Alex Ruben
How To Troubleshoot WhatsApp Messages Not Coming Through in 2025
If WhatsApp isn’t alerting you about new messages on an iPhone, it’s pretty annoying. Sometimes, you open the app and realize messages have piled up… or worse, you never get notified at all. It’s not always clear what’s causing it, but there are some common tweaks that can fix most of these problems. Here’s what’s worked, at least for me and a few friends who’ve been through the same mess.
Step 1: Check the internet connection (seriously, don’t skip this)
You’d think this goes without saying, but yeah—if your iPhone doesn’t have a solid internet connection, WhatsApp won’t fetch new messages. Load up Safari or any browser and try opening a website.
- Open Safari or whatever else you use.
- Visit a page — say, google.com.
- If it loads fine, you’re good. If not, fix your Wi-Fi or cellular data first.
Because of course, WhatsApp needs internet, and no amount of toggling settings will fix a dead connection.
Step 2: Make sure background app refresh is enabled for WhatsApp
This helps WhatsApp fetch messages in the background, so you don’t have to open the app every time. If it’s off, messages might get stuck—until you open it manually.
- Go to Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap on Background App Refresh.
- Find WhatsApp in the list and toggle it on.
It’s weird how sometimes, toggling this can be fussy—on one setup it works right away, on another, you need a reboot or even fiddle with it a bit longer.
Step 3: Turn off Low Power Mode (because it limits background stuff)
This mode is supposed to save battery, but it’s also a pain for notifications. Turn it off temporarily and see if your messages start arriving again.
- Open Settings.
- Tap on Battery.
- If Low Power Mode is on, disable it.
Sometimes, even with Low Power Mode off, notifications are sluggish or delayed, but it’s worth a shot.
Step 4: Check that WhatsApp notifications are enabled
If notifications are disabled or overly restricted, you won’t get alerts. Double-check to be sure.
- Open Settings.
- Tap on Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap WhatsApp.
- Make sure Allow Notifications is turned on, with sounds and banners toggled as preferred.
Sometimes, notifications get toggled off by accident, or you change a setting and forget about it. Check on this if messages aren’t alerting.
Step 5: Restart your iPhone
A bit of a cliché, but restarting often flushes out weird glitches—like notification hiccups or background process bugs.
- Press and hold the Power button until the slider appears.
- Slide to power off, wait a few seconds.
- Hold the Power button again to turn it back on.
On some devices, this might not fix everything overnight, but it’s an easy step that’s worth trying.
Extra tips & common pitfalls
Because of course, WhatsApp has its quirky quirks.
- Make sure your app is totally up to date via the App Store. Sometimes, updates fix bugs that cause message delays.
- If the problem sticks around, consider uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp. Just back up your chats first, or you might lose stuff. (Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.)
- Double-check if you’re running a VPN or firewall apps that could block WhatsApp traffic, especially on some custom setups or jailbroken iPhones.
Conclusion
If you run through these steps, the odds are pretty decent that your WhatsApp notification nightmare gets sorted. Don’t forget to look at your general connectivity and update settings now and then to avoid this mess again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I not receiving notifications for WhatsApp messages?
It usually comes down to permission issues—notifications turned off, background refresh disabled, or connectivity problems. Checking those settings should help.
Can I prioritize WhatsApp notifications over others?
Yeah, in Settings > Notifications, you can customize the style, sounds, and alert banners specifically for WhatsApp so they stand out.
What if none of this helps anymore?
Sometimes, software bugs or rare glitches happen. Check for iOS updates or reach out to WhatsApp support if it’s been terrible for a while. Old phones tend to get more issues, too, especially if they aren’t running the latest OS.
Summary
- Verified internet connection first – can’t get messages if online sucks.
- Enabled background app refresh for WhatsApp.
- Turned off Low Power Mode.
- Checked notification settings for WhatsApp.
- Rebooted the phone.
- Confirmed app is updated & reinstalled if needed.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone, or at least gets notifications back on track. Because of course, this stuff should be simple, but somehow it’s not always.