How to unsilence notifications on iPhone

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ios notification center

There have been many reports where the iPhone’s notifications are silenced without the owner enabling silent mode. The issue is most common in recent iOS versions. In this case, the phone experiences random software glitches and bugs that turn on the silent mode.

A technical notification issue can be frustrating since you may miss important messages. However, as annoying as notifications can be, they should be set according to the user and not the phone.

If you are experiencing this problem, the following article will explain why and what you can do to unsilence notifications on your iPhone.

Why is my iPhone saying my notifications are silenced?

The reason behind you not receiving notifications for texts or app notifications may revolve around the iOS 15’s new Focus feature. Like the Do Not Disturb (DND) function, the feature allows users to choose which apps and people to get notified. 

People who use the DND and Focus feature all the time are most affected by the silenced notification problem. Therefore, we shall highlight ways in which you can solve this problem and get your sound notification back.

READ: Here’s why your iPhone text notifications are not working? 

Troubleshooting the silenced notification issue

If you are experiencing the silenced notification problem, you cannot see call, text, or app notifications. This is because the Focus feature restricts notifications alerts from every app and contact, ignoring the selected ones. Below are methods you can use to troubleshoot it.

1. Enable notification alerts

Your notifications may be silent because they have not been enabled. Below are steps on how to unsilence notifications on iPhone:

  • Tap on the Settings app.
  • Tap on Notifications.
  • Tap on Messages.
  • On the options displayed, turn on the toggle next to Allow Notifications. You can also set the notification’s alert sound and preview location.

2. Disable Focus or DND mode

Do Not Disturb

Since we have highlighted this as the main reason why your iPhone notifications are silenced, the solution is to disable the Focus and DND feature. You may have turned it on accidentally or forgotten to switch it off. One way of solving this is by disabling these features from the Control Centre.

Alternatively:

  • Tap on iPhone’s Settings app.
  • Tap on Settings.
  • Scroll down on the options and tap on Focus.
  • Tap on Do Not Disturb.
  • Turn on the green toggle next to Do Not Disturb to disable it.

3. Whitelist apps from the Focus feature 

You might want to resume using the DND or Focus feature but also want to receive notifications from other apps. If so, you should whitelist them in the above features by doing the following:

  • Tap on the Settings app.
  • Tap on Focus.
  • Tap on Focus mode, where you will whitelist the necessary apps.
  • Tap on the Apps section under the Allowed Notifications above the screen.
  • Tap on the Apps tab on the upper screen and tap on the plus (+) button below the Allowed Apps option.
  • Select the apps that you want to whitelist on Focus mode. Once you have selected them, tap Done on the upper right corner of the screen.

READ: How to leave a group text on iPhone

4. Whitelist contacts on Focus and DND

You can also whitelist the contacts you want to receive messages from. Then, you can get messages or call notifications from them while still on Focus mode. Here is how you can do it:

  • Tap on Settings.
  • Tap on Focus. A list of custom Focus settings will appear on the screen.  
  • Tap on the People option below the Allowed Notifications on the upper side of the screen.
  • Tap on the People tab and select the Add (+) button below the Allowed People option.
  • The Contacts app will pop up on the screen. From there, you will scroll down while selecting the contacts to whitelist.
  • Once you have completed this, tap on Done in the upper right corner of the screen.

Final words

The new iOS 15 version comes with a new feature called Focus that limits you from distractions from notifications. It can, however, be a problem when your notifications have been silenced.

You can unsilence notifications on your iPhone by disabling the DND and Focus features. Furthermore, you can whitelist the apps and contacts you wish to get notifications. Finally, you can contact Apple customer support for professional assistance if the problem persists.