There are a few common reasons why you may have suddenly stopped receiving notifications from the Facebook Messenger app:
Notifications are turned off
The most obvious cause is that your notifications have been turned off for Messenger. To check this:
- Open the Messenger app
- Tap your profile picture in the top left
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Notifications
- Make sure notifications are turned on for the categories you want (messages, group chats, calls, etc.)
You may have accidentally toggled notifications off at some point, so just re-enable them for Messenger.
Do Not Disturb is on
Your phone’s Do Not Disturb setting blocks notifications when enabled. Check if this is turned on by:
- On iPhone, swipe down from the top of the screen and confirm Do Not Disturb is off
- On Android, open Settings and make sure Do Not Disturb is disabled
If Do Not Disturb was switched on, toggling it back off should allow Messenger notifications to come through again.
Outdated app version
Using an outdated version of the Messenger app can also prevent notifications from working properly. Make sure you’re running the latest version of Messenger by:
- On iPhone, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and check for any available Messenger updates
- On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile picture, go to My Apps & Games > Installed > Messenger and update it if an update is available
Background app refreshing is disabled
The Messenger app needs to run in the background in order to fetch notifications. If background app refreshing is disabled, notifications may not come through.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and make sure it’s enabled
- On Android, open Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access > Background and ensure Messenger has permission
Notifications are personalized
Messenger allows you to personalize notifications for individual chats and groups. It’s possible you have notifications turned off for a particular conversation:
- Open the chat/group where you’re missing notifications
- Tap the name at the top and hit Customize Notifications
- Make sure notifications are enabled
Do this for all your chats if needed.
Facebook notification settings
Since Messenger is part of Facebook, your Facebook notification settings can also affect Messenger:
- In Facebook, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Notifications
- Confirm notifications are enabled for Messenger
This ensures notifications are allowed through your Facebook account to Messenger.
Notification access is disabled
On Android, the Messenger app needs notification access permission to send notifications. Check this by:
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Notification access
- Make sure Messenger is enabled
Grant notification access if it was disabled.
Notifications disabled for Facebook account
If you’ve turned off all notifications for your Facebook account, this will prevent Messenger notifications as well. Turn them back on:
- On desktop, click the arrow in the top right > Settings & privacy > Settings > Notifications
- On mobile, tap Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Notifications
- Make sure Allow Notifications is enabled
Messenger lite app
If you use Messenger Lite instead of the regular Messenger app, you may miss notifications due to the stripped down nature of the Lite version. The full Messenger app is required for proper notifications across all platforms.
Other Facebook notifications blocked
If you’ve blocked Facebook notifications from a particular person, page, group, or app, this can unintentionally block Messenger notifications as well. Double check your blocked notifications:
- Desktop: Settings & Privacy > Settings > Blocked > Block Settings
- Mobile: Menu > Settings & Privacy > Block Settings
Unblock anything you want notifications from.
Too many Facebook notifications
If you have notifications enabled for many different Facebook apps and features, Messenger notifications can get lost in the mix. Try trimming down your Facebook notifications to just Messenger to see if that helps.
Disabled Messenger as default
On Android, if you’ve disabled Messenger as the default SMS app, this can interfere with its notifications.
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Default apps > SMS app
- Make sure Messenger is enabled as the default
Notifications disabled by carrier
Some carriers allow users to disable notifications from specific apps like Facebook or Messenger. Contact your carrier to check if this is the case.
caching issue
Sometimes a caching issue on your phone can prevent new notifications from coming through properly in Messenger or other apps. Try force closing and clearing the cache of the Messenger app to see if that fixes the issue:
- Close Messenger from your recent apps list
- On iPhone, hold down the power button and tap to clear the Messenger cache
- On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Messenger > Storage > Clear Cache
Reopen Messenger and test if notifications are now working again.
Out of storage space
If your phone is very low on storage space, this can interfere with Messenger’s ability to fetch notifications properly. Try freeing up space on your device:
- Delete apps, photos, videos and other files you no longer need
- Transfer photos/videos to a computer or cloud storage
- Manage and clear large app caches
Giving Messenger room to work may get notifications functional again.
Restricted by firewall or network
Corporate firewalls, school/work WiFi networks, VPNs, and other restrictive networks can block Messenger notifications and access. Try on a different personal WiFi or cellular data connection.
System software/OS is outdated
Make sure your phone is running the latest OS version and security patches. Outdated system software can disrupt notifications for many apps.
Account security changed
If your Facebook or Messenger account had security changes like a new password or two-factor authentication enabled, this can sometimes reset notification settings. Double check that notifications are enabled.
Messenger is battery optimized
Android can restrict Messenger’s background notification functionality if it’s battery optimized. Disable this:
- Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Battery optimization
- Tap Messenger and select “Don’t optimize”
Time/date incorrect
If your phone’s time and date are incorrect, the Messenger app may not be able to fetch notifications properly. Confirm your device’s time/date are set correctly.
Bad connection or no internet
Without an internet connection, Messenger can’t retrieve notifications from Facebook’s servers. Make sure you’re connected to the internet and Messenger is not restricted by any firewalls.
Account error
In rare cases, a Facebook/Messenger account error can disrupt notifications. Try reinstalling the Messenger app or logging out and back into your Facebook account.
Device specific issues
Certain device models are known to have problems with Messenger notifications due to device-specific compatibility issues. Look online to see if others with your device have notification problems.
Conclusion
Here are some key points to remember when troubleshooting Messenger notification issues:
- Check notification settings within Messenger, Facebook, and your device
- Update apps, OS, and disable battery optimizations
- Clear caches and free up storage space
- Use personal networks and disable firewalls/VPNs
- Reinstall apps or log out and back into accounts
Following tutorials specific to your phone model may help as well. If issues persist across devices, contact Messenger support. Notifications not working properly in Messenger can be frustrating, but methodically working through the potential causes should reveal what’s going wrong.
Troubleshooting Notification Issues by Platform
Here is some additional troubleshooting advice for notification issues on specific platforms:
iPhone Notification Troubleshooting
- Confirm Messenger notifications are enabled in Settings > Notifications > Messenger
- Check Do Not Disturb settings have not blocked Messenger
- Toggle notifications off and on again in Messenger settings
- Force close Messenger from the app switcher
Android Notification Troubleshooting
- Check notification settings under Apps & Notifications > Messenger
- Confirm Messenger has notification access enabled
- Clear Messenger app cache and data
- Check if battery optimization is enabled for Messenger
Windows Notification Troubleshooting
- Open Notifications & Actions settings > find Messenger > toggle notifications on
- Go to System > Notifications & Actions > check Messenger notification settings
- Sign out and back into the Messenger app
Mac Notification Troubleshooting
- Click Apple menu > System Preferences > Notifications and check Messenger
- Launch Messenger, go to Preferences > Notifications
- Reset Mac notification permissions for Messenger
Isolating the issue by device platform can help uncover platform-specific causes like notification settings or OS/app version conflicts.
Common Notification Errors
Here are some specific notification errors people may encounter in Messenger and how to fix them:
“Notifications Aren’t Working Properly Right Now”
This generic error typically means there is a temporary technical issue on Facebook’s end. Try:
- Force closing and reopening the app
- Updating Messenger to the latest version
- Disabling and re-enabling notifications
- Restarting your device
The error should clear on its own soon.
“Couldn’t Refresh Feed”
This means Messenger is having trouble fetching updates from Facebook’s servers. Solutions include:
- Check your internet connection
- Disable VPNs or firewalls temporarily
- Clear Messenger app cache and data
- Reinstall the Messenger app
“Notifications Aren’t Supported With Multiple Accounts”
If you’re logged into multiple Facebook accounts in Messenger, notifications may be disabled. Use Messenger with only one account logged in.
“This Person Isn’t Available Right Now”
This indicates the person you’re trying to message has messaging disabled. They need to enable it for you to send notifications.
Error Codes
Error codes like err_cdn_server or HTTP 500 indicate temporary technical issues on Facebook’s end. Try the typical troubleshooting steps of reinstalling the app, restarting your device, re-enabling notifications, etc.
Diagnosing Notification Delays
If notifications are delayed by varying amounts of time, try these steps to potentially diagnose and resolve the delay causes:
- Check if Do Not Disturb schedules are delaying notifications during certain times
- See if disabling battery optimizations improves notification timing
- Try resetting notification settings to default
- Rule out poor network connectivity elongating delays
- Reprioritize Messenger’s importance in notification settings
- Disable unnecessary Facebook notifications cluttering the pipeline
Temporary delays are common, but consistently late notifications require investigation into platform restrictions, resource usage, and notification channels.
Preventing Messenger Notification Issues
Here are some tips to avoid Messenger notification problems in the first place:
- Keep apps, OS, and device software updated
- Don’t overload device storage
- Disable battery optimizations for Messenger
- Avoid unnecessary Facebook notifications
- Use Messenger as the default SMS app on Android
- Clear app caches and restart device regularly
Keeping up with updates, giving Messenger resources, and limiting notification channels helps optimize performance and prevent issues.
Conclusion
Missing Messenger notifications can be incredibly frustrating. But whether settings were changed, optimizations are restricting Messenger, or Facebook is having technical difficulties – identifying the cause through systematic troubleshooting allows you to pinpoint solutions and get notifications working again properly.