Not receiving Gmail notifications on Samsung One UI 2 (Android 10)? Here's the fix!

Sleeping apps on Samsung One UI 2
Sleeping apps on Samsung One UI 2 (Image credit: Andrew Martonik / Android Central)

Samsung's Android 10 update, called One UI 2, is a solid upgrade overall. But as is always the case, there are unforeseen quirks and issues associated with updating a phone in place that already has apps and months of data on it. One such issue that's affecting people is Gmail notification issues, which is very similar to a problem that Note 10 owners faced with early versions of its software. If you're having problems with your Gmail notifications after updating, we have the solution!

How to fix Gmail notifications on One UI 2

  1. Open up your Settings.
  2. Go to Device care and tap on Battery.
  3. Tap on App power management.
  4. Tap on Sleeping apps and see if Gmail is listed.
  5. If you want to remove any other apps while you're here, you can do so at the same time by checking the box next to the apps.
  6. If Gmail is not listed under "Sleeping apps," you can specifically make sure it's never slept by going to Apps that won't be put to sleep, tapping Add apps and selecting Gmail.
  7. If you're still finding your notifications aren't arriving in a timely matter, you can double-check your sync and notification settings within the Gmail app also.
  8. Go to the Gmail app settings and tap on your account. Under Notifications make sure it's set to "All," and under Inbox notifications make sure "Notify for every message" is selected. You'll need to do this for each Gmail account. Source: Andrew Martonik / Android Central

  1. Staying in the Gmail app settings, go to Manage labels and make sure all of your important labels are syncing. Tap each one you care most about, tap on Sync messages and set an appropriate time.

After checking all of your settings and whitelisting the Gmail app, your notifications should be back to normal, arriving at the same time as they would on any other phone. And you can use these same steps to remedy any odd background refresh issues you may be having in other apps as well. With those issues fixed, you'll be back to enjoying One UI 2 on your Samsung Galaxy.

Andrew Martonik

Andrew was an Executive Editor, U.S. at Android Central between 2012 and 2020.