I'm in Notifications hell

[monokakata]

iPhone 11, iOS 16.1.2, Verizon. Also, iMac Pro (MacOS 12.6), MacBook Pro (2019, Intel, also 12.6) and iPad Pro.

For perhaps 2 or 3 months, Notifications about Messages, and also ordinary incoming calls, have been inconsistent. Sometimes I get exactly what the devices are set to, sometimes I don't. Today, for example, I've had a series of texts, none of which triggered my notification sound nor put up a banner. Yesterday, sometimes these things worked. I'm supposed to get the notifications even on the lock screen.

Sometimes I'll get my notification sound on the iMac but not on the iPhone; sometimes the reverse.

Sometimes rebooting the iPhone gets notifications working properly again, and sometimes it doesn't.

I've checked everything I can think of, but I'm sure there are things I haven't thought of.

I've backed up and restored.

It's very troublesome -- "Oh, I texted you?" I go to the phone, and there it is, but there was no notification at all. On the iMac, I'll see the red dot on the Messages dock icon, but will not have had any notification.

I've had phone calls that didn't trigger a ring, and the phone's been right next to me on my desk, and not muted.

Messages is set to use the iPhone's number, and also an email address (on the iMac).

At the house I use wifi calling because Verizon's service is bad here. But when I'm out and on cell only, I have the same intermittent problem.

I do understand that there may be an issue about which device "catches" the text first, but I don't know how to control that.

Maybe somebody here can make suggestions. I'm beginning to suspect a hardware issue.

Making me crazy....

 

[NO🇳🇴]

I'm having the same issues. 12 pro. In my case it's been a blessing tho 😅

I am suspecting it might be the new Notification "show as"? number - List. But I haven't dared to change anything. Also possible its Focus. Get a lot of old notifications that are left from the night before when the phone has turned on focus, and I have to change to my "night" focus to see the notifications..

 

[Splitrail]

I too with a 13 Pro and Verizon as a provider for a year.
Also on wifi at home due to no signal.
Notifications are better where I don't need wifi, but sometimes still spotty at times.
I tend to think it has to do with the provider, where the signal is weak "over the air" AND the wifi.

---

 

[BugeyeSTI]

iPhone X on 16.1.2 and Verizon as carrier and I haven't had any issues like your describing.. My carrier firmware version is 52.0..

 

[now i see it]

Notifications are pretty much the bane of apple products. Endless unnecessary pestering.
There was a time not long ago that notifications weren’t part of any computer operating system — and nobody cared. It’s become notification hell lately with apple products. Way way too many. Geezus. Be glad they don’t work.

 

[Splitrail]

Notifications are pretty much the bane of apple products. Endless unnecessary pestering.
There was a time not long ago that notifications weren’t part of any computer operating system — and nobody cared. It’s become notification hell lately with apple products. Way way too many. Geezus. Be glad they don’t work.

Oh, I'm ALWAYS happy when something doesn't work.
Rest assured...................

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Check your focus mode settings...

 

[monokakata]

Notifications are pretty much the bane of apple products. Endless unnecessary pestering.
There was a time not long ago that notifications weren’t part of any computer operating system — and nobody cared. It’s become notification hell lately with apple products. Way way too many. Geezus. Be glad they don’t work.

I understand your position. But it's not mine: in my situation, I need reliable notifications badly, which is why I came on here.

 

[monokakata]

Check your focus mode settings...

Thanks, but Focus is in the appropriate mode (off) and always has been. Believe me, I do keep searching for simple things I might have set incorrectly. But so far, I haven't found anything. Yesterday was typical: I got a few, but a few never rang the bell, as it were.

I remember reading somewhere once that there was a method to take an iPhone down to what in my old computer world we called "bare metal." I searched but must have the wrong keywords, because I couldn't find anything other than backup-reset-restore, which I've done. Twice.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Well there isn't an inherent problem with all devices for everyone so it must be something simple;

* Focus settings - you say you don't have any set, good...
* Per app notifications - is it only message that is doing that or are there other notifications that have the same issue? Check and verify the settings.
* Apple ID - remove any other devices from your Apple ID so you are certain you check it on one device only, and only then add in others again.

 

[panjandrum]

Just piping in here to say that notifications have always been somewhat unreliable. Adding the "sync across devices" thing did nothing to help, as it confused many users once implemented. For example, a user who uses the old 'only activate notifications between 3:49am and 4:00am trick to defeat all nagging on her laptop was confused when suddenly her Apple watch (the only device she actually wants notifications on) was no longer providing any notifications. Very problematic.
But digression aside, even with all your settings correct you should not rely on notifications for anything critical. They've never been 100% reliable. If I was to pull a number out of my arse I would say it's pretty good, probably 99% or so. Good enough for casual convenience but not good enough to rely on for professional purposes where missing 1 in a 100 communications could mean losing your job. If you want to know you've received an email, you need to launch your email client. If you want to know that you received a text, you better launch the app.

 

[monokakata]

Well there isn't an inherent problem with all devices for everyone so it must be something simple;

* Focus settings - you say you don't have any set, good...
* Per app notifications - is it only message that is doing that or are there other notifications that have the same issue? Check and verify the settings.
* Apple ID - remove any other devices from your Apple ID so you are certain you check it on one device only, and only then add in others again.

Thanks.

Messages is the worst offender, but plain old phone calls (the ring) are iffy, too. The part I need to have working as well as possible is the audible notification.

I'll try removing devices.

Also, on my iMac Messages is set to use the iPhone's number, and also my Apple ID (email). I've removed the email...maybe that will help.

 

[monokakata]

Just piping in here to say that notifications have always been somewhat unreliable. Adding the "sync across devices" thing did nothing to help, as it confused many users once implemented. For example, a user who uses the old 'only activate notifications between 3:49am and 4:00am trick to defeat all nagging on her laptop was confused when suddenly her Apple watch (the only device she actually wants notifications on) was no longer providing any notifications. Very problematic.
But digression aside, even with all your settings correct you should not rely on notifications for anything critical. They've never been 100% reliable. If I was to pull a number out of my arse I would say it's pretty good, probably 99% or so. Good enough for casual convenience but not good enough to rely on for professional purposes where missing 1 in a 100 communications could mean losing your job. If you want to know you've received an email, you need to launch your email client. If you want to know that you received a text, you better launch the app.

Thanks.

I almost always have Messages active on the iPhone and the iMac, although the phone is typically in locked mode. In Notifications, it's set to override locked mode. Last night, for example, I got a text with my iPhone beside me on my desk. Neither the iMac nor the iPhone gave me any notification except that the iMac's Messages icon gave me the red dot signal. If I hadn't noticed that, I wouldn't have known I had a message. Email is always active on the iMac when I'm at my desk.

The kind of message I really need to receive is along the lines of "I'm out in the upper woods with the dog and I've fallen." (We have 136 acres of forest and we're both old.) This is why, pending some iPhone resolution, we're defaulting to Motorola radios.

As suggested by @cyb3rdud3 I'm going to start removing devices and see what happens then.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Thanks.

I almost always have Messages active on the iPhone and the iMac, although the phone is typically in locked mode. In Notifications, it's set to override locked mode. Last night, for example, I got a text with my iPhone beside me on my desk. Neither the iMac nor the iPhone gave me any notification except that the iMac's Messages icon gave me the red dot signal. If I hadn't noticed that, I wouldn't have known I had a message. Email is always active on the iMac when I'm at my desk.

The kind of message I really need to receive is along the lines of "I'm out in the upper woods with the dog and I've fallen." (We have 136 acres of forest and we're both old.) This is why, pending some iPhone resolution, we're defaulting to Motorola radios.

As suggested by @cyb3rdud3 I'm going to start removing devices and see what happens then.

Now this is weird, most of the time a message that I'm not getting is from my wife when walking our handsome hound in our neighbouring woodlands

One thing I also do is add my wife, and children, as favourites and on my VIP list. So regardless of what I do or what setting on my phone they always come through. Sometimes a pain when I take a nap only to be woken by something like "love you xxx xxx" but a small price to pay.

This may help https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/...ng-but-your-favorite-contacts-ios-15-0384749/