Fixing Missed Notifications and Incoming Calls (Android)

First aid ⛑️
To fix missed notifications or calls, follow these three steps:

Check your notification settings inside Smarter Contact.
Allow the necessary permissions in your Android system settings, including turning off battery optimization.
Adjust any manufacturer-specific power settings that may be limiting the app.

After that, test your notifications on Wi-Fi and cellular networks. These steps usually solve most issues.

Why notifications matter? 📲

Staying on top of your notifications means you won’t miss important messages, calls, or updates. This helps you respond quickly to SMS replies, inbound calls, campaign news, and reminders. Reliable alerts keep your communication timely and effective.

How Android notifications work ⚙️

Notifications depend on three layers in Android: inside the app, system settings on your device, and extra controls added by manufacturers like Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, OnePlus, and Oppo. Battery optimization often pauses apps running in the background, which can stop notifications from arriving.

Before you start ✅

Make sure you’re signed in to Smarter Contact and running the latest app version. Also, have your device model and Android version handy in case the issue needs to be passed along.

Check Smarter Contact notifications 🔔

Open Smarter Contact, tap your profile picture in the top-right, then go to Settings > Notifications and Call Settings. Make sure all the relevant switches are turned on.

If you use label-based notifications, confirm that at least one label is selected — these notifications only work for contacts with those labels.

Alternatively, go to the Notification Center page, tap the gear icon near your profile, and turn on push notifications there.

Grant Android system permissions 🤖

Allow notifications:
Go to Settings > Apps > Smarter Contact > Notifications, then turn on Allow notifications and all relevant types like Calls and Messages.
Turn off battery optimization:
Visit Settings > Battery > Battery optimization (or Settings > Apps > Special app access > Battery optimization).
Find Smarter Contact, then select “Don’t optimize.” This prevents Android from pausing the app in the background.

Allow background activity:
Go to Settings > Apps > Smarter Contact > Battery or Permissions , and turn on Allow background activity or Run in background.

Enable mobile and background:
In Settings > Apps > Smarter Contact > Mobile Data & Wi-Fi , make sure Mobile data is on and Background data is allowed.

Manage manufacturer power settings 🔋

Some phones have extra battery-saving features that can block notifications even after you disable Android’s battery optimization.

Here’s how to adjust those for popular brands:

Samsung:

Go to Settings > Device Care > Battery > Background Usage Limits . Remove Smarter Contact from Sleeping apps , add it to Never sleeping apps , and turn off Put unused apps to sleep.

Xiaomi / MIUI:

Open Settings > Apps > Manage apps > Smarter Contact . Turn on Autostart , set Battery Saver to No restrictions , and lock the app in Recents by pulling down on it and tapping the lock icon. Also enable Autostart in Security > Permissions .

Huawei / EMUI:

Go to Settings > Apps > Smarter Contact > Battery > App launch . Choose Manage manually and enable Auto-launch , Secondary launch , and Run in background . Also, add the app to Protected apps inside Phone Manager .

OnePlus / OxygenOS:

Go to Settings > Battery > Battery optimization , set Smarter Contact to Don’t optimize , turn off Advanced optimization , and lock the app in Recents.

Oppo / ColorOS:

In Settings > Battery > App freeze , remove Smarter Contact from the freeze list. Enable Allow background activity under Apps & Notifications > Smarter Contact > Battery Usage , and turn on Autostart in Security > Startup Manager .

Check your network and data settings 🌐

Data Saver and VPN:
Make sure Data Saver is off or set Smarter Contact to have unrestricted access in Settings > Network & Internet > Data Saver . VPNs might interfere with notifications, so try turning off VPN temporarily to test.

Wi-Fi vs Cellular:
Try receiving notifications on both Wi-Fi and cellular. Confirm that mobile data is enabled for Smarter Contact.

Verify other Android settings ☑️

Do Not Disturb/Focus Mode:
Check Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb (or Digital Wellbeing > Focus Mode ) and allow Smarter Contact to send notifications.

Android 13 and later:
You may need to re-enable notifications if permission was denied during installation. Go to Settings > Apps > Smarter Contact > Notifications and turn on Allow .

Android 14 and later:
Some devices may automatically pause unused apps. Disable this for Smarter Contact in Settings > Apps .

Screen time and app limits:
Remove any restrictions for Smarter Contact found in Digital Wellbeing or Screen Time .

Need more help❓

Common questions:

Why don’t chat replies trigger notifications?
Make sure label notifications are enabled, relevant labels are selected, and those labels are applied to contacts.

Why disable battery optimization?
It stops Android from pausing background activity, which blocks notifications.

Notifications arrive on Wi-Fi but not cellular?
Ensure background and mobile data are enabled for the app.

Denied notifications during install?
Re-enable via app settings or reinstall to prompt permission again.

Before you contact support 📞

Please have the following ready:

Device maker, model, and Android version.
Notification types affected (calls, messages, or both).
When notifications last worked and any recent system or app changes.
Screenshots of Smarter Contact’s notification and system battery settings, if possible

Final tips💡

Settings can vary by phone model and Android version.
If multiple users experience issues, check for service outages first.
Android 14 and some phone makers have stricter background limits—review those carefully.

With 💙,
Smarter Contact Team