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How to Fix Instagram Notifications not Working Issue

Written by Kelly Houstan

Instagram is one of the most famous social media apps in 2020. However, imagine not being able to get any Instagram notifications on your Android or iOS device at all? The same is being reported via a number of users, and today we take a look at why the Instagram notifications, also not working issue occurs in the first place and how you can fix it without even breaking your phone! Just read this article to know all about How to Fix Instagram Notifications not Working Issues. Let’s start!

Today, as we live our lives via these tiny yet powerful mobile devices, notifications are what actually keep us updated about what is going around us or at least point us towards the direction of where the action is actually taking place. Notifications are one of the main reasons that we check our smartphones, this especially rings true in the case of social media applications as well.

Because of its launch in 2010, Instagram, an image-based social media juggernaut has also been updating us through constant notifications about who actually has recently liked or commented on our photos. We stay updated about who actually has sent us a direct message or recently followed us through notifications.

How to Fix Instagram Notifications not Working Issue

Imagine, waiting days for your crush in order to reply to your DM only to realize that they had instantly replied. However, you weren’t notified about it. Notifications are especially important for messages as most of us actually don’t check our inboxes mostly. Missing an update about a live stream from your favorite celebrity can also lead to serious FOMO. Another case is when someone actually accepts your follow request, there is no other way to check except manually visiting their account in order to verify. That is incredibly frustrating. One can even miss a new post or story notification that defeats the entire purpose.

Notifications actually play a huge part in deciding how much, when, why, and how often we open the application in order to check our feed or inbox. Yet, one of the most common issues reported via Android as well as iOS Instagrammers is ‘not getting notifications’ as well.

Well, in this article, we will go over the reasons for the ‘Instagram Notifications Not Working’ error and then proceed in order to fix it.

What are the causes of the ‘Instagram Notification not Working’ Issue?

There are a few common scenarios that trigger this specific issue.

  • Push Notification Settings: Many times, the push notifications settings are turn off inside the Instagram application that leads to no notifications from the application.
  • Corruption of Cache data: Like many other applications, Instagram saves cache on your device in order to avoid the need to redownload images files. Corruption of which can actually indirectly affect notifications.
  • Application malfunctions: In many cases, the Instagram application itself may also be facing some issues in order to cause the malfunction.
  • Device’s notification setting: In many cases, notification settings in your specific device may block or silence the notifications sent via an application.
  • Account synchronization: Instagram settings are synced along with the account. Changes made on one device can also influence performance in many other devices.

There are a few different methods in order to resolve the issue in Android as well as iOS and we have compiled a list of all the solutions below.

Check Instagram’s Notification Setting

As Instagram has actually separate notification settings for Direct Messages, Comments, Likes, IGTV, Video Chats, Live Video, as well. Push notification settings may be accidentally turned off via the user, stopping the outbound notifications. Changing this setting is actually the easiest method in order to start receiving notifications again.

  • First of all, open the Instagram application on your phone and click on the circular profile icon located on the bottom right of your screen.
  • Then you have to tap on the hamburger menu icon located on the top right corner.
  • At the bottom of the slide-in menu, you guys will find the ‘Settings’ options. Tap on it in order to open Instagram Settings.
  • In the Settings menu, just choose the ‘Notifications’ options. Inside Notifications settings, click on the ‘Push Notifications’ option.
  • Just make sure the toggle switch next to ‘Mute Push Notification’ is turned off.
  • Then proceed to make sure that the ‘off’ option isn’t selected under any individual sections. As per your preference and also needs, you can also select between getting notifications from everyone or only the people that you follow.

That’s it, just go back to the main menu and now, Instagram will also keep you notified about your account activities.

Turn off  ‘Do Not Disturb Mode’

Do Not Disturb Mode or DND mode is also available in both Android and iPhone. When enabled, your phone will then temporarily block or silence any incoming notifications, alerts, phone calls, and also text messages. Deactivating or turning DND mode off should bring back Instagram notifications on your device as well.

In an iOS Device

  • Head to your device’s settings and then click on ‘Do Not Disturb’.
  • Just make sure the toggle switch next to ‘Do Not Disturb’ as well as ‘Scheduled’ is turned off as well.
  • Scroll further down and then look for ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ and choose ‘Manually’ next in order to ‘Activate’.

In an Android Device

  • First of all, open Settings and click on ‘Sound & Vibration
  • Find ‘Do Not Disturb’ and then click on it.
  • Proceed in order to make sure the switch is turning off.

Disable Power Saving Modes | instagram notifications not working

In order to save and extend battery life, modern phones also have battery-saving modes that are automatically enabled whenever your phone is low on battery. When enabled, applications running in the background do not refresh, that in some cases cause a delay or block incoming notifications as well. Disabling this mode might be helpful in getting your Instagram notifications back on track as well.

In an iPhone, you have to open the Settings application and scroll down to choose the ‘Battery’ setting. Turn off the toggle switch next to ‘Low Power Mode’ as well.

In Android, you have to choose ‘Battery’ inside the settings menu. Click on ‘Battery Saver’ and turn it off.

Check your phone’s Instagram Notification Settings

Phone notification settings act just like the gatekeeper to what notifications are display on your mobile device. If these notification settings are turn off then it doesn’t really matter what the particular application settings are. Thus, making sure that these are turn on as well is important.

In an iOS device

  • First of all, open Settings on your iPhone and tap on ‘Notifications’.
  • A list of all applications will then appear in alphabetical order, scroll down in order to find ‘Instagram’ and click on the arrow next to it.
  • Make sure the toggle switch next to ‘Allow Notifications’ is then turned on.

In an Android device

  • First, open the ‘Settings’ application on your phone. Scroll via the list of settings and then tap on Notifications or directly search for the same in the search bar, most of the time located on the top.
  • When in the ‘Apps & Notifications’ Setting, find Instagram among others and then choose it.
  • Then turn on the toggle switch next to ‘Show Notification’.

instagram notifications not working

  • When enabled, then make sure all the individual settings are turned on as well.

Now check if you guys are able to fix Instagram Notifications not working issue or not? If not then continue along with the next method.

Restart your phone | instagram notifications not working

If all the above-mentioned settings are perfectly in place and then you still aren’t getting notified. Then try restarting your phone once. Restarting your device is actually the first step and the go-to solution whenever troubleshooting a technical problem.

Update the Instagram Application

In a lot of cases, Instagram Notifications don’t work because of a bug in the application itself. Instagram itself is aware of a few bugs and issues that a user may also come across. Thus along with each and every update, it tries to fix them. Hence, updating the application may also prove helpful.

In Android devices, a user can also check the ‘Play Store’ for any new updates of the application.

You can use the ‘App Store’ in iPhones to look for new updates.

Re-install the application on your device

Whenever an application is reinstall on your phone all the data and options are reset to the default ones. This includes giving the application the necessary permissions whenever asked.

  • In order to uninstall the application, open the ‘App Store’ in an iPhone or ‘Play Store’ in Android and type ‘Instagram’ in the search bar as well. Whenever found, click on ‘Uninstall’ and confirm via tapping on Ok in the following confirmation message as well.
  • Restart your device when the uninstallation process is complete as well.
  • Head to your ‘App Store’ or ‘Play Store’ again and reinstall the application. When the process is complete, then log into your account and give the application all the important permissions, specifically the one about notifications.

Clearing Cache Data in Instagram | instagram notifications not working

Cache data is useful in saving the information of the user on the device as well. It also helps the application in completing the task faster. Social media applications are mega cache hoarders and also their data can easily get corrupt or broken as well. Corrupted cache data can also cause the application in order to malfunction and cause problems for the user. Thus clearing them every now and then is important as well.

  • Before you guys start the cache clearing process, we then recommend that you log out of your account first.

Just visit the Instagram Settings menu (process mentioned in the initial steps of method 1)

  • Then tap on ‘Log Out All Accounts’ at the bottom of the screen and exit the application.
  • Now open Settings on your phone and type ‘Application’ or ‘Apps’ in the search bar. In there, just find a list of all applications on the device. Search for ‘Instagram’ and click on it in order to open it.
  • Choose ‘Storage & Cache’ in order to proceed.
  • Click on ‘Clear Cache’ in order to delete all cache data.
  • Then verify if the cache data has been cleared via the amount of memory occupied through the same. 0 B implies all cache has been cleared.

instagram notifications not working

  • Reboot your phone when and log back into your Instagram account to check as well.

Check Notification settings from a different device

Instagram notifications are synce along with your Instagram account. So if you guys have made changes in one device they will automatically change in the others as well. Hence, checking the setting in multiple devices is important as well.

Such as if you guys disable notifications on your iPad, and then they will turn off in your Android device as well. If none of the above-mentioned methods did the trick for you as well. Then consider reporting the issue at hand to Instagram itself and now wait for their official response.

You can do that by visiting Instagram settings and tapping on ‘Help’ in order to report the problem.

Conclusion

Well, That is all from my side. If you want to know more about this article or have any queries. Then feel free to ask me anything in the comments section below.

Have a Good Day!

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About the author

Kelly Houstan

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