How to Fix Instagram Notifications Not Appearing?

If you find that Instagram notifications are not coming through to your device, there is a chance that you may miss important updates on your account. This issue is usually caused by improperly configured permission settings, a software bug or a glitch, or even interruption-limiting features, like Do Not Disturb, Airplane Mode and Instagram’s very own Sleep mode.

1. Allow Instagram’s App Notifications

When you can’t receive any of your Instagram notifications on your device, the first step, naturally, is to check the app’s notification settings. It is possible that push notifications for Instagram aren’t allowed on your device in the first place.

Since Instagram always asks for user consent when the app is installed for the first time, it is possible that the user didn’t agree to the message dialog. To enable push notifications on your device:

1. Open the Instagram app, and tap on your profile icon at the bottom right-hand side.
2. Tap the three horizontal line menu icon at the top right-hand side of the screen.
3. Select Settings > Notifications.
4. From the list of notifications, tap on those that you wish to receive on your device.

2. Check if Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb is Enabled

When Do Not Disturb (DND) or Airplane Mode is enabled, your phone essentially halts all incoming notifications from reaching you. In DND, all your notifications are silenced; there’s no sound or vibration, but they are still visible. In Airplane mode, you’re disconnected from all networks, and the notifications fail to reach you in the first place.

To resolve this issue, make sure that you have disabled both Airplane mode and DND on your device, which can be done from within the phone’s settings.

3. Disable Battery Saving Mode

On most mobile devices, battery saving mode is automatically enabled once the charge level drops below a certain level. The user may not notice this and, during this timeframe, may miss any important notifications. While the battery saving mode doesn’t “block” notifications per se, it does silence them in most cases.

4. Check Your Internet Connection

At times, even if you’re connected to a network, you may not receive an active internet response. This means that any notifications on your Instagram account and app may not be displayed or go through to your device. In such cases, there’s no issue with any of the notification settings, and it is hard to diagnose, especially if you use a targeted data plan.

Ensure that the app in question is active and working on your current connection. If you’re on mobile data, make sure that Instagram isn’t throttled by your ISP. For more details, it is advised that you contact your concerned data provider.

5. Check if Sleep Mode is Enabled on Instagram

Instagram has its proprietary “Sleep Mode“, which is designed to help users take a breather away from the app. It silences notifications and sends automated responses to direct messages. When this is enabled, you may not receive any notifications on your account.

To check if Sleep Mode is enabled on your account:

1. Open Instagram, and tap on your profile picture at the bottom right-hand side of the screen.
2. Tap on the three horizontal line menu icon at the top right-hand side.
3. Tap on Settings > Time management > Sleep mode.
4. Flip the toggle to turn Sleep Mode on or off.

6. Restart Your Device

There’s a chance that a software glitch or bug is causing the issue. This can especially be identified if, other than Instagram, all other apps’ notifications aren’t going through as well. A simple restart can solve issues that are otherwise hard to explain.

Power off your device, boot it up again, reconnect to any wireless networks, and check to see if the issue still persists.

7. Update the Instagram App

If all else fails, make sure that you have the latest version of the app running on your phone. Often, when the app is updated, older versions may fail to work properly, resulting in a poor experience. If you have any issues with the way newer versions take more space or use more internet, you can always opt for the toned-down Instagram Lite.

8. Check if You’re Logged Into the Correct Account

At times, it may seem like you’re logged into a certain account, perhaps one that has a lot of activity on it, only to find out that the Instagram app has a different account logged in. This would mean that no notifications for the account that is logged out will come through to you. Simply open the app and verify that the account in question is the same as the one that is logged in.