Fix SMS & iMessage Notification Issues in iOS 10

If you’re running iOS 10 and your SMS or iMessage notifications aren’t showing up, or they arrive silently, this guide will walk you through the most common fixes. We’ll cover settings that often get overlooked, like notification previews and “Do Not Disturb,” and show you how to reset your messaging services if nothing else works. You’ll need your iPhone in hand and a few minutes to check each setting.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone running iOS 10 (any model)
Your Apple ID password (for signing out/in of iMessage)
A stable Wi‑Fi or cellular connection

Step-by-Step

Check “Do Not Disturb”
Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb. Make sure the toggle at the top is off. If it’s on, you won’t get any notification sounds or banners. Also check the “Scheduled” setting – if you have a schedule set, your phone will mute notifications during those hours. Turn off scheduling temporarily to test.
Verify Notification Settings for Messages
Open Settings > Notifications > Messages. Ensure “Allow Notifications” is on. Then check “Alert Style When Unlocked” – choose “Banners” or “Alerts” (not “None”). Make sure “Sounds” is on and “Badge App Icon” is as you prefer. If you have “Show Previews” set to “When Unlocked” or “Never,” you won’t see message content on the lock screen – change it to “Always” if you want full previews.
Check iMessage and SMS Settings
Go to Settings > Messages. Confirm that iMessage is toggled on. If it’s on but you’re having issues, toggle it off, wait a few seconds, then toggle it back on. Also make sure Send as SMS is enabled – this lets your phone fall back to regular SMS when iMessage isn’t available. If you’re not receiving texts from Android users, this is a key setting.
Restart Your iPhone
Press and hold the power button until “slide to power off” appears. Slide to turn off, wait about 30 seconds, then press the power button again to restart. This clears minor software glitches that can affect notifications.
Check for iOS Updates
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, install it. Apple regularly fixes notification bugs in point releases (like iOS 10.3.3).
Reset All Settings (Not Content)
If the above steps don’t work, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This resets Wi‑Fi passwords, wallpaper, and notification preferences, but does not delete your data. You’ll need to re‑enter Wi‑Fi passwords afterward. This often resolves stubborn notification glitches.
Sign Out and Back Into iMessage
Go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive. Tap your Apple ID at the top and choose “Sign Out.” Then restart your iPhone, go back to the same screen, and sign in again. This refreshes your connection to Apple’s servers.
Check for a Blocked Sender
If only certain people’s messages aren’t notifying, they might be blocked. Go to Settings > Messages > Blocked and review the list. Also check Settings > Phone > Blocked for calls and texts.

Common Mistakes

Leaving “Do Not Disturb” on without realizing it. The moon icon in the status bar is easy to miss. Check it first.
Setting “Alert Style” to “None.” This is a common accidental change – you’ll still get notifications in Notification Center, but no banner or sound.
Disabling “Send as SMS.” If you turn this off, you won’t receive texts from non‑iMessage users when your data connection is weak.
Forgetting to check per‑conversation settings. In the Messages app, tap a conversation, then the “i” icon, and make sure “Hide Alerts” is off (no bell icon with a slash).

Tips

Use “Repeat Alerts” for important contacts. In Settings > Notifications > Messages, you can set “Repeat Alerts” to once or twice to get a second notification if you miss the first.
Keep your iPhone updated. iOS 10 had several updates that fixed notification bugs – staying current helps.
Check your notification summary. iOS 10 doesn’t have scheduled summaries (that came later), but if you have “Show Previews” set to “When Unlocked,” you’ll only see content when your phone is unlocked – that’s normal.
If you use a Mac or iPad, check those too. Sometimes notifications are forwarded to other devices, and your iPhone might not alert if another device is active. Go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding and toggle off any devices you don’t want to receive alerts.

Troubleshooting

If you’ve tried all the steps and still have no notifications, try these additional checks:

Check if you’re actually receiving messages. Open the Messages app and see if new texts appear. If they do, but you get no banner/sound, the issue is notification settings. If they don’t appear at all, it’s a network or iMessage activation problem.
Test with a friend. Ask someone to send you a text. If it comes through as a green bubble but no notification, the issue is with your notification settings. If it comes through as a blue bubble but no notification, it’s likely a settings glitch – try the “Reset All Settings” step.
Check your network connection. iMessage requires a data connection (Wi‑Fi or cellular). If you’re on a weak signal, messages may be delayed. Toggle Airplane Mode on and off to reset the connection.
If all else fails, restore your iPhone. Back up your iPhone, then go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Set up as new (or restore from backup) – this is a last resort, but it will clear any deep software corruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get notifications on my iPad but not my iPhone?

This often happens when “Do Not Disturb” is on for your iPhone, or when your iPhone is locked and “Show Previews” is set to “When Unlocked.” Also, if you have “Text Message Forwarding” enabled, your iPad can receive alerts even if your iPhone doesn’t.

How do I turn on notification sounds for texts?

Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and make sure “Sounds” is toggled on. You can also choose a specific tone by tapping “Sound” and selecting one.

Why are my iMessages sending as green bubbles?

That means iMessage isn’t available for that contact (they might have turned it off) or your phone can’t reach Apple’s servers. Check your data connection and make sure iMessage is enabled in Settings > Messages.

Will “Reset All Settings” delete my messages?

No, it only resets system settings like Wi‑Fi passwords, wallpaper, and notification preferences. Your messages, photos, and apps remain untouched.

Why do I only get notifications when the app is open?

This usually happens if you’ve set “Alert Style” to “None” or if “Allow Notifications” is off. Check your Messages notification settings and make sure “Banners” or “Alerts” is selected.

How do I stop duplicate notifications from my Mac and iPhone?

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding and toggle off the Mac. On your Mac, open Messages > Preferences > iMessage and uncheck “Enable this account” if you don’t want it at all.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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