Instagram is one of the most popular social networks and continues to take over the large spectrum of photo and video-sharing applications. While scrolling endlessly through the application might be addictive, turning on the notifications on Instagram might help you keep updated in terms of friends, interactions, and trends.
There may be various reasons why you may not be getting any Instagram notifications on your iPhone. Even though it is a very popular and frequently used application all around the world, there could be bugs that lead to Instagram notifications not working.
Apart from that, several phone settings should also be checked to fix this issue, along with regular application and software updates. Let’s fix the Instagram notifications not working on iPhones with the help of the solutions we have listed for Instagram aficionados in this article.
iPhone Instagram Notifications
Usually, Instagram sends notifications for various updates within the application and also with regard to living videos, uploads, comments, likes, and direct messages. Those push notifications allow you to keep in touch and update your friends.
Moreover, Instagram also allows you to choose the type of notifications. This feature is present in the push notifications within the application itself. You can turn on the notifications for certain things and switch them off for other aspects.
Customizing when you’d want to get the notifications and its sound is present in the iPhone features itself. In some of the newer versions of iOS, users can also switch the notifications to scheduled summaries.
This would mean that all notifications are shown at a fixed time of the day. The summary of all the notifications during the entire day is shown under this specific feature.
Instagram Notifications Not Working on iPhone
There could be several reasons why Instagram notifications are not working on iPhones. In order to address this issue and get Instagram notifications on your iPhone, you might want to start off by crossing checking some settings both on the phone and the Instagram application.
Solutions To Fix Instagram Notifications
- Instagram Settings Push Notifications
- Notifications on Device settings
- Disable silent mode
- Turn off low-power mode
- Disable Do Not Disturb
- Clear Instagram cache
- Update the new version of Instagram
- Reinstall Instagram from App Store
- Reset Network Settings
- Restart your phone
- Update Apple software
1. Instagram Settings Push Notifications
Sometimes the reason why your Instagram notification is not working could be due to the push notifications on the application itself.
In order to switch on the Instagram notification from the application, you will need to follow these steps
- Log in to your Instagram account from the app.
- Click on the top right corner, of the profile and open settings.
- Select “Push Notifications” and switch it on.
- Additionally, you can also select the types of Instagram notifications you want to get. You can turn to push notifications for likes, comments, live videos, and many more.
- You can also visit a person’s profile and click on the bell icon
- You can select the notifications you would want to get from the person as well, which includes posts and stories.
2. Notifications On Device Settings
While installing an application, users do not approve the application to send notifications. Hence to fix this, the notifications should be changed from the phone settings, if the push notifications from the application are already on.
You may be able to get Instagram notifications as soon as you follow these steps to change the settings
- Click on settings and tap notifications.
- Scroll through and tap on Instagram.
- Switch the toggle on for notifications.
You can also choose the various ways to show Instagram notifications on your iPhone. Instagram notifications could be either displayed as a banner or only when unlocked etc, based on your choice.
Additionally, you can also change the sound and other notification-related settings on your iPhone. A new feature of scheduled summary can also be found in the iPhone settings, which will help users get all the notifications only at a fixed time.
3. Disable Silent Mode
Sometimes when your iPhone is in silent mode, there are chances of you not receiving any notifications. Most of the time, Instagram notifications do not appear on the screen, because all the application notifications are turned off.
Usually, when the phone is in silent mode, all the application notifications are also automatically silenced. Even though some applications may send notifications, there are cases when push notifications do not work when it is in silent mode.
The silent mode control is on the left side of your phone, you can turn it on or off, by using the same. Putting your phone on silent mode can mute all your notifications and you may not see them in the notification center sometimes either.
To disable silent mode, you can go through the following steps
- Locate the switch on the left side of the phone, which is right above the volume button.
- Switch it to the side where the orange background is not visible anymore.
If you are able to see an orange background in the switch, it means your phone is in silent mode. Switching it to the other side will allow you to turn off the silent mode.
4. Turn Off Low Power Mode Settings
Low power mode on iPhones will disable several functions and settings. This is done in order to save more battery and use as little power as possible.
You will have to ensure that the low-power mode is off while trying to get Instagram notifications. Applications running in the background are also slowed to a certain extent and this also results in blocking notifications from some applications.
You can easily turn off the low power mode and fix the problem of Instagram notifications not working. Moreover, sometimes applications are unable to refresh if the device is in low power mode, this could also stop the application from sending notifications.
In order to turn off the low-power mode, you need to
- Go to settings
- Tap on “Battery”
- Switch the toggle to “Off”.
Another way of turning off the low-power mode is through the control center
- Go to settings
- Tap on “Control Center.”
- Select “Customize control center.”
- Add low power mode.
This will allow you to turn on or turn off the low power mode directly from the control center instead of doing it from the settings every time. The Control center makes the most frequently used settings accessible and convenient to change as well.
5. Disable Do Not Disturb
The Do No Disturb feature on iPhone does not allow any calls or notifications to be received. This setting can either be scheduled during a specific time or even throughout the day.
This could be one of the reasons why Instagram notifications are not working since this feature silences all notifications. Even though this feature is switched on by the user themselves, there may be cases when you are not aware DND is turned on.
This Do Not Disturb feature is mainly helpful during meetings, working, or even studying. Sometimes this feature is enabled even when the sleep schedule is fixed. Once the sleep mode is turned on, the Do Not Disturb feature also automatically gets switched on.
For iOS 14 and older, you can turn it off by following these steps
- Go to Settings
- Select “Do Not Disturb”
- Switch the toggle to “Off”
For iOS 15 and above
- Open Settings
- Go to “Focus”
- Tap on “Do Not Disturb” under that
- Switch the toggle to “Off” from the same.
Newer iOS versions have a feature called “Focus”, which can be scheduled at any time of the day. If this feature is on, all notifications from applications, messages, and calls are silenced.
The user will not be getting any notifications unless they visit the notification center and click on “show notifications.” Additionally, calls are also sent to voicemail, and push notifications are paused when this feature is switched on.
6. Clear Instagram Cache
There are possibilities of the application being full of bugs, or other glitches. This generally happens when the application is of an older version or has been taking up a lot of space.
On iPhones, the only way to clear the cache of any application is by completely removing them. There are no additional steps to be followed, simply removing the application will automatically clear all the cache.
In order to remove the application from the phone, you can
- Go to your homepage and locate the Instagram application.
- Long press on the application
- Click on the “x” on the top right side of the application icon.
- Then click on “Delete App”, which appears in the dialogue box.
This will automatically help you remove the cache and you can then try reinstalling the application. You will have to note that removing the application means that your login details will also be removed. You will have to put in all your details again when you reinstall the application.
7. Update New Version Instagram
If you do not want to remove the application from your phone, you can try updating the application from “App-Store”. This usually helps when there is a glitch or several bugs in the current version of the application.
Sometimes Instagram notifications not working could be because of a glitch in the application itself and updating it will allow the developers to fix it. This is definitely seen as an alternative to completely removing the application.
However, if the application is already updated and there are no newer versions of it, you can always opt for removing and reinstalling it.
8. Reinstall Instagram From App Store
Right after Instagram is installed, the application asks whether you would want to get notifications or not. Uninstall Instagram and download it again from the App Store. Thereafter the application sends a message, “Instagram would like to send you notifications”, click on “Allow”.
Having the latest and updated version of Instagram through this method might also fix the issue. While installing the application, users tend to click on “Not Allow” which further does not turn on the push notifications either.
Most of the time the push notifications on applications are already on, and if after installing it, the user does not allow notifications, it gets disabled automatically.
9. Reset Network Settings
It is important to have a stable connection in order to get notifications. In case there is no good reception, you will not be able to receive instant notifications.
A poor wifi connection could be a reason why Instagram notifications are not working. Sometimes workplaces or schools do not give access to various websites or other applications.
Hence when those applications are blocked from working on those public networks, it is likely you do not get the notifications as well. Make sure that your connection is stable and there are no restrictions while using public wifi as well.
You can check the same by following these steps
- Go to Settings
- Select “Wifi” and check the network you are connected to.
- Alternatively, Click on “Cellular Data”
- Switch the toggle to “On”
By connecting to a stable network through Wifi or data, you will be able to use applications smoothly and push notifications will not be paused.
10. Restart Your iPhone
Restarting your iPhone can help you fix Instagram notifications not working. To refresh all the applications at once and also fix glitches, restarting your phone is considered one of the best options.
Usually, restarting your phone also solves issues such as these. Press the power and volume up button at the same time and slide across the power off bar. You can then turn your iPhone on again, after a few seconds by long-pressing the power button.
11. Update Apple Software
It is imperative that devices have several bugs and glitches. There may be times when removing an application and reinstalling it might not help.
In addition to that, you might want to check the latest iOS software as well since there could be glitches in the system itself as well. The application can be running fine sometimes, however, with the lack of enough bug fixes, certain features on the iPhone stop functioning.
In order to avoid any problems, Apple releases updates very often. Sometimes these updates focus primarily on the new features, however, during other updates, the developers focus on fixing bugs often related to the settings.
You can check these updates frequently if you didn’t get any notifications for the same on the device settings itself. Apple usually sends update notifications only if the new software has extremely new features.
However, if the update comprises bug fixes and other resolved issues, you might want to check directly through these steps
- Go to settings
- Tap on General
- Scroll to “Software Update” and select it.
- Click on download and install if the update is available.
- Click on “install”, after it has been downloaded.
You also get the choice of either installing the software then and there or scheduling it for later.
Updating your software is sometimes seen as either the first or last option in resolving issues such as these. One of the top reasons is, a majority of the time, other settings haven’t been checked, resulting in no notifications.
However, when all the settings are checked and users are still unable to receive notifications from the application, it is more likely that the iOS software overall has some bugs or glitches.
Usually, the developers do not take much time to resolve the issue and send a new update.
Conclusion
Usually, Instagram notifications can be turned on directly through the application setting and the device setting. However, glitches in the system and other settings on the device can block notifications.
As mentioned above, it is also very important to take into account other settings and possible bugs present either in the application or the system itself. If all the other settings are in check, you can always remove the application and reinstall an updated one.
