Articles in this section

See more

Troubleshooting Notifications

Note:

  • Notifications for reactions will only appear if you choose to display Name and message in the notification. Manage this option in Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Notifications.
  • macOS users will see notification text of "New Message" for all Disappearing Messages regardless of the setting in Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > settings_desktop.png Preferences > Notifications.

Did you mean to view:

Android

Steps to resolve will vary by phone model and OS.

Basic Troubleshooting

  1. Confirm that your phone is connected to the internet.
    • Your phone is not in airplane mode. Android phone Settings > Network & Internet > toggle to turn Airplane mode on and off.
    • You have enabled cellular data.
    • If are on a campus or corporate Wi-Fi that has firewall restrictions in place, contact the network administrator.
    • Check that your provider allows WebSocket connections.
    • Make sure that your VPN or other apps are not restricting Signal's ability to connect to the internet.
  2. Update to the latest version of Signal Android.
  3. Update the Google Play services app on your phone.
  4. Update the Android System Webview app on your phone.
  5. Upgrade your Android OS to the latest version that is available for your device.
  6. Confirm that the date and time settings for your phone are set correctly for your time zone.  Compare to the time set by https://www.time.gov/ or by https://time.is/.
  7. Check if the notification appears in your Android notification bar or tray.
  8. Check that you have enabled notifications on your phone.
    • Android Settings > Apps (then Manage Apps for some users) > Signal > Check on Show notifications.
    • Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Notifications > Enable message notifications.
  9. Confirm you have not blocked the contact.
  10. Confirm you have not muted notifications for the contact or group thread.
  11. Check if your linked Signal Desktop has already viewed the message.
  12. Check that you have free space in internal memory, not the SD card. You can free up space by deleting apps that are not on the SD card.
  13. Confirm you have enabled WiFi or cellular data while your phone is asleep. Android phone Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced > Always keep Wi-Fi on during sleep.

 

OS-Specific Settings

Android 5

  1. Confirm notifications are enabled for Signal.
    • Android phone Settings > Sound and Notification > App/Application Notifications > Signal > confirm Block is disabled.
  2. Confirm Signal is enabled to work when ‘Do not disturb’ mode is on.
    • Android phone Settings > Sound and Notification > App/Application Notifications > Signal > Enable Set as priority.
  3. Enable background data.
    • Android phone Settings > Data usage > Cellular data usage > Signal > Background data > Enable Unrestricted data usage.
    • Android phone Settings > Data usage > Menu > Make sure Signal is allowed to work if you've selected 'Restrict app background data'.

Android 6

  1. Make sure all of Signal's permissions are granted.
    • Android Settings app > Apps & Notifications (depending on your device, this may look different) > Signal > App Permissions (depending on your device, this may look different) > Turn permissions on.
  2. Confirm Signal is enabled to work when ‘Do not disturb’ mode is on.
    • Android phone Settings app > Sound > Do not disturb > Disable.
  3. Check that Signal is excluded from battery optimization.
    • Advanced settings toolbar icon > Battery optimization > select 'All apps' > Signal > select 'Don't optimize.’ > Done > Restart your phone.
    • Android phone Settings > Apps > Advanced settings toolbar icon > Special access > Battery optimization > select 'All apps' > Signal > select 'Don't optimize.’
    • Android phone Settings > Battery > MENU > Battery optimization > select 'All apps' > Signal > select 'Don't optimize.’
    • Android phone Settings > Apps > Advanced settings toolbar icon > Ignore optimizations > select 'All apps' > Signal > select 'Allow.’
  4. Enable background data.
    • Android phone Settings > Data usage > Cellular data usage > Signal > Background data > Enable Unrestricted data usage.

Android 7

  1. Follow steps for Android 6 above.
  2. Enable background data.
    • Android phone Settings > Data usage > Data saver > If data saver is disabled, stop here. If data saver is enabled go to Unrestricted data access > Enable Signal.

Android 8

  1. Follow steps for Android 6 above.
  2. Enable Signal to run in the background.
    • Android phone Settings > Apps > App Info > tap our app > Battery > turn on the 'Background activity' option.
    • Android phone Settings > Data usage > Data saver > If data saver is disabled, stop here. If data saver is enabled go to Unrestricted data access > Enable Signal.

Android 9 and above

  1. Follow steps for Android 6 above.
  2. Check battery settings. Android phone Settings > Battery > Adaptive preferences > turn off Adaptive Battery.

 

Phone-Specific Settings

Asus/ZenFone

  • Android phone Settings > Power management > Auto-start manager > DOWNLOADED page > select 'Allow' for Signal.

HTC

  • Boost+ app > Optimize background apps > Signal > select 'Off.'

Huawei

  • Android phone Settings > Apps > Apps > Signal > Power Usage Details > App Launch > Set to Manage Manually and enable these options: Auto-Launch, Secondary Launch, and Run in Background.
  • Phone Manager app > Battery manager (or Energy Saver) > Protected apps > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings  > Advanced Settings > Battery manager (or Energy Saver) > Protected apps > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings  > 'All' tab > Protected apps > Enable Signal.
  • Phone Manager App > Protected apps > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings  > Apps > Advanced/Special Access > Ignore battery optimizations > All Apps (drop down) > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone settings > Battery > Launch > Signal.
  • Android phone settings > Apps > Signal > Data usage > Background Data > Enable.
  • Android phone Settings  > Notification panel & status bar > Notification center, find Signal and activate Allow Notifications and Priority Display.

Lenovo

  • Android phone Settings  > Power manager > Background app management > add Signal to the unrestricted list or allow Signal to auto-start.

Nokia

  • Android phone settings > Battery > Background activity manager > ensure that the toggle is disabled for Signal.

OnePlus

  • Android phone Settings  > Apps > Gear icon > Apps Auto-launch > Enable Signal start-up in the background.
  • Android phone Settings > Battery > Menu > Aggressive Doze & App Hibernation > Disable this mode or prevent Signal from being limited in this mode.
  • Android phone Settings > Apps > Menu > Auto Run > Disable this mode or prevent Signal from being limited in this mode.

Oppo

  • Apps > Security center > Privacy permissions > Auto-run management (or Startup manager) > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings  > Application management > Running tab > Enable Signal.

Samsung

  • Android phone Settings > Apps > Signal > Mobile data > Allow background data usage
  • Android phone Settings  > Security > Auto-start management > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced > Always keep Wi-Fi on during sleep.
  • Android phone Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery > MENU > App Power Monitor > Disable or selectively choose apps to sleep from Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery. Make sure to exclude Signal from the sleep list.
  • Android phone Settings > Device Maintenance > Battery > Power saving mode > Disable ot adjust to MID.
  • Android phone Settings  > Battery > Detail > Signal > Turn off.
  • Apps drawer > Smart manager > Battery > Detail > Signal > Turn off.
  • Android phone Settings  > Battery > Battery usage > MENU > Optimize battery usage > select 'All apps' > Disable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings > Battery > Unmonitored apps > Add apps > Signal > Done > Restart your phone.
  • Samsung 8: Android phone Settings > Apps > Menu > Special Access > Optimize battery usage > select the drop down which likely states ‘apps not optimized’ and switch to ‘all apps’ > find Signal and tap on the switch to turn it off.
  • Settings > Device care > Battery > More > Settings > Put unused apps to sleep > Set sleep delay to a date higher than 3

Sony

  • Android phone Settings  > Storage & memory > turn off the 'Smart cleaner' option or continue to tap the three dots at the top right > Advanced > add Signal to the whitelist.
  • Android phone Settings > Power management > Tap STAMINA mode > Apps active in standby > add Signal to the whitelist.

Vivo

  • Apps drawer > iManager > App manager > Autostart manager > allow Signal to auto-start in the background.

Xiaomi / MIUI

  • Apps drawer > Security app > Permissions > tap Autostart > Enable Signal.
  • Android phone Settings > Services > Security > Permissions > Autostart > Enable  Signal.
  • Android phone Settings  > Additional Settings > Battery and Performance > Manage apps' battery usage > turn 'Power saving modes' off > open the Security app > navigate to Permissions > add Signal to Autostart > invoke Task Manager > find Signal > drag it downwards until the padlock icon appears.
  • Android phone Security app > Settings > Data usage > Allow background data.

Unlisted phone/OS

If your phone or OS is not listed, you can search for specific settings on your phone in the following categories

  • Notifications
  • Priority mode
  • Battery power and optimization
  • Background permissions
  • Autostart

Other Settings

  1. Edit your VPN or firewall settings.
    • Android phone Settings > More (Under Wireless & Networks) > VPN then disable Wi-Fi Assistant.
    • Make sure you allow *.signal.org, TCP ports 80, 443, and 31337, and all UDP. If you have a transparent or reverse proxy it needs to support WebSockets.
  2. Reset your Google Account.
    • Android phone Settings > Applications > Manage applications > All (Swipe right on some phones for this list, if not listed in Downloaded).
    • Choose Google Play services > Clear data.
    • Choose Google services framework > Clear data.
    • Temporarily unlink your Google account from the phone.
    • Reboot the phone.
    • Re-associate your Google account.

 

iOS

  1. Confirm that you have enabled notification permissions for Signal.
    • iPhone Settings iOSSettings.png > Signal > Notifications > Allow Notifications.
    • Enable Sounds, Badge App Icon, and Show on Lock Screen.
    • Enable Show in History and Show as Banners.
      permissions-ios2.png
  2. Confirm that you have enabled Cellular Data for Signal.
    • iPhone Settings iOSSettings.png > Signal > Cellular Data.
      ios_permissions.png
  3. Re-register for push notifications: Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Notifications > Re-register Push Notifications > OK.
  4. Make sure that your VPN or other apps are not restricting Signal's ability to connect to the internet.
  5. Confirm you have not muted notifications for the contact or group thread.
  6. Confirm you have not blocked the contact.
  7. Check if your linked Signal Desktop has already viewed the message.
  8. Confirm that the date and time settings for your phone are set correctly for your time zone.  Compare to the time set by https://www.time.gov/ or https://time.is/.
  9. For sound notifications,
    • Confirm you have enabled the sound option in your notification permissions in step 1.
    • Take your device off silent/vibrate mode where the outside switch is not showing orange.
    • Confirm you have enabled sounds in Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Notifications > Message Sound.
    • Confirm you have not muted notifications as listed in step 5.

How do I disable the message send sound and keep notification sounds?
Disable message send sounds in Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Notifications > disable Play While App is Open.

Desktop

  • Check your notification preferences through Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Preferences.
    • macOS users will see "New Message" for all Disappearing Messages.
  • Check your OS notification settings
    • macOS: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Notifications > Select Signal in the left column and choose among the options.
      macosnotificaitons.png

Related articles