WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app worldwide, with over 2 billion active users. One common issue many WhatsApp users face is having their message notifications silenced or muted unexpectedly. There are several potential reasons why your WhatsApp notifications may not be making any sound.
You have your phone on silent or vibrate mode
The most obvious reason your WhatsApp sounds may be muted is if your phone is set to silent or vibrate mode. When your phone is on silent, all notification sounds from all apps, including WhatsApp, will be muted. To check if this is enabled:
- On iPhone – Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center, then check if the ringer toggle is set to silent or vibrate mode.
- On Android – Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings, then check if the sound mode is set to mute or vibrate only.
If silent mode is enabled, simply switch it off to re-enable sounds for WhatsApp and other apps.
You have muted notifications for WhatsApp
Another possibility is you have specifically muted notifications for WhatsApp, even while keeping your phone on normal sound mode. To verify this:
- On iPhone – Go to Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and check if sounds are toggled off.
- On Android – Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications and check if sounds are disabled.
Toggle sounds back on for WhatsApp if you find they are muted here. You can also customize notification settings to control which types of WhatsApp notifications make sounds.
You have muted a specific WhatsApp chat
In WhatsApp, you can mute notifications from individual chats in addition to globally muting sounds. To check if a chat is muted:
- On iPhone – Tap the chat, tap the contact’s name at the top, then check if ‘Mute’ is enabled
- On Android – Long press the chat, tap More > Mute and check if mute is enabled
Toggle mute off for that specific chat to have notifications make sound again. Note you can customize the mute duration, like 8 hours, 1 week, or always mute.
Do Not Disturb mode is enabled on your device
Your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode will mute all sounds and notifications, including from WhatsApp. Here’s how to check if it’s enabled:
- On iPhone – Swipe up to open Control Center and check if Do Not Disturb is on
- On Android – Swipe down to open Quick Settings and check if Do Not Disturb is on
Turn off Do Not Disturb to resume all notification sounds. You can customize Do Not Disturb to allow exceptions for specific apps or contacts.
Your phone’s sound settings are lowered or muted
It’s possible your device’s volume settings are preventing WhatsApp from making sound. Check if any of these are muted or very low:
- Your phone’s ringtone volume
- Your phone’s media volume
- WhatsApp’s in-app sound settings
Try increasing these volume levels if they are currently set very low. This will allow WhatsApp message sounds to play normally.
Your phone speaker is faulty
In rare cases, a hardware issue with your phone’s speaker could prevent WhatsApp notification sounds from working. If adjusting software settings doesn’t fix the issue, your speaker could be damaged.
Try playing music or videos with sound to check if other audio works. If external speakers also don’t work, your phone may require repair to fix the speaker.
Your WhatsApp notifications are frequently muted
If you find your WhatsApp muting itself automatically on a regular basis, there could be a few reasons for this:
- Buggy software – App bugs may cause muting issues, try updating WhatsApp to the latest version
- Phone software issue – Updating your device software can fix software bugs causing muting issues
- Accidental touches – Pocket dialing while your phone is locked could be muting notifications
Constant unwanted muting issues usually point to a software glitch. Update WhatsApp and your device software to resolve it.
Your phone is blocking WhatsApp notifications
Some Android devices have battery optimization and app management features that can block notifications from certain apps like WhatsApp. To disable this on common phones:
- Samsung – Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Battery > Uncheck ‘Put app to sleep’
- Xiaomi – Go to Security app > Battery usage > Manage battery usage > Turn off ‘Restrict’ for WhatsApp
- Huawei – Go to Settings > Apps > Advanced > Ignore battery optimization > Select WhatsApp
Consult your phone’s user guide for exact steps to disable battery optimization and notification blocking.
You have notification restrictions enabled
Some devices allow you to restrict app notifications during certain times or when the screen is locked. Check if you have enabled any notification restrictions:
- On iPhone – Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Check if WhatsApp is blocked.
- On Samsung – Settings > Digital Wellbeing > App Timers. Check if WhatsApp has time limits.
- On Motorola – Moto app > Moto Actions > Attentive Display. Check if ‘Keep notifications private’ is on.
Disable any notification restrictions to allow WhatsApp sounds to function normally.
Conclusion
WhatsApp notifications getting muted unexpectedly can be frustrating. But in most cases it is caused by simple software settings that can be changed. Go through the device and app notification settings to ensure WhatsApp sounds are enabled.
Rule out hardware issues by testing other audio on your phone. Update WhatsApp and your phone software as well to fix potential bugs. With the right notification settings configured, you can enjoy hearing Sounds from WhatsApp again.