There are a few potential reasons why WhatsApp messages may not come through until you open the app on your iPhone:
Background App Refresh is Disabled
One of the most common reasons is that Background App Refresh is disabled for WhatsApp. This is an iOS feature that allows apps to refresh their content in the background when you’re not actively using them. If it’s turned off for WhatsApp, the app won’t be able to receive new messages until you open it.
To check if Background App Refresh is enabled for WhatsApp:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- Make sure the switch at the top is turned on.
- Check that WhatsApp is enabled (the switch next to it should also be on).
If Background App Refresh is off for WhatsApp, turn it on and see if that fixes the issue.
Notifications are Disabled
Another possibility is that you’ve disabled notifications for WhatsApp. If notifications are turned off, you won’t get alerts for new WhatsApp messages until you launch the app.
To check your WhatsApp notification settings:
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Scroll down and tap WhatsApp.
- Make sure Allow Notifications is enabled.
Additionally, you can go into WhatsApp settings and make sure notifications are enabled there as well:
- Open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Enable Show Notifications to get notifications for new messages.
If notifications were disabled, turning them back on should resolve the issue.
Do Not Disturb is Blocking Notifications
Do Not Disturb is another iOS feature that could be preventing WhatsApp notifications from coming through. When Do Not Disturb is active, you won’t get alerts for any apps or calls.
To check if Do Not Disturb is on:
- Swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone screen to open Control Center.
- Check if the Do Not Disturb moon icon is enabled or not.
If Do Not Disturb is enabled, try turning it off and see if WhatsApp messages come through normally. You can also customize Do Not Disturb settings to allow notifications from specific people or apps when it’s active.
Phone Isn’t Connected to the Internet
For WhatsApp to receive messages, your iPhone needs an active internet connection (either WiFi or cellular data). If your phone loses connectivity for some reason, WhatsApp won’t get new messages until you reconnect.
To rule out any connectivity issues:
- Make sure WiFi is enabled and connected to a network, or cellular data is turned on.
- Try loading a web page in Safari to confirm you have internet access.
- Force quit and relaunch WhatsApp to reconnect.
This will verify your internet connection is working properly for WhatsApp.
Out of Storage Space
If your iPhone is completely out of storage space, it can prevent WhatsApp and other apps from updating properly in the background. This could stop new messages from coming through until you open WhatsApp.
To check your storage space:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Look at the amount of available storage.
If less than 500MB or 1GB of space is available, your storage may be full. Try deleting unused apps and files to free up space and see if that fixes the WhatsApp issue.
Force Quit All Apps
Sometimes if apps are glitching out, forcing them to fully quit and restarting can resolve problems. If WhatsApp isn’t receiving messages properly, try force quitting WhatsApp and all other open apps on your iPhone.
To force quit apps:
- Double click the Home button to bring up the app switcher.
- Swipe up on all open app cards to force them to quit.
- Launch WhatsApp again and see if messages come through.
Force quitting everything forces apps to restart fresh, which may fix background and notification issues.
Update to the Latest iOS Version
Having the latest iOS software update installed can also help resolve app glitches like this. Apple releases fixes and improvements in new iOS versions.
To update your iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- Download and install any available updates.
Updating your iPhone ensures you have the latest fixes for notification and messaging problems.
Disable Battery Optimization
On some Android phones, battery optimization features can block apps like WhatsApp from running in the background properly. This could prevent notifications from coming through until the app is opened.
To disable battery optimization for WhatsApp on Android:
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special App Access.
- Tap Battery Optimization.
- Select WhatsApp and choose Don’t Optimize.
This will exempt WhatsApp from optimizations that may interfere with notifications.
Restart Your iPhone
If all else fails, restarting your iPhone can help clear out any glitches that may be preventing WhatsApp from receiving messages properly in the background.
To restart an iPhone 8 or earlier:
- Hold down the Side/Power button until the “Slide to Power Off” prompt appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off your phone.
- Wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side/Power button again to turn your phone back on.
For iPhone X and later:
- Hold down the Side button and either Volume button until the “Slide to Power Off” prompt appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off your phone.
- Wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side button again to turn your phone back on.
Restarting your iPhone will force background apps like WhatsApp to restart, which may resolve any issues with notifications and messages.
Conclusion
Here are some key points to summarize why WhatsApp may not receive messages until you open the app on iPhone:
- Make sure Background App Refresh is enabled for WhatsApp.
- Check that notifications are turned on for WhatsApp.
- Disable Do Not Disturb if it’s blocking notifications.
- Confirm your iPhone has an internet connection.
- Free up storage space if your phone is full.
- Force quit all apps to restart them fresh.
- Update to the latest iOS version.
- On Android, disable battery optimization for WhatsApp.
- As a last resort, restart your iPhone.
Following these troubleshooting steps should help get WhatsApp working properly in the background again so messages come through as expected when received. If the problem persists after trying these solutions, you may need to contact WhatsApp support for further help.