When Instagram notifications stop, the cause can be a setting rather than a broken app, and there are two layers to check: Instagram's own notification settings and your phone's system settings for Instagram. Check the in-app Pause push notifications toggle and sleep mode first, then allow Instagram in iPhone or Android settings, then turn off Do Not Disturb, Focus and battery saver. If all of that is clear, update the app, restart the phone, and log out and back in.
Which problem do you have?
The fix depends on what "not working" looks like for you.
- Nothing arrives at all, from anyone. Check for a phone-level setting first: notifications blocked for Instagram, Do Not Disturb or Focus on, or battery saver limiting background activity. Fixes 3, 4 and 5.
- Some things arrive but not others, such as likes but not messages. Check Instagram's in-app notification settings first. Fix 1.
- Notifications arrive late, in a batch, or only after you open the app. Check a delivery setting first: sleep mode inside Instagram, Scheduled Summary on iPhone, or battery saver on Android. Fixes 2, 4 and 5.
- You miss posts from one particular account. Check a per-account setting first. Fix 6.
Fix 1: Check push notifications inside Instagram
Instagram's Help Center says your notification settings let you choose which posts and interactions you are notified about, and that you can also pause push notifications.
iPhone and Android (the Help Center gives the same steps for both):
- Tap your profile picture in the bottom right.
- Tap Menu in the top right.
- Below How you use Instagram, tap Notifications.
- Look at Pause push notifications. If the toggle is on, switch it off. Instagram's page says you can pause push notifications for a time you select, so a pause you set earlier may still be running.
- Tap each notification setting below it and make sure the ones you want are on.
The Help Center says Instagram may send notifications for several reasons, including when someone follows you, likes or comments on one of your posts, mentions you in a comment, sends you a message, or goes live.
One limit worth knowing: the Help Center says Instagram uses an AI system that automatically determines which posts or activity you are notified about. So even with every switch on, you may not get a push for every like or comment. We found no Instagram page that says how that system decides, so be wary of articles that claim to know.
Fix 2: Check sleep mode
Instagram's page says sleep mode lets you automatically pause notifications, auto-reply to messages and show people you are in sleep mode during the times you choose. When sleep mode ends, you get a summary of notifications and messages you received during it.
- Tap your profile picture, then Menu.
- In Settings and activity, tap Time management.
- Tap Sleep mode and check whether the toggle is on and which days and times are set.
Instagram says that if you have a Teen Account you are defaulted into sleep mode from 10PM to 7AM every day. The same page says you can turn sleep mode on for up to 24 hours each day, so a schedule that covers most of the day would explain a very quiet phone.
Fix 3: Allow Instagram in your phone's settings
Instagram can only send a push notification if the phone lets it. This is a phone setting, not an Instagram one, so the steps below come from Apple and Google, not from Instagram.
iPhone: Apple's support page says to open Settings, tap Notifications, then tap the app below Notification Style. Turn on Allow Notifications. Under Alerts, choose where notifications appear: Lock Screen, Notification Center or banners.
Android: Google's support page says to open Settings, tap Notifications, then App notifications, find Instagram and turn its notifications on. Google notes that settings can vary by phone. You can turn off all of an app's notifications or only some categories, so if Instagram shows categories, check that each one you want is on.
Fix 4: Turn off Do Not Disturb and Focus modes
A Focus or Do Not Disturb setting silences or delays notifications even when Instagram is allowed.
iPhone: Apple's support page says Focus helps you minimise distractions and can silence notifications, and that you can quickly silence all notifications by opening Control Center, tapping Focus and turning on Do Not Disturb. So open Control Center and check no Focus is on. Also check Scheduled Summary: Apple says that if you use it, each app's setting under Notification Delivery is either Immediate Delivery or Scheduled Summary. If Instagram is set to Scheduled Summary, its notifications arrive in a summary at the times you scheduled, so they can arrive late. Set Instagram to Immediate Delivery.
Android: Google's support page says to swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Do Not Disturb to turn it on or off. Google's page also describes Modes, such as Bedtime and Driving, that can limit which apps send notifications and that you can switch on and off from the same Quick Settings area. Check none is active, and in the mode's notification filters check Instagram is allowed.
Fix 5: Turn off battery saver on Android
Google's battery page says that when Battery Saver is on it limits or turns off background activity, so some features, network connections and apps may experience delays. Google does not name notifications in that list, but Instagram's pushes could be among the delays. Open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Saver and turn it off to test. Google also says some Android phones have their own battery saver or low power mode, and points to your phone maker's support site to find out.
Fix 6: Check notifications for the accounts you follow
If you are missing posts from one account, the setting is on that account's profile. Instagram says that when you turn on notifications for someone you follow, you get a notification every time they share a post.
- Go to their profile.
- Tap Notifications in the top right.
- Tap next to Posts, Stories, Reels or Live videos.
- Pick the notification option you prefer.
Instagram says you have to do this person by person, and that people are not told when you turn notifications on or off for them. The same page adds that you may get a push when someone you follow shares for the first time in a while, whether or not you turned notifications on for that person.
Fix 7: Update the app and restart the phone
Instagram's Troubleshooting page says you should always run the latest version of the Instagram app and of your phone's operating system before trying its other steps. It also says to always try restarting your phone first.
- iPhone: update Instagram in the App Store and check Settings for an iOS update.
- Android: update Instagram in the Google Play Store and check for a system update.
Then restart the phone, open Instagram once, and ask a friend to like or comment on a post so you can test.
Fix 8: Log out and back in
We found no Instagram page that names logging out and back in as a notification fix, so treat it as a cheap test. In the app, tap your profile picture, then Menu; the Help Center lists Log out of your account among the options. Make sure you know your password and can reach your email or phone number before you log out. Once you are back in, open the notification settings from fix 1 and check they are still as you left them, then test again.
Still nothing: reinstall, then report it
If all eight fixes failed, delete and reinstall Instagram. Instagram's Troubleshooting page says that on iPhone and iPad, your photos and profile info are saved by Instagram when you remove the app. On Android you go to Settings, Apps, Instagram and tap Uninstall, then reinstall from Google Play. Save any drafts first, because Instagram says drafts are stored on your device and are lost if you uninstall.
After you log in again, check your phone's notification setting for Instagram from fix 3 and test again.
If it still fails, report it. Tap your profile picture, then Menu, then Help below More info and support, then Report a Problem. Instagram says the kind of phone you use, what you were doing and a screenshot may help it address the issue. Say which kinds of notifications are missing and when they stopped.
Once alerts are back
When likes, follows and comments reach you again, it helps to know whether the follower numbers behind them are healthy. UpGrow's free Instagram audit takes any public username without the @, reads the account's public numbers and recent posts, and estimates whether the account shows few, some or many signs of fake followers.
If you want help growing the audience that sees your posts, UpGrow's Instagram growth service targets the audience you choose and never needs your Instagram password. Our post on new post notifications covers how those alerts help keep an audience engaged, and our post on managing Instagram DMs includes setting up automatic notifications so you do not miss messages.
FAQ
Why am I not getting Instagram notifications on my iPhone?
Check three things in order: Pause push notifications inside Instagram, Allow Notifications for Instagram in iPhone Settings, and whether a Focus or Scheduled Summary is delaying or silencing them. If those are clear, update the app, restart the iPhone and log out and back in.
Why are my Instagram notifications delayed?
On iPhone, one possible cause is Scheduled Summary, which Apple describes as a summary of notifications for several apps at once, at times you schedule. On Android, check whether Battery Saver is on, because Google says it limits background activity. Inside Instagram, sleep mode also holds notifications and sends a summary when it ends.
Why do I get notifications for some accounts but not others?
Each account you follow has its own notification setting for posts, Stories, Reels and Live videos. Open the profile and tap Notifications to change it. Instagram also says you may get a push the first time someone shares in a while, whether or not you turned notifications on.
Do I have to reinstall Instagram to fix notifications?
Not before the settings checks. Reinstalling is the last step. If you do reinstall, post or save any drafts first, because Instagram says drafts are lost when you uninstall.
Why does Instagram not notify me about every like and comment?
Instagram's Help Center says an AI system automatically determines which posts or activity you are notified about. We found no Instagram page that lists its rules, so a missing notification may not be a sign that something is broken.
