How to Add Notification Badges (Numbers) to Your WhatsApp Icon on Android and iOS

Have you ever missed an important message because you didn’t realize you had unread WhatsApp notifications? The little number that appears on your app icon, known as a notification badge, is a crucial visual cue that helps us stay on top of our digital communications. These badges quickly show you how many unread messages you have without needing to open the app. However, sometimes, these notification badges may not appear, leading to missed messages and potential frustrations. This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to enable, troubleshoot, and customize WhatsApp notification badges on both Android and iOS devices, ensuring you never miss an important update again.

Understanding Notification Badges

Before diving into the how-to, it’s essential to understand what notification badges are and how they work. These small numerical indicators, typically displayed in a circle or bubble on the app icon, represent the number of unread notifications for that specific application. For WhatsApp, this number indicates how many unread chat messages you have. They serve as a quick and easy way to see if you need to pay attention to your messages without even opening the app.

However, these badges are not always foolproof. They rely on various system settings, application permissions, and sometimes, even third-party launchers to function correctly. Therefore, if you’re not seeing WhatsApp notification badges, there could be a number of reasons, which we will explore and address in this article.

Enabling WhatsApp Notification Badges: Android

For Android users, enabling notification badges generally involves checking both the system-level settings and WhatsApp application settings. The process can vary slightly depending on the Android version and the phone’s manufacturer (e.g., Samsung, Google Pixel, Xiaomi), but the underlying principles remain the same.

Step 1: Check Android System Settings

The first place to check is your Android device’s system settings. This is where you can manage general notifications, including app badges.

1. Open Settings: Find the ‘Settings’ app on your Android device. It’s usually represented by a gear icon.
2. Navigate to Notifications: Look for an option like ‘Notifications’ or ‘Apps & Notifications’. The exact name might vary slightly based on your phone model and Android version.
3. Find WhatsApp: In the list of apps, scroll and locate WhatsApp. Tap on it.
4. Enable Notifications: Make sure that the toggle switch for ‘Show notifications’ is enabled. It should be switched to the ‘On’ position and may appear in blue (or a color theme)
5. Check Badge Settings (Optional): Depending on your Android version, you might find an additional setting related to ‘Badges’ or ‘App Icon Badges’ in the notification options for WhatsApp. If it exists, ensure it is turned on.

Important Note: Some Android skins or custom launchers may not support notification badges out of the box. If you do not see any options to enable badges here, this could be the case.

Step 2: Check WhatsApp Application Settings

Once you’ve verified that system notifications are enabled for WhatsApp, the next step is to check its internal settings.

1. Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your device.
2. Access Settings: Tap the three vertical dots (menu icon) at the top-right of the screen, and then choose ‘Settings’ from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to Notifications: Tap on the ‘Notifications’ option in the settings menu.
4. Check Message Notifications: Under the ‘Messages’ section, ensure that the ‘Notifications’ toggle is turned on. The toggle should be blue when activated. It is also recommended to select ‘Pop up notification’ to see notification messages on top of screen.
   • For Group Notifications: Similarly, if you wish to receive notification badges from group chats, enable the ‘Notifications’ option under the ‘Groups’ section.
5. Check In-App Notifications: For some versions, WhatsApp may also have an internal setting for in-app notification display such as banner. If such setting exist, make sure it is enabled.

After following these steps, your WhatsApp icon on your Android home screen should now display notification badges.

Troubleshooting Android Notification Badges

If you’ve followed the steps above and the badges are still not appearing, try these troubleshooting steps:

1. Restart Your Device: Sometimes a simple restart can fix temporary software glitches. Reboot your Android phone or tablet.
2. Clear WhatsApp Cache: Go to your Android Settings, then find WhatsApp in the list of apps. Tap ‘Storage’ and select ‘Clear cache.’ Be careful not to select ‘Clear Data’ as this will delete your messages.
3. Update WhatsApp: Ensure that you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed from the Google Play Store. Outdated versions can sometimes have bugs that impact notification badges.
4. Check Battery Optimization Settings: Android devices often have battery optimization features that can restrict background activity for certain apps. Make sure that WhatsApp is not being restricted from running in the background. You can usually find this option in the device’s settings under ‘Battery’ or ‘App management’.
5. Check Permission Settings: Ensure WhatsApp has all the necessary permissions, especially for notifications, within the device’s app permissions settings.
6. Consider Using a Third-Party Launcher: If all else fails, some third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) often have more robust support for notification badges and can be a workaround. However, test if the launcher supports notification badges properly for WhatsApp before installing

Enabling WhatsApp Notification Badges: iOS (iPhone and iPad)

For iOS users (iPhone and iPad), the process is generally more straightforward, as it relies more on Apple’s built-in notification management system. However, there are still a few crucial points to check.

Step 1: Check iOS System Notification Settings

The primary place to check for notification settings on iOS is within the system settings.

1. Open Settings: Find the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone or iPad, represented by a grey gear icon.
2. Tap Notifications: Scroll down and tap on the ‘Notifications’ option in the settings menu.
3. Locate WhatsApp: In the list of apps, scroll and find WhatsApp. Tap on it.
4. Enable Allow Notifications: Ensure that the ‘Allow Notifications’ toggle at the top of the screen is enabled (switched to the right, usually green).
5. Check Alert Styles: Ensure you selected alerts to appear as lock screen, notification center and banner. Choose your prefered style.
6. Enable Badges: Scroll down to the ‘Alerts’ section and ensure the ‘Badges’ checkbox is selected.

Once the above is done, you should now see the badges for your WhatsApp app.

Step 2: Check WhatsApp App Settings (Optional)

Although most notification settings are managed via the system settings, there are a few options within WhatsApp that you should verify.

1. Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp app on your iOS device.
2. Go to Settings: Tap the ‘Settings’ tab at the bottom-right of the screen.
3. Tap Notifications: Select the ‘Notifications’ option.
4. Check Message Notification Options: Under the ‘Message Notifications’ section, ensure that ‘Show Notifications’ and ‘Show Previews’ are toggled on according to your preference.
• For Group Notifications: If you wish to also get badges for group chats, ensure ‘Show Notifications’ under ‘Group Notifications’ is also toggled on.

With these settings enabled, you should now see notification badges on your WhatsApp icon.

Troubleshooting iOS Notification Badges

If the notification badges are still not showing after following the steps above, try these troubleshooting methods:

1. Restart Your Device: A simple restart is always a good first step. Reboot your iPhone or iPad.
2. Update WhatsApp: Go to the App Store and check for updates for WhatsApp. Use the most recent version.
3. Reset Notification Settings (for WhatsApp): Go to Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and tap ‘Reset Notification Settings’. This will reset all the settings for WhatsApp notifications.
4. Check Do Not Disturb: The ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode on your iPhone can suppress all notifications. Ensure this mode is not active, or add WhatsApp as an exception. You can usually find ‘Do Not Disturb’ in the Control Center.
5. Verify Focus Mode Settings: Similar to Do Not Disturb, the Focus mode on iOS can also suppress notifications. Make sure WhatsApp is enabled in any focus modes you are currently using.
6. Review Background App Refresh: Make sure that ‘Background App Refresh’ for WhatsApp is turned on. This setting is also found in the main Settings, under ‘General’.
7. Reinstall the app: If the previous options fail, try deleting the app and downloading it again from the app store. It is recommended to create a backup of your messages before doing so.

Customizing WhatsApp Notification Badges

While the basic functionality of notification badges is pretty much standardized, some customization options exist depending on your phone model or third-party apps you might be using.

• Notification Style: In both Android and iOS settings, you can sometimes change the style of the notification (e.g., banner, popup, or silent), which might affect the appearance of the badges.
• Third-Party Launchers (Android): As mentioned before, some third-party launchers, such as Nova Launcher, allow further customization options such as the badge style (circle, dot, rectangle etc) or its location on the icon.
• Notification Settings Per Chat (WhatsApp): WhatsApp allows you to customize notification settings per individual or group chat. You might find this in the chat options by tapping on the contact or group name and accessing ‘custom notifications’.

Conclusion

Notification badges on your WhatsApp icon are crucial for staying connected and on top of your messages. By following the detailed steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to enable, troubleshoot, and potentially customize these badges on both Android and iOS devices. Remember to check both your device’s system settings and WhatsApp’s internal settings. If you’re still having issues, try the troubleshooting methods described, which often resolve the problem. Keeping your operating system and WhatsApp updated is also crucial in ensuring that you have a seamless experience and notification badges continue working as expected. With these steps, you will never miss an important WhatsApp message again! This is a feature that is often taken for granted but provides significant value in our daily digital interactions.

Happy messaging!