TL;DR
- Many Google Pixel users are still suffering from delayed notifications on their phones.
- The issue has persisted for several years and Google is aware of it.
- Some workarounds include disabling Adaptive Connectivity and/or Adaptive Battery.
One persistent issue I’ve noticed with my Google Pixel 7 Pro is that notifications are delayed if the phone has been locked for a while. This has been a common complaint on Pixel phones for a few years now, and the issue persists to this day.
Many Pixel owners have complained about delayed notifications from their apps in recent years, as notifications often only show up after unlocking the device. The issue doesn’t seem to be specific to a given Pixel model, either. Users of the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 range, Pixel 8 range, and Pixel Fold have all chimed in on Reddit to complain about the problem. It’s unclear if this problem affects the Pixel 9 series right now, although none of my Android Authority colleagues have reported delayed notifications on their Pixel 9 units.
Workarounds for delayed Pixel notifications
So what’s the fix, then? Well, one touted solution on Reddit is to disable the Adaptive Connectivity setting, which enables 5G only when you need it (e.g. for video streaming). This requires users to tap Settings > Network and Internet > Adaptive Connectivity. Users have also suggested disabling Adaptive Battery (Settings > Battery > Battery Saver > Use Adaptive Battery).
Another touted workaround is to enable unrestricted background usage for affected apps. This can be done by choosing an app in the settings menu, then tapping App Battery Usage > Allow background usage > Unrestricted. This could be inconvenient if you have many apps that suffer from delayed notifications on your Pixel, as you’ll need to make this tweak for each affected app. Some users have even taken things a step further and disabled Doze mode on their phones via ADB commands, although this step isn’t recommended for most consumers.
Do you have delayed notifications on your Pixel?
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It’s worth noting that Google is aware of the problem according to months-old entries on the company’s Issue Tracker and support forum. The issue tracker notes that someone is still assigned to the bug, although there haven’t been any updates in a while.
In any event, it seems like Google’s battery-saving measures are to blame for delayed notifications on Pixel phones. This wouldn’t be the first time Android phone makers have come under fire for adversely affecting functionality in the name of battery life. Plenty of Android OEMs have been criticized over the years for unnecessarily killing background apps. Nevertheless, we hope Google addresses this issue on its own phones sooner rather than later, as Pixel owners have had to endure this for years now.
We’ve contacted Google representatives for a statement on the issue and to find out if there was a timeline for a fix. We’ll update the article as soon as the company gets back to us.
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