Why don't notifications pop up on my screen?

[Android Central Question]

I have a Samsung Galaxy A20 running Android version 9. I'm new to Android, having switched from an iPhone 6. I'm puzzled by the fact that when I get an email, text message, or other notification, my phone plays the notification sound but nothing pops up on my screen. At first I thought it was just because the screen was off, but when I wake it up, there's no notification to be seen. Is this the way it's supposed to be? I've looked at my Notifications settings and I don't see anything that allows me to tell it to show notifications as they come in. Is there some setting somewhere that I'm missing? Or an app I can install that fixes this? When I decided to switch, it never occurred to me that Android notifications would be so far behind what iPhones offer.

A second notification issue that has me scratching my head is that there seems to be only one notification tone, regardless of what kind of notification it is. Again, on the iPhone, I could set one tone for text messages, another for new emails, another for missed calls, another for voicemail messages... not to mention different ringtones and text tones on a per contact basis. Again, is this how it's supposed to be? Is there an app that fixes it?

 

[hallux]

So, this may get complicated...

In settings, select notifications. If you A20 running Pie is like my Tab S3 running Pie, in here you will be able to select each app for notifications to be shown. When you tap on each app, you will have a list of possible notifications that app can post. If you tap each notification you will have options for how those notifications show/post.

As for the sounds - sound selection may be possible within that same area. In some cases (such as Gmail) the selection is made within the app, and can even be done on a per-account basis within the app. Text sounds per-contact was removed in Pie, this was a big thing when the OS released 18 months ago. This can be done at the app level, either by setting a tone for a particular texting "thread" or some other process in the app (I don't use that feature so I can't provide direct instructions there).

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[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Also make sure that your lockscreen notification settings are set to show all content, and not to hide any content. I don't think Android notifications are behind iPhone's at all -- a lot of the time, it's just a matter of getting used to the new platform and understanding all of the settings.

 

[hallux]

I don't think Android notifications are behind iPhone's at all

In fact - I believe there are a lot of iOS users that would LOVE to have the Android notification system.

 

[B. Diddy]

I finally had to set up an iPhone (got a refurb iPhone 8 for my daughter -- oh the pain, the pain), and the interface and menus kind of drive me crazy. Like I said, anything new just takes some getting used to.

 

[mustang7757]

Couple other places to check:
Long press empty spot on home screen tap home screen settings tap app notifications make sure they look like my screen shot.

Next go settings on top search bar type status bar >then tap on it > make sure looks like my screen shot.

To change notifications individually long press that app tap.info>scroll to notifications might have to tap on some of the sub menu to change notifications sound .

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

When you tap on each app, you will have a list of possible notifications that app can post. If you tap each notification you will have options for how those notifications show/post.

OK, so I did that. And when I tap on Messages (which is one of the things that doesn't pop up), here's what I see...
Show notifications (set to ON)
App icon badges (set to ON)
General notifications (set to ON) - when I tap it, Notification style is set to Sound and pop-up, Lock screen is set to Show content
New messages (set to ON) - when I tap it, Notification style is set to Sound and pop-up, Lock screen is set to Show content
In-app notification settings takes me to Preview new messages (set to on)

Seems like everything is set right...

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

Also make sure that your lockscreen notification settings are set to show all content, and not to hide any content.

How/where do I do that?

 

[B. Diddy]

www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-227334/

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

Couple other places to check:
Long press empty spot on home screen tap home screen settings tap app notifications make sure they look like my screen shot.

I think maybe you forgot that screen shot but I checked Home screen settings and everything seems to be enabled/set properly.

Next go settings on top search bar type status bar >then tap on it > make sure looks like my screen shot.

Yep. Everything is set just like yours.

To change notifications individually long press that app tap.info>scroll to notifications might have to tap on some of the sub menu to change notifications sound

Cool. That's working!

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

I think that was it! Under lock screen notifications, View style was set to Icons only. I changed it to Detailed. Hopefully that (plus all the other helpful suggestions above) solves all my problems! Thank you very much, everyone!!!

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

Well, crap. I just got an email AND a text message and my screen just stayed black. When I picked up my phone and woke it up, the notifications WERE displayed - but only for a few milliseconds - then face recognition logged me in and I was staring at my home screen. Help?

 

[B. Diddy]

Does this happen in Safe Mode as well? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-a20/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-a20. You'll only be able to test preinstalled apps this way. If the problem goes away, then something you installed is causing the problem.

 

[mustang7757]

Well, crap. I just got an email AND a text message and my screen just stayed black. When I picked up my phone and woke it up, the notifications WERE displayed - but only for a few milliseconds - then face recognition logged me in and I was staring at my home screen. Help?

Set AOD always on or schedule , you have tap to see ..Samsung has many settings lol

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

Set AOD always on or schedule , you have tap to see ..Samsung has many settings lol

AOD?

 

[mustang7757]

AOD?

Always On Display

 

[B. Diddy]

It looks like the A20 doesn't come with it: https://www.reddit.com/r/samsung/comments/clmozh/no_always_on_display_for_the_a20/

 

[mustang7757]

Screen shot :

Most times you want find something just go settings>search bar type things and tap to go into it after it displays what your searching

 

[Ernie Pantuso]

Does this happen in Safe Mode as well? https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/android/samsung-galaxy-a20/safe-mode-samsung-galaxy-a20. You'll only be able to test preinstalled apps this way. If the problem goes away, then something you installed is causing the problem.

Thanks for that! I turned on Safe Mode and sent myself a text message. Nothing changed. I got the notification tone but the screen stayed black. Then I sent myself a test email and I got nothing at all -- not even the notification tone. Maybe that's because I have Spark (which is now disabled in Safe Mode) set as my default mail app instead of Gmail? And Safe Mode isn't smart enough to temporarily override my default app settings?

 

[mustang7757]

It looks like the A20 doesn't come with it: https://www.reddit.com/r/samsung/comments/clmozh/no_always_on_display_for_the_a20/

Oh wow