Fix: Gmail Notifications not Working

Gmail may not show notifications due to an outdated Gmail application. Moreover, the misconfiguration of the Gmail application or your phone settings (like power-saving mode, etc.) may also cause the issue under discussion.

The affected user encounters the error when he does not receive the notifications for the Gmail application (when the application is in the background). The issue is reported to occur on iOS and Android versions.

Before moving on with the solutions to fix the Gmail notifications issue, make sure your phone has enough storage available. Also, make sure that your phone’s time zone is correct (you may have to disable automatic time zone).

Solution 1: Update the Gmail Application to the Latest Build

Google regularly updates the Gmail application to patch known bugs and cater to new technological developments. You may encounter the error at hand if you are using an outdated version of the Gmail application due to which full features of Gmail might not be used.

In this scenario, updating the Gmail application to the latest build (compatibility issues will be ruled out) may solve the problem. For illustration, we will guide you through the update process for the Gmail application on an Android phone.

1. Launch Google Play Store and then open its menu by tapping on the hamburger icon (near the top left of the screen).
2. Now tap on My Apps & Games and then navigate to the Installed tab.

   

3. Then find and tap on Gmail.

   

4. Now tap on the Update button (if an update is available) and then check if Gmail notifications are working properly.

   

Solution 2: Disable the Power Saving Mode of Your Phone

Many mobile users tend to enable power saving mode of their phones to increase the battery time of their phones. But this feature limits operation of many processes (including Gmail) of your phone (except essential phone processes) and thus causes the issue at hand. In this scenario, disabling the power saving mode may solve the notifications problem.

1. Slide down from the top of your screen to open the notifications tray.
2. Now tap on “Turn Off Battery Saver” (under the “Battery saver is on” notification) and then check if notifications are operating normally for Gmail.

   

Solution 3: Disable the Data Saver of Your Phone

The data saver feature is used to restrict the background use of cellular data, whereas, Gmail requires background sync to complete its routine operation. Gmail notifications might not show if the data saving feature is enabled. In this scenario, disabling the Data Saver feature may solve the problem. For elucidation, we will guide you through the process to disable data saver for an Android phone.

1. Launch Settings of your phone and open the Cellular Network Settings.

   

2. Now tap on Data Usage and then tap on Data Saver.

   

3. Then disable the option of Data Saver by toggling its switch to the off position.

   

4. After disabling the Data Saver feature, check if Gmail is clear of the notifications error.

Solution 4: Disable Battery Optimization for Gmail

Battery optimization is a handy feature for increasing the battery time of your phone. However, this feature restricts operations of all the processes in the background (which are not exempted) and thus may cause the issue at hand. In this scenario, disabling the battery optimization for Gmail may solve the problem.

1. Launch Settings of your phone and then open Battery/ Manage Battery.

   

2. Now tap on Battery Optimization.

   

3. Then switch Display Content to All Apps.

   

4. Now tap on Gmail and then tap on Don’t Optimize.

   

5. Then restart your phone and after the restart, check if Gmail is clear of the notifications error.

Solution 5: Enable the Option of ‘Notify for Every Message’ in the Gmail Settings

You may not get Gmail notifications if the Notify for Every Message option in the settings of the Gmail application is not enabled. In this regard, enabling the said Gmail option will get your notifications working right away.

1. Launch the Gmail application and tap on the hamburger icon (near the top left of the screen).
2. Now tap on Settings and then tap on the problematic account.

   

3. Then tap on Inbox Notifications.

   

4. Now enable the option of Notify for Every Message and then check if notifications for Gmail are working normally.

   

If you are having issues with other labels but notifications for the primary label are working fine, then you have to enable Notify for Every Message for every label that you want to have notifications for.

1. Open Settings of the Gmail application and then tap on the problematic account (steps 1 and 2 discussed above).
2. Now tap on Manage Labels (under Notifications) and then tap on any of the labels (e.g. Social) that you want to receive notifications for.

   

3. Then enable the option of Label Notifications by check-marking its box.
4. Now enable the option of Notify for Every Message by check-marking its box.

   

5. Repeat the process for enabling notifications for all the labels you want to have notifications for and then check if Gmail notifications are working fine.

Solution 6: Change the Gmail Notification Level to ‘All’

You may encounter the current notifications not displaying issue if the notifications level in the Gmail settings is set to High Priority or Off. In this context, changing the notification level to all in the settings of the Gmail application may solve the notifications problem. For elucidation, we will guide you through the process of an Android phone.

1. Launch the Gmail application and then tap on the hamburger icon (near the top left of the screen).
2. Now, in the menu, tap on Settings and then tap on the problematic account.

   

3. Now tap on Notifications and then tap on All.

   

4. Then restart your phone and upon restart, check if Gmail Notifications are operating normally.

Solution 7: Enable the Option of ‘Show All Notification Content’ in your Phone Settings

Your phone also has its own notification management settings. Gmail notifications may fail to pop-up if the notifications are disabled in the notifications’ settings of your phone. For elucidation, we will guide you through the process for enabling notifications’ settings of an Android phone.

1. Launch Settings of your phone and then open Manage Notifications (or Notifications).

   

2. Now tap on Notifications in LockScreen.

   

3. Then enable the option of Prompt All-New Information and Hide the Content (or Show All Notifications Content).

   

4. Now restart your phone and upon restart, check if Gmail notifications are working normally.
5. If the said option at step 3 is already enabled, then enable the option of Do Not Show Notifications at All and restart your phone.
6. Upon restart, enable the option of Prompt All-New Information and Hide the Content (or Show All Notifications Content) and then check if Gmail notifications are working normally.

Solution 8: Enable Gmail Sync in the Phone Settings

Your phone syncs different services like Gmail, Drive, etc. in the background. If the sync is turned off, Gmail will not refresh on its own and you have to manually open the application. In this scenario, enabling the Gmail sync in the phone’s settings may solve the notifications problem. For illustration, we will guide you through the process to enable the Gmail sync for an Android phone.

1. Launch the Gmail application and tap on the hamburger icon (near the top left of the screen).
2. Now tap on Settings and then tap on the problematic account.
3. Then tap on the vertical ellipsis (3 vertical dots near the top right corner of the screen) and tap on Manage Accounts.

   

4. Now tap on your email provider (e.g. Google).

   

5. Then enable the Gmail sync option by toggling its switch to the on position.

   

6. Now restart your phone and upon restart, check if Gmail notifications are working fine.

Solution 9: Re-log In the Problematic Account

You may encounter the notifications not displaying issue if the entries related to the email account in the phone’s settings are corrupt. In this case, signing out of the problematic email account and then signing back in may solve the problem.

1. Launch the Gmail application and then tap on the hamburger icon (near the top left of the screen)
2. Now, on the menu, tap on Settings.

   

3. Then tap on the problematic email account.
4. Now tap on the vertical ellipsis (3 vertical dots) near the top right corner of the screen and then tap on Manage Accounts.

   

5. Then, in the Accounts menu, tap on your email provider (e.g. Google).
6. Now tap on the problematic account.
7. Then tap on the More button (near the bottom of the screen) and tap on Remove Account.

   

8. After removing the account, restart your phone.
9. Upon restart, launch the Gmail application and open its settings (steps 1 and 2).
10. Now tap on Add Account and then fill in your details to add the email address to the Gmail application.

    

11. After adding the problematic account, check if Gmail is clear of the notification error.

Solution 10: Uninstall Updates of the Gmail Application

Google keeps on adding new features to the Gmail application through the updates. However, buggy updates are a common issue in the application development process. The current notification issue could also be a result of a buggy update. In this case, uninstalling the Gmail updates may solve the problem. This method may not apply to all the affected users. For elucidation, we will go through the process for an Android phone.

1. Launch Settings of your phone and then open its Application Manager.

   

2. Then find and tap on Gmail.

   

3. Now tap on the More button (usually on the top right or at bottom of the screen) and then tap on Uninstall Updates.

   

4. After uninstalling updates, check if the Gmail notifications issue is resolved.

Solution 11: Reinstall the Gmail Application

If so far, nothing has worked for you, then the issue under the discussion could be a result of the corrupt installation of the Gmail application itself. In this context, reinstalling the Gmail application may solve the problem. For illustration, we will guide you through the process of an Android phone.

1. Launch Settings of your phone and then open its Application Manager.
2. Then find and tap on Gmail.
3. Now tap on the Uninstall button and then restart your phone.

   

4. Upon restart, reinstall the Gmail application and check if notifications for Gmail are working normally.

Solution 12: Reset Your Phone to the Factory Defaults

If nothing has worked for you, then the issue could be a result of the corrupt OS of your phone. In this context, resetting your phone to the factory defaults may solve the issue. For elucidation, we will guide you through the process of an Android phone.

1. Back-up your Android phone.
2. Reset your phone to the factory defaults and hopefully, the Notifications issue is resolved.

If nothing has worked for you, then you may have to contact Google or try another email client like Inbox by Google, etc.