[Guide] How to recover lost notifications.

[Javier P]

Regularly the forums get many questions about how to see old notifications that are no longer available because:

- they were dismissed or deleted,
- they showed up briefly on the status bar and then disappeared,
- or there was a notification sound that left no record in the notification shade.

There's an easy way to see those notifications again and to know which app pushed them. The right steps will depend on the brand and Android version but the aim is the same: we need to create a shortcut for the Notification Log and see the records included there.

Pixel, OnePlus, Moto and similar phones.

Long press an empty spot on your home screen - tap 'Widgets' - scroll down until you find 'Settings' - drag it to your screen and select 'Notification Log' from that list.

This process will create a widget on your home screen that you can use anytime you want to access the log.

Other phones.

If the 'Settings' option is not available in your stock widgets you'd need an app that can access the phone Activities. My first two choices would be Nova launcher, that will create a widget, and Activity Launcher, that needs to be opened any time you want to see the log.

With both apps you need to open the Activities - scroll down until you find 'Settings' - tap it - scroll down this section and select Notification Log. In a few phones, because that's how Android works, you will find the Notification Log in a section on its own and not under 'Settings'.


Samsung phones.

In most recent Samsung devices you can also create this shortcut using the Nice Catch app, available in the Galaxy App Store.

General note.

The Notification Log is a temporary file with a limited number of entries (~50) and its content will be deleted if you restart the device.

Let us know if you have a problem with any of these processes or if you can't understand the records included in the log.

 

[mustang7757]

Regularly the forums get many questions about how to see old notifications that are no longer available because:

- they were dismissed or deleted,
- they showed up briefly on the status bar and then disappeared,
- or there was a notification sound that left no record in the notification shade.

There's an easy way to see those notifications again and know which app pushed them. The right steps will depend on the brand and Android version but the aim is the same, we need to create a shortcut for the Notification log and see the records included there.

Pixel, OnePlus, Moto and similar phones.

Long press an empty spot on your home screen - tap 'Widgets' - scroll down until you find 'Settings' - drag it to your screen and select 'Notification log' from that list.

This process will create a widget on your home screen that you can use anytime you want to access the log.

Other phones.

If the 'Settings' option is not available in your stock widgets you'd need an app that can access the phone Activities. My first two choices would be Nova launcher, that will create a widget, and Activity Launcher, that needs to be opened any time you want to see the log.

With both apps you need to open the Activities - scroll down until you find 'Settings' - tap it - scroll down this section and select Notification log. In a few phones, because that's how Android works, you will find the Notification log in a section on its own and not under 'Settings'.

View attachment 312704
Samsung phones.

In most recent Samsung devices you can also create this shortcut using the Nice Catch app, available in the Galaxy App Store.

General note.

The Notification log is a temporary file with a limited number of entries (~50) and its content will be deleted if you restart the device.

Let us know if you have a problem with any of these processes or I you can't understand the records included in the log.

Excellent write up.