Push notifications not working while screen is off

[Android Central Question]

I've recently switched over from iOS to a Samsung Galaxy S8 running Android 8. During the first week everything worked just fine. I was receiving push notifications on a regular basis. A few days ago suddenly notifications stopped working intermittently when screen is off. I couldn't find a pattern really. It does it both on Wi-Fi and 4G, for all apps. Sometimes push notifications work, sometimes they are delayed (receiving them after a few minutes) and sometimes they do not work at all.

Each time it doesn't work when I turn on the screen, all notifications pop up with both sound and visual.

What I checked so far:

- Notifications turned on for the specific apps and allowed on lockscreen
- Apps were also put into the "Unmonitored apps" under Device Maintenance - Battery
- Wi-Fi on during sleep set to always
- Data saver turned off
- Optimize battery usage - checked that the apps are set to off
- Even tried by enabling Always On Display setting - same behavior.

For me it seems that the something in the battery optimization process is messing up with the notification service. I can't say for sure if it happens for messages as well as I don't receive text messages so often, but it happens for all other apps: Gmail, Whatsapp and some other apps I use.

I noticed that under Optimize battery usage there are a lot of system services and they are all set to be optimized. Which I find very odd considering that probably some of them are very important for the system to run properly. Is it possible that there is a service there that handles notifications and I should switch off battery optimization for it as well? The only name I found close was a service called "notification" which I disabled, but without success. Still not getting push notifications.

Any idea what else can be checked? If I cannot find a solution to it I will most probably go back to iOS as this is very annoying. I heavily rely on notifications for work purposes as well.

 

[Dave Scarle]

I've had the same issues with my Galaxy S8 with AT&T. Thought it was a software issue. Exchanged the phone under my insurance plan but had the same issue with the new device. I've found if I uninstall the new updates from google play services, I get all my emails, and in-game notifications on time, even while screen is sleeping. Settings, apps, google play services. 3 dots upper right corner, uninstall updates.

 

[Dave Scarle]

Theses are the thing I've tried to get to this conclusion.
-Taking all apps out of sleep mode
-Taking all apps (installed & system) off battery optimization
-Factory resets
-Cache wiping
-Uninstalling & Reinstalling apps

This is what's working for me
-Uninstalling updates from Google Play Services
-Taking certain apps out of sleep mode (The Score)
-Taking certain app off Battery Optimization (Gmail, The Score etc.)

I now have been getting my notification on time, for a week, as things happen from the those apps. The downside is I cant get my Google News feed, through Google app, unless I update Google Play Services. I can do without that if everything else is working like it should.

 

[leonatwm]

What is the point of having battery left when important notifications do not come in? (I don't even have battery problem, as my battery always last for more than a day.) I also have problems with Google calendar reminders not going off! (Check the web, I'm not the only one.) I cannot believe how sloppy Google as a company has become. It looks as though the only solution is to avoid using Google products.

 

[leonatwm]

To: Dave Scarle


-Uninstalling updates from Google Play Services ---- not allow on my phone (Galaxy S8)
-Taking certain apps out of sleep mode (The Score) ---- no sleep mode can be found or controlled
-Taking certain apps out of battery optimization ---- tried but does not work (Gmail not in sleep mode, there is no The Score app)

 

[Dave Scarle]

I also found that in order to use Maps & Google news feed, you either have to install the Google Play Services update or uninstall the updates from the Google apps ( Maps & Google)

 

[IceLancer SR]

Ppl, i solved issue with viber and other apps on my Samsung!
Under device maintenance -> battery->battery usage->optimize battery usage(top right corner click) ->all apps
Then untick Viber in the list!
It was Samsung 360 battery optimization that was screwing Viber and gmail etc

(shutdown/power up phone after)

 

[wvigotty]

I have Samsung Galaxy S9+ and there is no Viber app control under optimize battery usage, all apps.

 

[IceLancer SR]

My friend recently got S9+ he says his viber is working fine tho..
I can totally confirm my findings above, even my Emails started working, everything i untick from battery optimization software has been brought back to life with notifications

Did u click "all apps" in left corner after opening "optimize battery usage" ? First it opens is "apps not optimized" and viber obviously isnt there, because its already "optimized"
P.S
I also had problem with steam , steam guard just refused to send me "code" when phone is in "sleep" for too long and it was working perfectly few months back. Now its working again

 

[wvigotty]

But isn't Viber a 3rd party app that has to be installed? Because that is the only thing I can think of why I don't have a Viber app or app settings.

 

[IceLancer SR]

But isn't Viber a 3rd party app that has to be installed? Because that is the only thing I can think of why I don't have a Viber app or app settings.

What do u mean 3rd party? It goes throu google store like everything else. Samsung batery optimization is system wide if u turn on "show all"

https://i.imgur.com/QW15n6B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3cMzq3U.jpg

 

[Marinewonder]

I know this is an old thread, and a few posts back from this, someone mentioned Greenify.

First, I'd like to clarify I'm on Android 12, rooted.

In my case, the app "Microsoft Family", I wanted notifications to come through on the lock screen were never working.

I have battery -> background usage limits -> put unused apps to sleep enabled.

But even when I had excluded the app in the "Never sleeping apps" section, it would not come through in the lock screen, its notifications would be waiting as soon as I unlocked it.

When I disabled to put unused apps to sleep, the notification would come through on the lock.

So if anything, the white-list from the phone's background usage limits does not work, so I re-enabled the setting for general use.

I installed Greenify in root mode, just because I had it already rooted, and put the app in its white-list, and the notification came through the lock screen.

As the OP stated, he tested Greenify without root, and it didn't work for him. Maybe root is needed for Greenify to truly do its work.

-MW