6 Best Ways to Fix WhatsApp Web Notifications Not Working

WhatsApp Web is a great way to stay up-to-date with your chats when you’re on your computer. It saves the need to check your phone repeatedly to reply to conversations, thus avoiding distractions. But, it can be rather inconvenient if WhatsApp Web is not syncing or doesn’t send you notifications for new messages.

You may end up missing some important messages if notifications are not working. This isn’t ideal since you will have to rely on your phone for WhatsApp notifications, which beats using WhatsApp Web. If WhatsApp Web notifications are not working for you, here are some solutions to fix the issue.

1. Ensure Your Phone and Computer Are Connected to the Internet

WhatsApp introduced linked devices recently, which means when you log in via WhatsApp Web on a computer, it runs independently. So, your phone does not need to stay connected to the internet. However, this may not hold true in all cases, especially if you haven’t received the linked devices update.

Thus, it’s important to ensure that your phone and computer are always connected to an active internet connection for WhatsApp Web to function as intended. If WhatsApp Web isn’t working, the notifications will automatically stop working.

2. Toggle Notification Alerts via WhatsApp Web

There’s a settings panel that you can access from within WhatsApp Web to configure notifications. Make sure notification alerts are enabled. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open WhatsApp Web on your computer.

Step 2: Tap on the three-dot menu in the left pane.

Step 3: Click on Settings.

Step 4: Now, select the Notifications tab.

Step 5: Enable the checkboxes next to Sounds, Desktop Alerts, and Show Previews. While you’re at it, uncheck the ‘Turn off all desktop notifications’ option.

This should allow all your WhatsApp Web notifications to come through.

3. Enable WhatsApp Web to Send Notifications on Your Web Browser

Even if you’ve enabled WhatsApp Web notifications by following the previous step, the notifications will not be delivered to you if your browser notification settings have not been changed. Here’s how you can enable WhatsApp Web notifications in your web browser.

We’re demonstrating the steps on Google Chrome, but it should be similar on most web browsers.

Step 1: Open WhatsApp Web on your web browser.

Step 2: Tap on the small lock icon in the address bar before the URL.

Step 3: Enable the toggle next to Notifications.

Restart your web browser, and WhatsApp Web notifications should now work normally.

4. Grant Notification Permission to Your Web Browser on Mac

This step is applicable if you’re using WhatsApp Web on a Mac. Suppose WhatsApp Web notifications are not working even after enabling notifications via your browser. In that case, there’s a chance that your web browser doesn’t have permission to display notifications on your Mac. Here’s how you can change that.

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo in the top-right corner of the screen.

Step 2: Select System Preferences.

Step 3: Head to the Notifications & Focus section.

Step 4: Look for your browser in the left panel and click on it.

Step 5: Enable the toggle next to Allow Notifications.

Step 6: Select the relevant options like Banners/Alerts, whether or not you want to play a sound for notifications, etc.

Restart your browser and check if WhatsApp Web notifications are now working.

5. Remove Linked Devices and Log in Again

WhatsApp recently introduced Linked Devices instead of the traditional WhatsApp Web option. If you face notification issues after making this change, try removing your linked devices from your WhatsApp account and adding them again. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open WhatsApp on your smartphone.

Step 2: Go to the Settings page on WhatsApp.

Step 3: Tap on Linked Devices.

Step 4: Here, you will see a list of your linked devices. Tap on the device where you’re facing sync issues on WhatsApp Web. Select Log Out.

Step 5: Now, go back to the previous menu and select Link a Device.

Step 6: Open WhatsApp Web on your computer and scan the QR code.

6. Switch to the WhatsApp Desktop App

WhatsApp Web may not play nicely with your web browser, thus causing notifications or sync issues. If there’s no particular reason for you to stick to WhatsApp Web, we recommend using the WhatsApp desktop app on your PC or Mac.

While WhatsApp rolls out update for the desktop app often, you can only hope that the notifications related issues get resolved in the future updates. You can download the WhatsApp Desktop app from the App Store if you use a Mac or the Microsoft Store if you use a Windows PC.

Never Miss a Notification From WhatsApp Web

Follow the steps mentioned above to fix the WhatsApp Web notifications not working issue in just a few clicks. You no longer have to miss important conversations with friends and family, plus you don’t have to check your phone frequently.