iOS 14 text notification issues

I’ve had this problem for weeks! Ever since iOS 14. I downloaded the first public beta at the time so not sure if it’s related to that. I am on the regular version now. What I did yesterday was turn off “messages in cloud”. Go to Settings>iCloud> and toggle off Messages. Apparently messages will still be saved during normal iCloud backups. So far so good but I will report back.

I also toggled off in Settings>Messages...Filter Unknown Senders. That shouldn’t matter but trust me, I was desperate. I’m thinking maybe there’s a bug where it’s not recognizing someone in your contacts. So maybe it “filters” them by not actively showing their notifications. Worth a try. Between that and the iCloud, that worked for me still. Thank God!

Hello everybody, got the same issue since 2 days ago on my iPhone X with iOS 14.2 and it got me very frustrated. I think what triggered the bug for me was when I used 'Do not disturb' function for the first time since long time ago. I tried all the possible fixes that worked for others and in the end I updated my iPhone to iOS 14.3 beta and this didn't worked as well. After the update I tried to delete each app that was affected: Whatsapp, instagram and fb messenger, Spark which is my email client worked always fine and wasn't affected by the bug. After installing them again all of them work very fine, as they used to do before this annoying bug. I did all the tests( with app open, app closed from background, display off with app killed from background, etc.) and now all of them work smooth. Hope it helps!

It's got more attention now. There is an article on The Verge and it also references this long thread of ours in this forum.

One user in the Facebook comments listed a tedious work-around that has been working for him [paraphrased below]

"Before you leave your text messaging chat window, always back out to the main chat window so that you don't leave the chat window open on any one particular contact. It should be left open in the main chat window that lists all of your text messaging conversations."

Having to remember to do this is on the same level of killing the chat window after every text (the other work-around that has worked) but at least this bug is getting more and more widespread attention. Link to the article is below.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/11/22169881/apple-iphone-ios-14-text-messages-no-notifications-bug?fbclid=IwAR2ZaTdRdFh4N9MieLfWEcwJK_kwhR4tsE-CbAouGRLJ3JyuaRlo6fWQszo

I saw on another stream, similar content that they linked the problem to their watch. They said when they turned off the watch the problem when away but turning the watch on again the problem returns. I tested it and found the same to be true. I have no idea why and no idea how to get around the problem but it does narrow down the issue.

This is one of the weirdest bugs ever. I saw on Twitter that someone suggested to disable Apple Watch messages notifications. I did that just now and text alerts are working like normal on my 11 Pro (iOS 14.2) so far. When I turn my MacBook Air on, I’m going to do the same and see if it’s an iCloud issue.

I think I have it figured

when the 14.2 update went in, it changed every contact info to silent alert

when I manually turn that off, the contact works normally

otherwise, it stays silent in messaging

I've sent numerous feedbacks to Apple. Many others have contacted support and gone through the usual troubleshooting. There's no real solution. This thread has pages and pages of users and their interactions with Apple tech support. Apple is aware of the issue and the 14.3 release notes had it listed as being addressed but it hasn't been completely fixed.

I will say that it doesn't happen as often but it does still occur. Also, I'm only speaking to sms/imessages. This is not about any other apps that have issues. My guess is that developers of other apps that are affected by this bug are waiting on Apple to correct their IOS software first.

Lastly, it's been mostly confirmed that Apple engineers do NOT read these forums. These forums are for us as users in the Apple community. Sending feedback or contacting Apple support is a sure way for Apple to know about issues such as this one.

I'll list it again, the only work-around I've used that is dependable is to either back out of the individual text window and stopping at the main chat window OR completely killing the chat window (swipe it away). Both of these options need to be performed after every single text (sent or received) but only if you're not going to stay in the chat window watching it and be actively engaging in texting that same person. If you're in an active text conversation with the same person and you get a text from a different person, it's possible that you won't know about the other text that you just received. Yes, it's very annoying and extremely inconvenient for relationships and businesses.

Hope this helps.

IPHONE-12 Pro Max running 14.3 but I first encountered the issue on my IPhone-X when I installed IOS 14.

i think i have it. On the update 14.2, apple automatically turned all contacts to silent notification. now with 14.3 as long as i've turned the individual contact notifuication in each contact to' on', i get the notification. what a nice chruistmas present Apple gave me!(not)

I shut off the notifications on my Apple Watch in order to get text messages on my iPhone. That's fine with me, but it was annoying that my iPhone was not alerting me to messages when I had my watch on.

I’ve been having this problem as well and I went in and reset all settings and it worked. I had to change everything back to the way I had it afterwards but I’m getting my notifications now. Just thought this might help some people.

I posted this before. IOS 14.2 added a new hidden feature into all contacts(silent notification). 14.3 did fix some of the issues. However any contacts I had before 14.2 will be silent. this feature must ne turned off per contact. To disable this annoying feature, go into the contact when the person contacts you. the feature is found in the information tab of the message. Find it and turn it off(in i message, not general contacts).

14.3 release notes mentioned that they addressed the bug but no joy. As bug returned. 14.4 release notes make no mention of it at all.

For those asking about a rebuild, it's been done countless times by many users in this thread from a fresh IOS install via ITunes and then restored from the cloud. It'll correct the issue temporarily but the bug eventually returns.

For reference as that we're all on the same page, I'm only speaking about iMessage/SMS notifications and not any other app/service (WhatsApp, etc). Also, I don't have nor have I ever had any other Apple products (iPad, watch, MAC) other than my iPhones.

Continue to contact Apple via their feedback link as Apple engineers do not read these forums. These forums are for user discussions.

I'm running IOS 14.4 on my IPhone 12 Pro Max. First saw the bug when I installed IOS 14 on my IPhone-X.

OK my phone is working again at least for now it hasn’t been receiving audible messages or showing up a banner on the lock screen but it does now so I contacted tech-support and he asked me to do this really simple thing and ****** if it didn’t work.

I went into messages I looked at the people that were they’re receiving messages and beside the name to the left of their name was a little moon or half Moon and when you slide the contactName to the right then you end up with two options one to mute and one to delete one’s a blue box and one’s a Redbox. All of my boxes were Muted I believe. So I had to go into all of my contacts on my messages app and touch the bell to make sure a line went through it and seem to be counterintuitive because I thought that meant it was on mute but evidently it means it’s not on mute so in any case if you don’t have a moon on there beside the persons name and the mute bell has got a line through it you should be good because it does work for mine

good luck

Are you using iMessage on any other device? Try putting those other devices in airplane mode or turning iMessage off in their settings. I discovered today this fixed the phone issue. Let me know if that works for you.