Have you noticed that WhatsApp has stopped making sounds with new messages? This is a common problem that can occur after updating an app, changing phone settings, or even due to a system crash. Without sound notifications, it’s easy to miss an important message - especially if you are used to focusing on signals, and not on vibration or an indicator on the screen.

In this article we will analyze all possible reasons disappearance of sound in WhatsApp - from the banal (for example, accidentally turning off the sound in the settings chat) to technical (conflict with energy-saving modes or cache errors). You will receive step-by-step guide for each situation, including screenshots of key points and diagnostic tips. And if the problem turns out to be deeper, learn how to reset the settings without losing data.

Before you start, check the obvious: is your phone in silent mode (switch on the side panel or in the notification shade)? If yes, just turn the sound back on and check WhatsApp. If not, read on.

📊 How often do you encounter problems with notifications in instant messengers?
Often, once a month or more often
Sometimes, several times a year
Nearby, only after updates
Never had a problem

1. Checking basic sound settings in WhatsApp

Start with the simplest - notification settings inside the application. Often, users accidentally mute a specific chat or globally for all messages. Here's how to check it:

  • 📱 Open WhatsApp and tap on the three dots in the upper right corner → Settings → Notifications.
  • 🔔 Make sure the slider Notification sound is turned on (should be green). If it is gray, move it to the right.
  • 🎵 Check whether the sound signal is selected: tap on Notification tone and select any from the list (for example, Default notification sound).
  • 📢 For individual chats: open the dialogue → three dots → View contact → Set notifications → enable Sound.

If everything is fine here, but there is still no sound, the problem may lie in Android system settings. data-i="71">On smartphones with shell. For example, some manufacturers (for example, Xiaomi, Huawei or Samsung) block notifications from applications in order to save battery power. More on this in the next section.

⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with shell MIUI (for example, Redmi Note 10 or POCO X3) WhatsApp often ends up in the list of “blocked” applications. This interferes not only with the sound, but also with the delivery of notifications in general. Check this in Settings → Applications → Manage applications → WhatsApp → Battery.

2. Energy saving and autostart settings

Many Android smartphones aggressively optimize background applications to save battery power. As a result WhatsApp may not play sounds, because the system “freezes” its processes. Here's how to fix it:

For Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → Manage applications.
  2. Find WhatsApp and tap on it.
  3. Select Battery → No restrictions.
  4. Go back and turn on Autostart and Secondary launch.

For Samsung:

  • 🔋 Open Settings → Device care → Battery.
  • 📵 Tap on the three dots → Settings → Sleep mode and make sure WhatsApp is not in the list.
  • 🔄 Go back in Device care → Autostart and enable it for WhatsApp.

For Huawei/Honor:

  • 🛠️ Go to Settings → Applications → Applications → WhatsApp → Run.
  • 🔄 Enable Autostart, Secondary launch i Working in the background.
  • 🔋 In Settings → Battery → Launching applications make sure that WhatsApp is not in the section Managed manually.
Smartphone brand Path to settings What to enable
Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Battery Unlimited, Autostart
Samsung Settings → Device care → Battery → Sleep mode Exclude from sleep mode
Huawei/Honor Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Launch Autostart, Secondary launch, Background mode
Realme/Oppo Settings → Battery → Battery optimization Disable optimization for WhatsApp
⚠️ Attention: After updating Android 13+ or manufacturer firmware (for example, One UI 5.0 on Samsung), energy saving settings may be reset. Check them after every major update!

Disable battery optimization for the application|

Add WhatsApp to the "Unlimited" list|

Enable autorun and background work|

Exclude from sleep mode (for Samsung)|-->

3. Resetting WhatsApp cache and data

If the sound disappears after updating the application or WhatsApp started glitching (for example, notifications arrive, but there is no sound), the problem may be a damaged cache. Clearing the cache will not delete your messages, but it will reset temporary files that may interfere with sounds.

How to clear the cache:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Memory.
  2. Tap Clear cache (do not confuse with Clear data!).
  3. Restart the phone and check the sound.

If this does not help, try reset notification settings for WhatsApp:

  1. Go to Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Notifications.
  2. Tap Reset settings (or Restore to default).
  3. Launch WhatsApp and set up the sound again (see Section 1).

Critical detail: on some firmware (for example ColorOS from Oppo/Realme), resetting notifications may return factory sounds that differ from those you selected earlier. After resetting, be sure to check the notification tone in the WhatsApp settings.

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If the sound is not restored after clearing the cache, try temporarily disabling adaptive battery in Android settings. This function sometimes blocks background processes of instant messengers.

4. Problems with Android system sounds

Sometimes the problem lies not in WhatsApp, but in global sound settings your smartphone. For example, if you use Do not disturb or set up sound profiles manually, this may have disabled notifications for all applications.

Check the following:

  • 🔔 Settings → Sound → Sound Mode: must be selected Sound or Vibration + sound.
  • 📵 Settings → Do not disturb: make sure the mode is turned off or there are exceptions WhatsApp.
  • 🎵 Settings → Sound → Volume: check the slider Notifications (it should be at the maximum or comfortable level).
  • 🔊 Some smartphones (for example, Sony Xperia) have a separate volume control for Media and Notifications. Make sure both are not at zero.

If you use third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher or Action Launcher), they can also affect notification sounds. Try temporarily returning the standard launcher and check if the sound appears.

⚠️ Attention: A Android 12+ function has appeared that can filter sounds from applications. Check it in Priority notifications, which can filter sounds from applications. Check it out at Settings → Notifications → Priority notifications.

5. Conflicts with other applications

Some apps may intercept audio notifications or block them. The most common culprits are:

  • 🎧 Sound managers (for example, Equalizer FX, ViPER4Android).
  • 🔒 Antiviruses (for example, Avast, Kaspersky) with a notification blocking function.
  • 📱 Battery saving applications (for example, Greenify, AccuBattery).
  • 🔇 apps for quiet mode (for example, Do Not Disturb Scheduler).

How to diagnose:

  1. Start the phone in Safe Mode (press and hold the power button → Safe Mode).
  2. Check whether the sound works in WhatsApp. If so, the third party is to blame application.
  3. Disable suspicious apps one by one until you find the culprit.

If the problem is ViPER4Android or another sound mod, try:

  • Open the application → Settings → Reset settings.
  • Disable notification processing in its settings.
  • Update drivers (if required).
How to enable safe mode on Android?

On most smartphones: hold down the power button → long tap on "Power Off" → "Safe Mode".

On Samsung: turn off the phone, then turn it on while holding the button decrease the volume to loading.

In safe mode, the inscription "Safe mode" will appear at the bottom of the screen.

6. WhatsApp and Android update

If the sound disappeared after updating WhatsApp or Android, the reason may be software bug. Developers usually quickly fix such errors, therefore:

  • 📥 Update WhatsApp: open Google Play → find WhatsApp → click Update.
  • 🔄 Update Android: Settings → System → System update.
  • 📌 If there is no update, but the problem is still relevant, check the forums (for example, 4PDA or Reddit) for complaints from other users. Perhaps this is a massive bug, and all you can do is wait for a patch.

If the sound is gone immediately after the updatetry:

  1. Clear WhatsApp cache (see section 3).
  2. Reboot the phone.
  3. Delete and reinstall WhatsApp (but first make a backup copy chats!).
⚠️ Attention: On Android 14 There are new restrictions for background processes that may affect notification sounds. If you have a new version of the OS, check the permissions for WhatsApp in Settings → Applications → Accessibility → Battery optimization.

7. measures: reset and reinstall

If none of the above helped, radical methods remain. Start with the most secure —resetting notification settings:

For Android 10+:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Notifications.
  2. Tap on the three dots → Reset settings.
  3. Restart WhatsApp and set up the sound again.

If it doesn't worked, try Full reset of WhatsApp settings (without data loss):

  1. Make a backup copy of chats: WhatsApp Settings → Chat → Backup.
  2. Uninstall WhatsApp via Settings → Applications.
  3. Reinstall it from Google Play and restore chats from a backup.

As a last resort (if the sound does not work in any application), it can required reset the phone to factory settings. But before that:

  • 🔄 Check the sound on another messenger (for example, Telegram). If there is no sound there either, there is a problem in the system.
  • 📱 Make sure that the phone speaker is working (try turning on music).
  • 🔧 Make a full backup of your data (photos, contacts, messages).

Important: resetting to factory settings will delete all data from the phone, including photos and installed applications. Use this method only if you are sure that the problem cannot be solved otherwise.

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Before resetting the phone, check the sound in safe mode. If it works there, the third-party application is to blame, not the system.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about sound in WhatsApp

🔊 Why is there no sound in WhatsApp, but vibration works?

This is a typical situation when Notification sound is disabled at the Android leveland not in WhatsApp itself. Check:

  • Notification volume in the curtain (slider with a bell).
  • Settings Do not disturb (Perhaps WhatsApp is an exception, but the sound is disabled globally).
  • Sound profile (for example, Samsung the mode can be selected Vibration only).
📵 There is sound, but only when the screen is on. What to do?

This is a sign that WhatsApp is blocked by energy-saving settings. Do the following:

  1. Add WhatsApp to battery optimization exceptions (see section 2).
  2. Enable Autorun i Background work for the application.
  3. Check if the mode is enabled Adaptive battery in the Android settings.

If the problem persists, try disabling the function Battery optimization for applications in the developer (how to enable developer mode: tap on Build number v Settings → About phone).

🔄 After updating WhatsApp, the sound disappeared. How to get it back?

Updates sometimes reset settings. Try:

  1. Clear WhatsApp cache (Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Memory → Clear cache).
  2. Reboot your phone.
  3. Go to WhatsApp notification settings and select the sound again signal.

If it doesn’t help, wait for the next update (usually sound bugs are fixed within a week) or roll back to the previous version of WhatsApp (for example, via APKMirror).

🎵 Is it possible to set your own notification sound in WhatsApp?

Yes, but with limitations:

  1. Place an audio file (format .mp3 or .ogg, duration up to 30 sec) in folder Ringtones or Notifications on your phone.
  2. In WhatsApp, select Settings → Notifications → Notification tone.
  3. Your file should appear in the list of available sounds.

On some firmware (for example, EMUI from Huawei) for this you need to use a file manager with root access or special applications like Zedge.

📱 There is sound on the phone, but on a smart watch (for example, Mi Band or Galaxy Watch) - no. Why?

The problem is synchronizing notifications between devices. Check:

  • Whether notifications for WhatsApp are enabled in the watch application (for example, Mi Fit or Wear OS).
  • If the energy saving mode on the watch is blocking them.
  • Whether the firmware on both devices is updated.

Sometimes reconnecting the watch to the phone or resetting its settings helps.