How To Resolve iPhone Push Notifications Issue After iOS 26 Update

Dealing with iPhone Push Notifications After Updating to iOS 26

So here’s the deal: after upgrading my iPhone to iOS 26, notifications started acting like total ghosts. They’d pop up briefly and then disappear, or sometimes not show up at all. Yeah, it’s frustrating, and apparently I’m not alone—lots of folks are reporting similar issues. Honestly, I got stuck troubleshooting for a while because at first, nothing seemed to work. Sometimes these big OS updates do weird things to our notification system, and it can be tricky to pin down what’s wrong.

Resetting Network Settings (Yes, It Sounds Intense)

This step might seem drastic—because it kind of is—but it helped me fix the issue. Basically, resetting network settings can clear out some sneaky misconfigurations that cause notifications to fail. You do this by heading to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset, then choosing Reset Network Settings. Just a heads-up: this wipes out your saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configs, and other network-related info—be ready to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords afterward. If your Wi-Fi gets flaky or your device seems disconnected often, this reset can refresh things and might finally get those notifications flowing again.

On my older ASUS, I recall it being buried somewhere in Advanced options, so if you don’t see it right away, look around. If you’re using a Mac and want to do it through your computer, tools like Apple Configurator 2 can also help reset your device’s network settings via USB, which is handy if things are really messed up.

Next Up: Reset All Settings (Without Wiping Your Photos)

If resetting the network didn’t help, the next move is to try Reset All Settings. It’s in the same menu—Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. This one resets things like your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notification permissions, display settings—basically everything but your stuff like photos and messages. For me, this often clears out some tiny corruptions or full-on setting clashes that block notifications from showing up properly.

After doing this, you’ll need to go back into Settings and reconfigure a few things—Wi-Fi passwords, wallpapers, and, importantly, notification settings per app. Open Settings > Notifications and make sure everything is turned on where needed, especially banners, alerts, badges, and sounds. Sometimes these get toggled off after an update, which is a headache but a simple fix once you notice.

Toggle Notifications for Suspect Apps

This is a quick, almost no-brainer fix that saved me some time. Go into Settings > Notifications, pick the app that’s not pushing notifications, and turn off Allow Notifications. Wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. Sometimes, the permission just gets stuck or needs a nudge. Also, double-check that the notification style—banners, alerts, badges—is what you want, and that sounds are enabled. That way, you won’t miss anything important.

VPNs Can Still Block Pushes—Disable Temporarily

If you’re running a VPN, it could interfere with your notifications—especially third-party VPN apps that reroute traffic. These VPNs might block server calls needed for push notifications to come through. My tip: disable the VPN temporarily to test if notifications start working again. You can do this in Settings > VPN or directly through the VPN app’s control. If notifications appear, then you know the VPN was the culprit—if not, it’s back to the drawing board.

Also, ensure notification permissions are set correctly in Settings > Notifications. Sometimes, after updates, these get reset or toggled off by accident. Checking each app individually helps make sure nothing’s gotten missed.

When Things Still Don’t Work: Support Time

If none of this fixes the issue, don’t hesitate to contact Apple Support. You can use the Apple Support app or visit support.apple.com. Just select your device and describe your problem. They might push a diagnostic profile or run some internal checks that you can’t do yourself. Sometimes, issues are deeper than they seem and need some official assistance.

Ultimate Last Resort: Full Restore

If you’ve tried everything and still have a dead zone for notifications, backup your data—photos, messages, everything—and then do a full restore via Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows).Plug in your device, select it, and choose Restore Backup. It’s not the most fun at 2am, but a clean install of iOS can clear up stubborn glitches caused by updates. Just be sure everything’s backed up first because this process wipes your device clean.

Honestly, this whole notification crisis post-iOS 26 felt like chasing my tail for a bit. After lots of toggling, resets, and a bit of trial-and-error, most things started working again. My biggest takeaway is to double-check network settings, notification permissions, and VPN interference first. And don’t forget—sometimes, support is your friend if everything else fails.

Hope this helps someone else — it took me way too long to figure it out. Good luck, and may your notifications finally stop playing hide and seek!