iPhone 15 Pro not receiving notifications until unlocked

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Level 1

85 points

iPhone randomly stops receiving notifications until I unlock the device

Device: iPhone 15 Pro

iOS version: iOS 18.5

Some notifications are delayed or completely missing while my iPhone is locked. As soon as I unlock the phone, multiple notifications appear at once.

Posted on Jul 7, 2026 1:58 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Level 4

1,006 points

1. Check Low Power Mode

What to do: Go to Settings > Battery and turn off Low Power Mode.
Why: This mode restricts background activity and pauses notifications when the screen is locked to save battery.

2. Enable Background App Refresh

What to do: Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and set it to Wi-Fi & Cellular Data.
Why: This allows apps to fetch data and receive notifications even when your phone is locked.

3. Check Network Behavior (Wi-Fi vs. Cellular)

What to do: Try using your phone exclusively on cellular data for a few hours (turn off Wi-Fi).
Why: iPhones sometimes disconnect from Wi-Fi during standby to save power. If the switch to cellular data fails or lags, notifications get stuck until you unlock the device.

4. Rule Out Focus Modes

What to do: Open the Control Center and ensure that no Focus Mode (like Do Not Disturb, Sleep, or Work) is active.
Why: Focus modes can silence and hide notifications from your lock screen, delivering them all at once later.

5. Quick Fix: Reset Network Settings

What to do: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Why: This clears temporary connection glitches with Apple’s notification servers. Note: This will delete saved Wi-Fi passwords, but no personal data.

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