helpful troubleshooting guides with some working solutions. You should try this resolution, and we hope this helps you resolve the issue.

Request help from Facebook to fix Facebook Messenger notification not working

Conclusion

We all use the Facebook Messenger app to chat with friends and family. Most of the time, it notifies us about receiving new messages and calls on the account. But sometimes, it fails to send alerts, and that “Sometimes” becomes “Daily.” 😔

Similarly, many users recently said that the Messenger app isn’t sending notifications of messages and calls, even if the notifications are enabled. 🙁 Thankfully, this issue can be fixed with the help of some simple troubleshooting 😮‍💨, and we did the same in this guide. Here in this article, we shared the 18 tried and tested solutions ⚒️ that can help you overcome the Facebook Messenger notification not working issue.

We suggest trying all the workarounds mentioned above in the said order to resolve this issue asap. Also, share your experience with this troubleshooting guide by answering some simple questions listed below ⬇️:

  1. Did we help you fix the issues with the Messenger app?
  2. Did any of the workarounds mentioned above work for you?
  3. Which of the solutions discussed above was the easiest to implement and most effective?
  4. Do you have other workarounds that worked for you, and we can say them on the list?

By the way, share this guide with someone who’s also facing the same issues receiving Messenger notifications 😀

Frequently Asked Questions About the Facebook Messenger Notifications Not Working Issue

Why Is the Messenger Not Notifying Me When I Have a Message?

It could be possible that the notifications for the Messenger app are disabled. You need to enable the notifications for the Facebook Messenger app from the Settings app. You can check Fix 4 & Fix #5 for a detailed explanation.

Why Are My Facebook Messenger Notifications Not Working?

There could be several reasons behind the ill-functioning of the Facebook Messenger app. But one of the most common reasons is the bugs within the app. The only way to fix these bugs is to update the Messenger app. You can check Fix #13 to know the actual process.

How Do I Get Messenger Notifications Back?

To receive Facebook Messenger push notifications, you must ensure the app can send alerts for new messages and calls. You must enable the in-app notifications option (Fix #5) and Messenger’s system notifications option (Fix #4) from Settings.

Why Am I Suddenly Not Getting Notifications on Facebook?

In some cases, it’s found that the Facebook Messenger app wasn’t allowed to run in the background, which led to this issue. To receive push notifications from Messenger, you need to allow Messenger and Facebook apps to run in the background. You can check Fix #5 for a detailed explanation.

Why Don’t I Get Messenger Notifications on My iPhone?

Many users reported that the Messenger app stopped sending notifications after updating their iPhones to the new iOS 16. The latest update likely had some bugs, affecting the Messenger app’s functioning. This could be the same with you. To solve this issue, you can try updating the iPhone (Fix #15) to the latest version.

Written by Harshit Arora

Harshit Arora is a versatile tech writer with a Bachelor of Business Administration from CPJ College. Harshit's in-depth knowledge in technology and curiosity to learn and try various digital devices and services makes him a valuable contributor to the Pletaura team. With his expertise in troubleshooting different technology problems, both offline and online, Harshit is able to find the best working solutions and exhibit the best of his knowledge through his writing. With his commitment to performing in-depth research, Harshit ensures that his content is informative, accurate, while engaging for readers.

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