Secure Folder apps not sending notifications on Samsung phone

If apps in the Secure Folder on your Samsung phone or tablet are not sending notifications, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Secure Folder apps not sending notifications on Samsung phone

1

Check the background activity setting in Secure Folder.

Open Secure Folder, then tap the More options icon in the top right corner of the screen. Tap Settings, and then turn on the switch for "Allow background activity while locked."

Secure Folder settings on a Galaxy phone showing Allow background activity while locked enabled.

Note
This option is only available in the latest version of the Secure Folder app.
2

Check the Notification settings in Secure Folder.

Open Secure Folder, then tap the More options icon in the top right corner of the screen. Tap Settings, and then tap Notifications. Tap App notifications, tap the app you want to receive notifications from, and then turn on the switch next to "Allow notifications."

App notifications settings on a Galaxy phone with Calendar and Android Auto enabled.

3

Turn off Power saving mode.

Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Quick panel, and then tap the Settings icon. Tap Battery, and then turn off the switch next to Power saving.

Power saving settings on a Galaxy phone with the toggle enabled.

4

Adjust the Do not disturb settings.

Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Quick panel, and then tap the Settings icon. Tap Notifications, tap Do not disturb, and then turn off the Do Not Disturb switch.

Do not disturb settings enabled on a Galaxy phone.

If you want to use Do not disturb but allow certain notifications, tap Add schedule to customize which notifications are allowed during this period. Alternatively, you can tap App notifications, then tap Allow selected apps and tap Add apps to choose which apps can bypass Do not disturb and send notifications.

5

Disable app power saving settings.

Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Quick panel, and then tap the Settings icon. Tap Battery, and then tap Background usage limits. Check if Secure Folder is listed under Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps. If found, tap More options (three vertical dots), and then tap Remove. Select Secure Folder, and tap Remove to ensure it’s not restricted by battery optimization.
Battery settings on a Galaxy phone with Background usage limits highlighted.
6

Restart your phone.

Using two fingers, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to expand the Quick panel. Tap the Power icon, and then tap Restart. Tap Restart again.

Restart option highlighted on the Galaxy phone power menu

7

Check for app updates.

Open Secure Folder, and then tap the Add app (the plus) icon at the top of the screen. Next, perform the following:

  • Tap Download from Play Store, and then tap your Profile icon in the top right corner. Tap Manage apps and devices, and then tap the Overview tab. If an update is available, tap Update all.
    Add apps screen showing options to download from Play Store or Galaxy Store on a Galaxy phone
  • Tap the Back icon to return to the "Add apps" screen, and then tap Download from Galaxy Store. Tap Menu in the bottom right corner, and then tap Updates. If an update is available, tap Update all.
8

Check for software updates.

Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open the Quick panel. Tap the Settings icon, and then swipe to and tap Software update. Tap Download and install or Check for updates. Options may vary depending on your phone. If an update is available, follow the prompts to download and install the latest software update.

Software update settings on a Galaxy phone with Download and install highlighted

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