Getting delayed alerts on iPhone defeats the purpose of using real-time notifications in the first place. You might miss information about upcoming meetings, important messages, and next week’s potluck when notifications don’t arrive on time. Before things get out of hand, follow the tips below to fix delayed notifications on iPhone.
When you get delayed notifications on your iPhone, you usually open the app to check for new messages and updates. It is time consuming and inconvenient. Instead, you can use the tips below to troubleshoot delayed notifications on your iPhone.
1. Disable focus
Focus is Apple’s version of DND (do not disturb) on the iPhone. If you have Focus enabled, iOS will pause all notifications on iPhone. You need to disable Focus on iPhone or exclude your favorite apps from Focus.
Step 1: Swipe down from the top right corner on iPhone X and above, or swipe up from the bottom (on iPhone with a Home button) to open Control Center.
2nd step: Disable focus.
If you use multiple Focus profiles allowing certain apps to send you notifications, you won’t receive any by default. Luckily, you can include multiple apps in a Focus profile if you want to use Focus with them. Here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: Open Settings on the iPhone.
2nd step: Select “Debug”.
Step 3: Select a Focus profile that you use regularly.
Step 4: Open the Applications menu.
Step 5: Tap “Add” and select the apps you want to receive notifications from.
After that iPhone will send notifications from the selected apps especially when you activate the specific Focus.
2. Enable Background App Refresh
If you have disabled background app refresh for a specific app, it cannot run in the background and send real-time notifications. You will need to enable the toggle for the app from the Settings menu.
Step 1: Open Settings on the iPhone.
2nd step: Scroll down to an app that’s giving you trouble with notifications.
Step 3: Enable the “Background app refresh” toggle in the next menu.
It’s a good idea to enable “Mobile Data” in the same menu, in case Wi-Fi isn’t working.
3. Reset Network Settings
Deleting all saved network options on your iPhone is a bit tedious. After all, you will have to add them again. This is because resetting network settings on your iPhone removes all Wi-Fi and Bluetooth preferences from your iPhone. However, setting it up does not take long.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to the General menu.
2nd step: Select “Transfer or reset iPhone”.
Step 3: Tap Reset and select Reset Network Settings.
Your iPhone may ask you to enter a PIN or password, if you have set one.
4. Disable Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode disables background activities to save battery power and ensure your iPhone works longer. However, it also prevents any aggressive push of app notifications. This is why you may notice a lag in notifications. Follow the steps below to turn off Low Power Mode on iPhone.
Step 1: Launch Settings and open “Battery”.
2nd step: Disable the “Low Power Mode” toggle.
If you are still having issues with delayed notifications, you should restart your iPhone.
5. Remove App from Scheduled Digest
Scheduled Digest is a new addition to iOS 15 that delays notifications at a convenient time. If you’ve added an app to a scheduled digest, iOS will only send an alert at a set time.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on iPhone and scroll down to select Notifications.
2nd step: Tap “Scheduled Summary”.
Step 3: Disable important apps in the next menu.
6. Check app notification settings
You can also customize the notification experience from the app. If you mute or turn off an app’s notifications, you won’t get any alerts. Let’s take WhatsApp as an example.
Step 1: Open WhatsApp on iPhone.
2nd step: Tap the Settings gear in the lower right corner.
Step 3: Select ‘Notifications’.
Step 4: Enable notifications for chats and groups.
You need to make the same changes from the other affected apps to fix delayed notifications.
7. Keep the app open in the recent apps menu
The system may kill the app in the background if you have an old iPhone with 1GB to 2GB of RAM. You need to keep the app open in the “Recent apps” menu. When an app is open in multitasking, iOS prioritizes it over other apps and you won’t experience any delay in receiving notifications.
8. Update iOS
A buggy version of iOS can ruin the notification experience for you. Apple is quickly fixing these issues with a new update. You need to update your iPhone to the latest version to fix the delayed notifications issue.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to tap General (refer to the steps above).
2nd step: Select “Software Update”.
Step 3: Download and install any pending iOS updates on your iPhone.
Get real-time notifications on iPhone
Delayed notifications on iPhone can lead to confusion and errors. Before resetting your iPhone from scratch, use the tips above and start receiving notifications in time. While you’re at it, let us know which trick worked for you.