If you're not getting Snapchat notifications, check your phone's own settings allow them first, then open Snapchat, tap the gear icon on your profile to open Settings, tap Notifications and make sure each type you want is switched on.
I'll be straight with you: Snapchat's help pages don't list causes for missing notifications. What they do give is where the main notification controls live on iPhone and Android, and one important note about your phone's own settings. I checked both pages as of Nov 2026. So this is a ladder: work down it in order and stop when your notifications come back.
Check these in order
- Your phone's settings. Snapchat says your device may need to allow its notifications before the app's own settings work.
- Snapchat's own toggles. Each type of notification has its own switch in the app.
- Story notifications. These are set separately, person by person, on iPhone.
- Your Apple Watch. If that's where they're missing, the settings are in the Watch app.
- The app itself. If all of that looks right, the help pages run out, and it's time for the general fixes.
I'd start with the phone because it's the one setting both help pages flag before the in-app switches.
Rung one: your phone's own notification settings
Both help pages point here. On iPhone, Snapchat says that to control Story notifications you'll need notifications for Snapchat enabled in your device's settings. On Android, it says that depending on your device, you may need to enable notifications in your device's settings before you can manage them in the Snapchat app.
Snapchat doesn't give the exact menu path for your phone's settings, because that's your phone maker's territory, not Snapchat's. What it does make clear is that this switch can come first, so check it before anything else.
One more thing on this rung: if only one chat or one group has gone quiet, Snapchat's notifications help section lists separate articles for turning off Group Chat message notifications and for turning off message or call notifications from one person. The two pages I'm drawing on don't explain those controls, so I won't guess at the steps, but that's where to look when it's one conversation rather than everything.
Rung two: the toggles inside Snapchat
Once your phone allows Snapchat to notify you, check the app. Every notification type has its own toggle. Snapchat says you can turn notifications on or off at any time, so turning one back on is just a tap. The exact route differs slightly between iPhone and Android, so use the section for your phone below.
iPhone: the full route
From Snapchat's iOS notifications page:
- Tap your profile icon at the top.
- Tap the gear icon at the top to open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Check the toggle for each notification type. If one you want is off, tap it to turn it back on.
Story notifications on iPhone
If it's Stories you're missing, they're managed separately:
- Tap your profile icon, then the gear icon to open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Tap Manage Story Notifications.
- Tap the name of each Snapchatter you want Story notifications from, then tap Done.
Remember the note from rung one: this only works if Snapchat notifications are enabled in your iPhone's settings.
Android: the full route
From Snapchat's Android notifications page, which is shorter:
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- Tap the gear icon in the Profile screen to open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Look for any notification you want that's been unchecked, and check it again.
Snapchat's Android page doesn't mention a separate Story notification list, so I won't invent one. If your device needs notifications enabled at system level first, as Snapchat warns some do, sort that before you touch these boxes.
Missing them on your Apple Watch?
Snapchat says Apple Watch notifications are managed in the Watch app on your iPhone, not in Snapchat. Three settings are worth checking there:
- Mirror iPhone Alerts for Snapchat. If it's off, notifications are switched off on the watch altogether.
- Tap to Show Full Notification, which hides chat content until you tap. So if alerts arrive with no chat text, check this one.
- Notifications Indicator and Summary Views, which control the look and feel.
For more on the watch side, here's my guide to Snapchat notifications on Apple Watch.
Where the official help stops
If your phone allows notifications and every toggle in Snapchat is on, you've reached the end of what Snapchat's notification pages cover. They don't mention outdated versions, battery settings, connection problems or bugs as causes, so I'm not going to claim any of them is your answer.
My verdict: at that point, treat it as an app problem rather than a settings problem. The pages don't list updating as a fix either, but it's a sensible next step, and here's how to update Snapchat. If other things in the app are misbehaving too, my guide to Snapchat not working is the next stop.
Quick answers
How do I turn Snapchat notifications back on?
Open Settings from your profile in Snapchat, tap Notifications, and switch on each type you want. On iPhone it's a toggle; on Android you check the box.
Why aren't my Snapchat Story notifications working on iPhone?
Story notifications are set per person under Manage Story Notifications, and Snapchat says they need notifications enabled in your device's settings.
Do I need to change my phone settings for Snapchat notifications?
Possibly. Snapchat says some Android devices need notifications enabled in device settings before you can manage them in the app.
How do I get Snapchat notifications on my Apple Watch?
Open the Watch app on your iPhone and check Mirror iPhone Alerts is on for Snapchat. Snapchat says turning it off stops watch notifications altogether.
