Push Notifications

Any idea why the Circles function does not allow push notifications? We would like to use this tool to communicate as a High Council, but if our members cannot easily see when a new message is available, then it's not very useful.

In my limited experience I do see the notification if there's a new message in my circle.

The members have to have the app installed, and they have to join the appropriate circle. Those are not insignificant issues.

We have not found that to be the case. I am only able to see messages if I actually open the app. I have checked all the notification settings and they're turned on. The only way I can know if someone has sent a message in the circle is if I open the application. After receiving your message, I had someone else try sending a message to test it out again, and my assessment of the situation remains the same - notifications are not working.

I have the opposite problem. I head for bed about 9 PM. As I hit the pillow, my Gospel Living app fires up with a bunch of messages and cross-talk from my quorum. Some messages are return-and-report messages, while others are requests for volunteers for a short-notice task. I can't silence my phone at night, but I am tempted to suppress notifications from the Gospel Living app. I know as soon as I do that, I will miss an important message meant for me. Oh well.

supermanofokc wrote:We have not found that to be the case. I am only able to see messages if I actually open the app.

iOS or Android? I can only speak to my experience with Android.

Just to double-check: In the app, under "Profile", then "Notification Settings", you have everything turned on? There may also be settings at the OS level that allow/block notifications from that app.

Also, are you an actual member of the circle (such as "Adults"), or just the "monitor" (the parent who is part of the youth circle)? I don't know if there's a difference, but I could see a possibility.

Android has two OS settings that would prevent notifications from the app from getting through. If Gospel Living is in the Sleeping Apps section then it won't run in the background and the app will not receive any updates or send notifications unless the app is actively running (open). If the OS Data saver is activated and the app is not listed as an exception then data usage is cut down when the app is not open (notifications will not be received unless the app is open).

iOS may have similar OS settings that can interfere with the app getting notifications. A quick Internet search turned up a low power feature that would disable notifications. There may be other OS modes that could affection notifications.

jdlessley wrote:If Gospel Living is in the Sleeping Apps section then it won't run in the background and the app will not receive any updates or send notifications unless the app is actively running (open).

I'm not finding that (Android 10), but I do see a setting under Battery usage where I can allow/deny "use battery in background".

I forgot to state my version of Android is 9. I have no clue about 10.

My point being that a user may need to dig into their OS settings for anything such as battery saving, other power usage settings, data usage restrictions, or anything relating to power usage or data usage to track down a possible block to the Gospel Living app not getting notifications.

For Android 9 users, maybe I can help with the OS settings . Simply tap and hold the the Gospel Living app icon - then click on App Info. If you then click on "Notifications", you can confirm you notifications settings. In addition, if you click on "Mobile data", you can ensure that "Allow background data usage" and "Allow app while Data saver on" are both turned on. Hopefully, this helps someone.

I am using iPhone SE 2020. I am not seeing any push notifications on my Lock Screen or any options to turn on push notifications for my circles either in the app’s in-app settings or in the OS Settings app.

My Bishop just asked that all members start using Circles for receiving announcements for activities, but without push notifications, I won’t get the updates unless I remember to look for them in Circles.

Does Circles not send Push Notification Banners to the Lock Screen yet?

Edit: Never mind. I tested it with my family and it is working now. I’m not sure what was happening before.

I might be crazy, but I have all Notifications, Banners, etc. turned on for every Circle, for the App, and in General Settings. Still no push notifications, alarms, or banners show up on my iphone ios 15.6 and my wife has an Android v.12. I have heard some members of our ward do get notifications pushed, but the vast majority don't. Hard to rely on this for a communication tool if you have to login and hunt for information.

You are not crazy. I have the same experience across multiple android phones of recent versions. I also hear the same issues from iPhone users across multiple versions. Multiple ward councils in the stake have made efforts to use Ciricles, but all have failed because of this lack of notifications.

One thing that I have often noticed is that I will open the Gospel Living app after not opening it for a long time (cuz I had no notification telling me to open it), and I find that I'm actually signed out of the app...not sure why I keep getting logged out, but that would explain the lack of notifications.

I desperately want the circles app to work properly so that my kid's quorums and groups can reliably use it instead of SMS or some other messaging app (which my kids don't have).

Can we get a response from the Product Manager for Gospel Living? Is this a known issue? Is it being worked on?

BellMR wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:29 am Can we get a response from the Product Manager for Gospel Living?

Most likely it will not happen in the forum. The forum is primarily user-to-user help and support. Managers and those responsible for programs, web sites, and applications do not normally visit here. The best method to get your issues to the decision maker(s) is to use the in-app Send Feedback feature located in the Settings menu item.

BellMR wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:29 am Is this a known issue? Is it being worked on?

It has been discussed in other threads in the forum. But if it has been sent to the decision makers through the app by others is unknown. And we seldom get any information about projects being worked, updates to apps until released, or timelines.

BellMR wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:29 am not sure why I keep getting logged out, but that would explain the lack of notifications.

Is the phone set to auto-update? You might get logged out when an update is pushed.

I found myself logged out and remembered there was an update.

russellhltn wrote: Tue Oct 25, 2022 1:08 pm You might get logged out when an update is pushed.

You do. Every time.