Text Sound Notifications Happen Only for First Text in Series

[PowrDroid]

This is annoying. I've missed some texts or responded later than I wanted because of it.

I will receive a text message. Notification pops up, notification sound is heard. However, subsequent text messages from same sender within that conversation do not trigger the sound notification. I get the first one and that's all.

I've been looking for patterns--maybe it only happens with my starred contacts. Nope. Maybe if I wait a couple of minutes before responding thus delaying a response from the sender, I'll get a sound notification. Nope. But there must be some time period (or something else) that "resets" the sound notification feature because next time later in the day I get a text from this same person it triggers the sound event.

Some background info:
I'm on Android Pie
I'm on Verizon
I use Verizon Messages+
I use custom sound notifications. These are about 2 to 4 seconds in duration.
So far as I know, this started happening in the past several weeks (but could be longer.)

Does this failure to trigger a sound notification on subsequent texts happen to anyone else?

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

 

[Morty2264]

Hmm, that is a bizarre issue!

Does it only happen with one contact, or does it happen with every contact? What is your signal like when this happens?

My suggestion would be to see if this same occurrence happens while using another third-party SMS app, like Textra.

 

[PowrDroid]

Hmm, that is a bizarre issue!

Does it only happen with one contact, or does it happen with every contact? What is your signal like when this happens?

I know it happens for at least three contacts. I assume it would happen with anyone in my contact list.

My suggestion would be to see if this same occurrence happens while using another third-party SMS app, like Textra.

That's on my list of attempts to try to fix the problem.

For some reason I suspect the it has something to do with the custom sound events I have assigned to each contact. I'm wondering if the 3 to 4 second duration is the culprit. Before I try a different texting app, I might assign the default sound event, which is shorter in duration, to a couple of the contacts that I have this issue with and see that happens.

Does Textra allow custom sound notifications for each contact?

 

[Morty2264]

I know it happens for at least three contacts. I assume it would happen with anyone in my contact list.



That's on my list of attempts to try to fix the problem.

For some reason I suspect the it has something to do with the custom sound events I have assigned to each contact. I'm wondering if the 3 to 4 second duration is the culprit. Before I try a different texting app, I might assign the default sound event, which is shorter in duration, to a couple of the contacts that I have this issue with and see that happens.

Does Textra allow custom sound notifications for each contact?

Setting the default sound for all contacts sounds like a good plan!

Yes, Textra allows you to make custom notification tones for each contact. One of the many reasons why I love Textra!

It's free, by the way - I have the Pro version but you do not need to pay to have the bulk of the features (different tones per contact is included in the free version).

 

[toy4rick]

I had the same exact issue when on Pie, Verizon, Google Msgs, no custom notifications... also use Google Msgs for Web

Now on Android 10, same thing

 

[Morty2264]

I had the same exact issue when on Pie, Verizon, Google Msgs, no custom notifications... also use Google Msgs for Web

Now on Android 10, same thing

Have you tried a third-party SMS app?

 

[toy4rick]

Have you tried a third-party SMS app?

I use Messages for Web so I can't use another SMS app

 

[B. Diddy]

I use Verizon Messages+

Does this also happen for you with Google Messages?

 

[B. Diddy]

I use Messages for Web so I can't use another SMS app

Does this happen when your computer is nearby and Messages for Web is currently open? I find that when Messages for Web is open, my phone won't make the notification tone.

 

[PowrDroid]

I'm not ignoring anybody's suggestions, the problem now is I'm not getting enough texts to test out solutions!

 

[B. Diddy]

I'm not ignoring anybody's suggestions, the problem now is I'm not getting enough texts to test out solutions!

Give us your phone number, and we'll bomb you with texts! (I'm kidding -- don't post your phone number on the forums.)

 

[PowrDroid]

I use Messages for Web so I can't use another SMS app

I use Messages+ to sync my texts to my tablet so I'm reluctant to switch to another app.

 

[PowrDroid]

Give us your phone number, and we'll bomb you with texts! (I'm kidding -- don't post your phone number on the forums.)

I tried to send myself a text. It went through just fine, but no sound notification event. Can someone try sending themselves a text and let me know if you get a sound notification?

 

[Morty2264]

I tried to send myself a text. It went through just fine, but no sound notification event. Can someone try sending themselves a text and let me know if you get a sound notification?

I texted myself and got a notification with vibration.

 

[toy4rick]

Does this happen when your computer is nearby and Messages for Web is currently open? I find that when Messages for Web is open, my phone won't make the notification tone.

I use Messages for web at home and work and I do get some notifications, not many however

 

[PowrDroid]

I texted myself and got a notification with vibration.

I tried sending myself a couple of texts with Verizon Messages+ and I got no sound notification, no vibration. I then temporarily switched to Textra and tried to text myself. I got a vibrate, but no sound notification. I searched the settings on Textra and found an option--"When in conversation screen, send sound notification." I turned that on and I now get vibrate and sound notification when sending myself using Textra. (Morty2264, find and adjust this setting and see if you get vibration AND sound notification when texting yourself.)

Back to Verizon Messages+, looking for a similar setting. Don't see anything like it. I send myself a text message. No vibrate, no sound notification.

Thinking back to when I fail to get sound notifications with Verizon Messages+, it seems that it happens when I am within the conversation. Example: Say I am at work or at home watching TV. I get a text (with sound notification). I answer the text, and while still within that conversation, set my phone off to the side. The person I'm having the conversation with texts me back. I DON'T get a sound notification. (I might get a vibrate, but I doubt it.)

I believe this is what is happening when I don't get follow-up sound notifications--I'm within the conversation so the texting app assumes I'm paying attention, assumes the sender is going to answer me within a minute or two, and therefore doesn't activate a sound notification.

 

[PowrDroid]

I believe this is what is happening when I don't get follow-up sound notifications--I'm within the conversation so the texting app assumes I'm paying attention, assumes the sender is going to answer me within a minute or two, and therefore doesn't activate a sound notification.

Some Googling turns up people with similar complaints with this problem, going back almost five years. And it's not just with Verizon Messages+
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Person using a Galaxy S5, February 2015
I have notice that if I am texting a person and say i lay my phone down with out closing the conversation and they text me back I do not hear the notification sound anymore. I have notice this since i have updated to Android 5.0. I have done all the checking with the volume and making sure its turned up, changed the sound to a louder one. Not using any third party software just using the standard messaging program (not Verizon messager) This has started becoming a nuisances since i am missing a lot of text messages.

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I just purchased the Note 4 one week ago and am having text notification sound issues. While texting with a contact, if they reply and I still have the convo window open, the phone doesn't chime or vibrate. I keep missing replies because the phone doesn't notify me of msgs. I was having the same issue for the last few months on my S3, but figured it was just because the phone was old and not working properly. My Note 4 is brand new, so I'm guessing this is an OS problem. Nonetheless, I'd really like a fix as its incredibly annoying to repeatedly miss texts. I'm using the stock messages app, not very messages+.
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Re: Text Message Sound Notification Not Working on S8+
‎04-28-2018 04:08 AM - edited ‎04-28-2018 04:09 AM

For some unknown reason Samsung decided to mute the default message app tone when the app is open in an active "conversation"

The notification will only sound off at the beginning. Once you open the message app and start texting, you will not get additional sound notifications unless you either close, or minimize the app.

So if you are carrying on a text conversation, and leave the app is open, you'll have to look at the phone to see when the other person replies. I hate that Samsung has done that. Thats why I use WhatsApp for most of my texting.
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https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=457707&p=4383762&viewfull=1#post4383762

 

[Morty2264]

I tried sending myself a couple of texts with Verizon Messages+ and I got no sound notification, no vibration. I then temporarily switched to Textra and tried to text myself. I got a vibrate, but no sound notification. I searched the settings on Textra and found an option--"When in conversation screen, send sound notification." I turned that on and I now get vibrate and sound notification when sending myself using Textra. (Morty2264, find and adjust this setting and see if you get vibration AND sound notification when texting yourself.)

Back to Verizon Messages+, looking for a similar setting. Don't see anything like it. I send myself a text message. No vibrate, no sound notification.

Thinking back to when I fail to get sound notifications with Verizon Messages+, it seems that it happens when I am within the conversation. Example: Say I am at work or at home watching TV. I get a text (with sound notification). I answer the text, and while still within that conversation, set my phone off to the side. The person I'm having the conversation with texts me back. I DON'T get a sound notification. (I might get a vibrate, but I doubt it.)

I believe this is what is happening when I don't get follow-up sound notifications--I'm within the conversation so the texting app assumes I'm paying attention, assumes the sender is going to answer me within a minute or two, and therefore doesn't activate a sound notification.

That could definitely be what happens. Sometimes when I am in a texting conversation, if I leave that window open, texts come in but no sound occurs. I believe that happened on my older phones - don't think it's happened with my Pixel 2 as yet. I'm glad that Textra was working for you in that capacity!

Keep us posted on what happens when you get a text, close your SMS app, and then get a response.