WhatsApp in-app notifications allow users to receive notifications about new messages, calls, status updates, and other activity within the WhatsApp app without having to open the app. Here are some key things to know about WhatsApp’s in-app notifications:
How WhatsApp Notifications Work
When new activity occurs in WhatsApp, such as receiving a new message or call, WhatsApp sends a notification to the operating system on your device. This triggers an alert or banner to appear on your device, even when WhatsApp is running in the background or your device is locked.
Tapping on the WhatsApp notification will open the app and take you directly to the new message, call, or other activity. This allows you to quickly view and respond to new WhatsApp notifications without having to manually open the app each time.
Notification Settings
You can customize your WhatsApp notification settings to control how and when you receive alerts. Here are some of the notification settings available:
- Notification tone – Set a custom sound for WhatsApp notifications.
- Vibrate – Toggle vibration on/off for notifications.
- Popup notification – Toggle popup alerts on/off.
- Notification light – Toggle LED flashing alert on/off.
- Show previews – Choose whether or not to show message previews in notifications.
- High priority notifications – Make WhatsApp notifications appear as high priority.
You can access the notification settings by going to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications on Android, or Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp on iOS. This allows you to customize notifications to your preferences.
Night Mode for Notifications
WhatsApp has a night mode that alters notifications during selected nighttime hours. When activated, night mode will mute notification sounds and disable popup notifications and LED flashing alerts.
Night mode helps prevent WhatsApp notifications from disturbing you at night. You can configure night mode in WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Night Mode.
Do Not Disturb
WhatsApp notifications will be muted when your device is in Do Not Disturb mode. This disables notification sounds, vibrations, and visual alerts for all apps during the times you have set for Do Not Disturb mode.
You can allow WhatsApp notifications to override Do Not Disturb mode if you want to still receive them during those hours. This can be configured in your device notification settings.
In-App Badges
Along with notifications, WhatsApp for iOS shows badges on the app icon when you have unread activity. For example, a tiny number on the icon shows how many unread messages you have, acting as another visual alert.
You can disable badges by going to iOS Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and toggling off Badge App Icon. On Android, some launchers have customizable icon badge options for WhatsApp.
Muting Conversations
You can mute specific conversations in WhatsApp to disable notifications from those chats. Go to the chat, tap the contact name, and select Mute. You can mute for 8 hours, 1 week, or always mute the chat.
Muting chats is great for disabling notifications from low priority group chats or specific contacts. You can mute and unmute chats as needed to manage notifications.
Offline and Online Status
When you have disabled app data usage in your device settings, WhatsApp may show you as offline even when you are actively using the app. In this case you will still send and receive messages as normal, but your online status is inaccurate.
To show your accurate online status, you need to allow background app refresh and data usage for WhatsApp. This can be enabled in your device settings.
Push Notifications vs Fetch Notifications
Push notifications are real-time alerts sent by the WhatsApp servers to your device whenever new activity occurs while the app is closed or in the background.
Fetch notifications involve the WhatsApp app periodically checking in with WhatsApp’s servers for new events. Fetching happens at intervals rather than instantly.
WhatsApp uses push notifications on both iOS and Android as they provide the fastest and most real-time alert capabilities. Push notifications don’t drain your battery as they allow the app to sleep until awoken by a new notification event.
Notification Channels on Android
On Android 8.0 and higher, WhatsApp notifications are categorized into channels. Notification channels allow you to control notification settings separately for certain types of WhatsApp notifications.
For example, you can disable notification sounds for all channels except calls. Or you could make message notifications high priority while silencing other channels.
You can manage WhatsApp’s notification channels by going to Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications on Android 8.0 and higher.
Notifications When Phone is On Silent or Vibrate
Even when your phone ringer is set to silent or vibrate mode, WhatsApp will override this and play notification sounds and vibrate unless you have the app specifically muted.
To silence WhatsApp along with your phone’s general sound settings, you can mute WhatsApp notifications in the app settings or pause all notifications in Do Not Disturb mode.
No NotificationsTroubleshooting on Android & iOS
If you are not receiving any notifications from WhatsApp on your device, here are some steps to troubleshoot the issue:
- Check that notifications are enabled for WhatsApp in your device settings.
- Confirm WhatsApp has notification permissions enabled.
- Make sure WhatsApp is not optimizing battery usage, which can disable notifications.
- Check if Do Not Disturb mode is activated on your phone during notification hours.
- Restart your phone and check if WhatsApp notifications appear.
- Reinstall the WhatsApp app if notifications are still not coming through.
Be sure to also check that notifications are enabled within WhatsApp’s own settings menu. If these steps do not resolve the issue, contact WhatsApp support for further help.
Customizing Notification Sounds
To set a custom notification sound for WhatsApp on Android:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Sound
- Select your desired notification sound or music file
- Tap OK to confirm
On iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds > Ringtone and select your custom WhatsApp sound.
Using custom notification tones can help you identify WhatsApp alerts more easily. Android also allows you to set different sounds for group, broadcast, and other notification types.
LED Notification Light
Many Android phones have LED notification lights that flash or pulse different colors when you receive new notifications. WhatsApp can utilize this LED light to signal new messages and other activity.
To enable the LED light for WhatsApp notifications on Android:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Notifications
- Toggle on Use LED Flash for Alerts
You can choose your desired LED notification light color within your device’s main settings app.
Show Preview Message Text
By default, WhatsApp notification previews show the content of new messages on both iOS and Android lock screens and notification shade.
If you want to disable message text previews for privacy, here is how to turn off previews:
- Android – WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Show Content Preview – OFF
- iPhone – Settings > Notifications > Show Previews – When Unlocked
This will show generic WhatsApp notifications without any message details unless you unlock your phone and open the app.
Notification Popup Style
Along with banners and alerts, WhatsApp has configurable popup notifications on both iOS and Android:
- Android – WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Pop on Screen – ON (enables popups)
- iOS – Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp > Alert Style – Alerts (enables popups)
Popup notifications show a small preview window for new WhatsApp activity when your phone is in use. You can disable this and just have basic banners if you find the popups annoying.
Privacy Considerations
WhatsApp in-app notifications can display potentially sensitive information on your lock screen and notification banners if you have content previews enabled.
To maximize privacy, consider disabling previews and using generic notifications. You may also want to disable popups if your phone is used in public frequently.
Enabling biometrics like fingerprint scanning on your device can add a layer of security before message details are displayed.
Usage Considerations
Frequent WhatsApp notifications can become bothersome or distracting if you belong to many busy groups. Consider muting noisy groups and disabling unnecessary notification channels to optimize your notification experience.
Limiting unnecessary interruptions from WhatsApp allows you to stay focused when needed. You can also temporarily pause all notifications using Do Not Disturb when engaged in important tasks or meetings.
Accessibility
WhatsApp’s notification settings offer various accessibility options:
- Visual alerts and flashing LED light helpful for hearing impaired users.
- Vibration alerts provide notification feedback without sound.
- Preview message text gives context without needing to open the app.
Be sure to enable any accessibility permissions required by your device’s OS to allow WhatsApp to provide notifications through alternative means like lights and haptics.
New Notification Features
WhatsApp occasionally rolls out new notification capabilities through app updates, such as:
- Notification muting – Mute individuals or groups for a custom time period
- Priority notifications – High priority alerts that override DND mode
- Badges – Unread count badges on app icons
- Bitmap icons – Support for adaptive notification icons
Keep WhatsApp updated to take advantage of useful new notification features. Also enable beta testing access if you want early previews of unreleased capabilities.
Comparisons With Other Apps
| App | Notification Style | Customization Options |
|---|---|---|
| Banners, popups, badge icons | Sounds, vibration, previews | |
| Facebook Messenger | Banners, popups | Sounds, vibration |
| Telegram | Popups | Custom sounds, vibration patterns |
| Signal | Banners | Minimal – sound, vibration on/off only |
As you can see, WhatsApp provides flexible notification customization, inline with other top messaging apps like Telegram and Messenger. Signal has relatively basic options.
Troubleshooting Missing Notifications
Some common reasons for WhatsApp notifications not showing on your device include:
- Notification permissions disabled for WhatsApp in system settings
- Notifications disabled within WhatsApp settings
- Do Not Disturb mode or app battery optimization activated
- Outdated version of WhatsApp – Update required
- Phone on silent/vibrate – Sounds muted system-wide
- Connectivity issues preventing push notifications
Be sure to check notification settings at both the system and app level to troubleshoot missing notifications. Also rule out Do Not Disturb restrictions, app optimization, outdated software, and connectivity problems.
Conclusion
WhatsApp provides customizable in-app notifications to alert you about new messages, calls, and other activity on Android and iOS devices. Take advantage of options like custom notification sounds, LED flashing alerts, popup previews, and app badging for the best notification experience.
Maintaining up-to-date software, unrestricted app settings, and stable connectivity allows WhatsApp’s notifications to work reliably. Adjust notification settings periodically to control which alerts you receive and optimize interruptions and privacy.
With robust notification capabilities and configuration options, WhatsApp notifications can provide timely and customizable alerting that keeps you connected without becoming intrusive or distracting.