WhatsApp Not Receiving Messages: 8 Solutions

WhatsApp has become an important member of social media and is loved by a large number of users. But this software also has many shortcomings, for example, sometimes we cannot receive messages on WhasApp. Not being able to read important messages can be frustrating. This article will provide several solutions to solve WhatsApp not receiving messages problem.

Not being able to receive messages on WhatsApp? Let's find out what might be causing it.

WhatsApp is one of the leading applications on any mobile phone today. Helping people connect with one another, sending images, videos, voice notes, etc., has become one of the primary ways of communication in today's humans.

However, WhatsApp not receiving messages is a common problem many people face. Some people either don't get these messages on Android or iPhone, or their WhatsApp does not send messages to others. So, let's explore what that's all about.

Why WhatsApp Is Not Receiving Messages

The reasons behind WhatsApp not showing or receiving messages could be many. One of the reasons could be your internet connection, while others include internal issues with WhatsApp itself. So, how do you understand why your WhatsApp isn't receiving messages?

A few common issues include:

• Poor Internet Connection: Poor connectivity or internet issues are the most common reasons behind WhatsApp messages not being received
• Disabled Mobile Data: If you're not a Wi-Fi user, then your data might be disabled, preventing WhatsApp from receiving messages
• WhatsApp App Issues: WhatsApp not receiving messages might be caused by nothing else except issues with the application itself
• Device Configuration: If your device isn't configured properly, then WhatsApp not receiving messages on Android or iPhone is a common issue

While these problems cause the app to not receive messages, they are also common causes of WhatsApp not sending messages. That's why it's imperative to fix them.

Solutions to Fix WhatsApp Not Receiving Messages

Since there are many causes of WhatsApp not receiving messages, the solutions are just as many. That's why each user might face a different problem and, therefore, requires a different solution.

However, keeping the most common problems in mind, we've formulated eight plausible solutions for Android and iPhone users. While most of these are related to the App itself, some would require additional steps because Android and iPhones have vastly different interfaces.

So, let's get started:

Solution 1. Check WhatsApp Servers

The first solution is a diagnosis to determine whether the problem is on your end or not. Suppose you're having troubles with receiving WhatsApp messages. In that case, the likelihood of millions of other users facing the same problem is quite high.

Mainly because major applications face significant breakdowns every now and then. So, how do you figure out if WhatsApp Servers are down? Here's what to do on either iPhone or Android:

Step 1. Open your browser (Chrome or Safari). Then head to "Downdetector".

Step 2. Search for "WhatsApp".

Step 3. Check current WhatsApp status.

Step 4. Look for updates from the last 24 hours.

This will show you whether or not there was an outage in the last 24 hours or so. Why is this important? Because it'll allow you to understand if the problem was indeed from your end. Try other solutions if the servers are up and running and you're not receiving WhatsApp messages.

Solution 2. Check Blocked Contacts

If you're not receiving messages from a specific contact, then the problem might not be anywhere except your WhatsApp settings. For either Android or iPhone users they'll have to check if they have specific contacts blocked or not. Here's how to do that:

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and open "Settings" from the top-right menu.

Step 2. Head to "Account".

Step 3. Tap on "Privacy".

Step 4. Scroll all the way down until you see blocked contacts.

Step 5. Remove any unwanted blocked contacts.

Once you remove the user from this list, you can ask them to send you messages again. If this was indeed causing you to not receive messages, then this process will fix it.

Solution 3. Restart Your System

There are times when complicated fixes aren't needed to solve this issue. Mainly because the problem might only persist since the system (Android or iOS) cannot handle specific tasks. So, a simple restart/reboot might fix it. Here's how to do it:

For Android:

While many Android phones have different interfaces, the science of restarting an Android phone remains the same. Here's how:

Step 1. Press and hold the power button.

Step 2. Wait for the menu to show.

Step 3. Tap "Restart/Reboot".

Step 4. Confirm "Restart/Reboot".

The process takes less than a minute. So, once your phone powers back on, try running WhatsApp again and see if you're receiving messages.

For iPhones:

While older iPhones had different ways of restarting their phones (look at Apple support for more), the phones released since the iPhone X have the same way of restarting. Here's how:

Step 1. Press the lower volume button and power button - and hold them.

Step 2. Wait for the menu to show.

Step 3. Tap on the power off slide and slide it all the way right to power the iPhone off.

Step 4. Wait until the device is off completely.

Step 5. Tap and hold the power button until iPhone turns back on.

Once again, this will allow your iPhone to reboot and reset any casual phone settings. Therefore, problems caused by the system cache will stop, and WhatsApp will receive messages again.

Solution 4. Check Your Network Connection

In cases like this, the usual culprit is the most obvious one. For instance, the internet might be causing issues, and for that reason, your phone may not be able to connect with the servers to receive messages on WhatsApp.

So, how do you check your internet connection?

Step 1. Head to Fast.com.

Step 2. See if your internet is working.

Bear in mind that anything over 1 MBPS is acceptable and should be enough to allow your WhatsApp to receive messages. For other solutions, you can try restarting your router or calling your internet service provider if the internet is not working.

Solution 5. Update the WhatsApp

An outdated WhatsApp is also one of the common causes of WhatsApp's internal problems. So, Android or iPhone users must check if their WhatsApp is up to date. Here's how they can do that:

For Android:

Once again, Androids have various interfaces cause of different vendors, i.e., Samsung, Xiaomi, etc. But, all of them have Google's play store. So, here's how to check WhatsApp's upgradability status:

Step 1. Launch "Google Play Store".

Step 2. Search WhatsApp.

Step 4. Tap "Update".

Note: The "Open" icon will only show as "Update" if your WhatsApp is outdated.

For iPhones:

Step 1. Tap on App Store from the home screen.

Step 2. Search WhatsApp on the App Store.

Step 3. Tap on "Updates".

Step 4. Find and update "WhatsApp Messenger".

Note: Once again, Update next to your WhatsApp messenger will only show if your WhatsApp is outdated. If it's not, you need to try other solutions on this list.

Solution 6. Enable Background Refresh

The sixth solution might be bullseye for many users, as many Android phones and iPhones save energy by refusing background refresh. So, all you'll have to do is turn it back on. Here's how to do that:

For Android:

This is a common trope at this point, but remember that older Android versions may not have this option altogether.

Step 1.  Tap on the WhatsApp icon.

Step 2. Tap on App Info once it pops up.

Step 3. Find & tap "Data Usage" or "Mobile data & Wi-Fi" (depends on the phone and UI).

Step 4. Turn on "Background Refresh", or ensure it's on already

For iPhones:

If you're using an iOS device, then the background app refresh is collective for all applications. Here's how you can access it:

Step 1. Tap on "Settings" from the home screen.

Step 2. Tap on "General".

Step 3. Find and Tap "Background App Refresh".

Step 4. Navigate & locate WhatsApp, and toggle it on.

This will allow WhatsApp to use Data or Wi-Fi to refresh settings & messages in the background. Therefore, it'll also allow it to receive messages again.

Solution 7. Reinstall WhatsApp

Reinstalling WhatsApp is yet another plausible way of fixing it. However, it will require you to uninstall your application first. Therefore, make sure you backup your messages and data before you do it. Here's how:

For Android:

Step 1. Tap & hold on the WhatsApp icon to open the "App info".

Step 2. Tap "Uninstall & Confirm".

Step 3. Go to the play store. Then search for WhatsApp and install WhatsApp.

Step 4. Wait for the installation to finish.

Step 5. Open App & set up your account once more.

For iPhones:

The process on an iPhone is more or less the same, except Apple's App Store is vastly different. So, make sure you backup WhatsApp data before you do this:

Step 1. Tap on the WhatsApp icon on the home screen.

Step 2. Tap remove app & confirm the action.

Step 3. Head to App Store now by tapping the icon in the app drawer.

Step 4. Search WhatsApp and install it (Get WhatsApp).

Step 5. Finish downloading and finish setting it up.

This won't only fix your messaging issues but also help you secure any underlying problems with WhatsApp. On top of that, it'll increase WhatsApp's performance since it's a clean installation.

Solution 8. Disable Power Saving Mode

The final solution we have for your troubles is to disable power-saving modes. Once again, since iPhones and Androids are so different, users of these phones will have to follow separate steps to disable this mode. Here's how:

For Android:

Step 1. Head to "Settings".

Step 2. Navigate and find "Battery settings".

Step 3. Head into battery saver options.

Step 4. Toggle it off.

Step 5. Set turn on automatically to never.

For iPhones:

Once again, older iOS had different ways of portraying the power/battery settings. However, iPhone X and later iOS devices have the same interface, and their users can follow this process:

Step 1. Head to "Settings" and tap "Battery" options.

Step 2. Toggle "Low Power Mode" off.

Since low power mode on Android and iOS can often cause the applications to not function fully, it's highly likely that this might cause your WhatsApp to not receive messages. Therefore, turning it off might fix this issue for many users.

Pro Tip: Recover Lost Messages on WhatsApp for Free (Recommend)

Using all the solutions we've mentioned puts you at risk of one problem: losing your messages and important data. However, after fixing your WhatsApp issues, you can recover lost messages on WhatsApp for free.

How? By using a professional tool called EaseUS MobiSaver, you can recover your lost messages in the process quite comprehensively. But why this particular tool? Because it has many options that other recovery tools don't even come close to offering, such as:

• Pro at recovering lost iPhone data on both Windows and Mac computers
• Recover deleted messages, contacts, photos, videos, or other media 
• Recover directly from iCloud backup
• Recovery directly from iTunes backup
• Additional support for apps like LINE, Kik

All these factors make it an ideal companion for any iPhone user today.

Steps to Restore WhatsApp Messages Using EaseUS MobiSaver

Now, if you're wondering how you can use it to restore your lost messages, here's what you need to do:

Step 1. Connect iPhone to PC

Launch EaseUS MobiSaver, choose the  "WhatsApp" button, and select "Device Storage". 

Step 2. Make Sure Your Device Is Connected

If WhatsApp is not installed on iPhone, EaseUS MobiSaver cannot find your data.

Step 3. Scan iPhone and Find Important Data

EaseUS Mobisaver will automatically scan iPhone 13/12/11/X/XR/XS/8/7/6/5/4 to find lost WhatsApp chats, history, photos, videos, and other files. This process may take few minutes, wait patiently.

Step 4. Preview and Restore WhatsApp Data

Tap the "WhatsApp" button on the left and the missing WhatsApp data will be displayed. Just preview and select the data you want to recover. Then, click "Recover to PC" or "Recover to Device" to get the data back.

Conclusion

These solutions will help you restore your WhatsApp to its previous settings and allow it to notify you when messages are received. All these fixes can solve various problems, so we suggest you try them all one after the other.

However, use EaseUS MobiSaver to ensure you don't lose any viable data. Moreover, you can use it to back up your data before you attempt to fix this issue.