Notifications

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Learn about the technical aspects of notification delivery on device, including notification types, priorities, and notification center management.

Notifications Documentation

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iOS blocks 100% notification for app in the background
I created my app. One of its functionality is receive remote notification in the background (it receives it from Firebase Cloud Messaging via APNS) and replies with device location data. This is "boat tracking and alarm" type of app. It worked well both on my iPhone (where I use the same Apple ID as on developer's account) and on my son's iPad (different Apple ID). After the first review, when app was rejected with some remarks, background remote notifications completely stopped working on my iPhone. It looks like my iPhone put the app in permanent sleep. It never receives the background notifications. It receives them though in 2 case: when I open the app (it is no longer in background) when location is changed (it wakes app in the background). But the app should also respond when the device is stable at the position (I use both: precise and Significant Location Change. In the latter case changes are very rare). Btw, I scheduled a background task, not location, and it also never gets executed, so this workaround does not work. I describe it, so any Apple engineer does not get confused, verifying that these remote notifications reach the device. NO, they never get through when app is in the background (THIS IS THE PROBLEM), not that they are never delivered (the are, in the foreground). And the proof that it is not a problem with the app or remote notification construction is: they work on another drives (iPad) with no issues. Sometimes they are very delayed, sometimes almost instant. But usually they work. they worked the same way on my iPhone (with my developer's Apple ID) before the first rejection, and I haven't messed with messaging functionality since then. Now I am over with the last hope I had. I finally got my app release in App Store. I hoped official version would release some blockade my iOS put on my app. But unfortunately not. Official version works the same way as the test one. It works fine (receiving notifications in the background) on my son's iPad and it does not receive any background notification on my iPhone (100% block rate). Can anyone help me how can I reset my apps limits, the iOS created for my app? It seems that the rejection was a sparkle here - this is just a hint. I can provide any system logs for Apple engineers from both devices (iPhone and iPad) if you would like to check this case.
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414
Sep ’25
APNs Auth Key download error after revoking old key — “already downloaded” for new key
I created an APNs Auth Key in the Apple Developer portal and downloaded it successfully once. Later, due to some issues, I revoked that key. After that, I created a new APNs Auth Key. The download button appears, but when I click it, I get the message: "Auth Key can only be downloaded once. This auth key has already been downloaded." This is incorrect because: The key is newly created in my account. I have tried multiple browsers (Safari, Chrome), private/incognito mode, and even a different laptop. I have no other active APNs Auth Keys in my account. Without this .p8 file, I cannot configure push notifications for my iOS app (using Firebase Cloud Messaging). This is blocking my production release. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there a way to reset or force a fresh APNs Auth Key when this happens?
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Aug ’25
Issue related to APNS is delivering expired voip push notification.
Hi, am facing an issue related to voip push notifications getting delivered 1-2 hours after apns-expiration to 0 and apns-priority to 10. I had raised a similar post got a reply that it may be due to network delay. But network delay can cause the delivery of voip push to be delayed only by few seconds or minutes. But in our case voip push is getting delivered hours after the voip call was attempted. Steps to reproduce: Put our voip app in background and lock iPhone. As app is put in background, socket connections gets disconnected from server. Now if a caller makes call to this app, the call should be delivered through voip push. 2) Voip push should ideally be received even if app is in background and iPhone is locked. It is connected to a good wifi network. But it does not receive the voip push. 3) After 1-2 hours user unlocks iPhone and opens voip app. As soon as user opens app, the voip push is received and phone starts ringing.
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Alarmkit custom sound plays once
When setting a custom sound in AlarmKit, the alarm only plays the audio file once. I can understand why push notifications would play a sound only once, but I don’t understand why alarms can only play the sound for less than 30 seconds. We’re already at beta 6, so I’m wondering if Apple still hasn’t fixed this or if they have no intention of fixing it.
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800
Aug ’25
didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken() not called if requestAuthorization() is not called
If I run the following code in didFinishLaunchingWithOptions() UNUserNotificationCenter.current().requestAuthorization(options: [.alert, .badge, .sound]) { granted, error in if granted { DispatchQueue.main.async { application.registerForRemoteNotifications() } } } Then the result is that didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken() gets called. However if I change the code to be just: DispatchQueue.main.async { application.registerForRemoteNotifications() } Or as as its already running on main in this scenario, then just application.registerForRemoteNotifications() Then didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken() does NOT get called, but also neither does didFailToRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithError(). Obtaining a push token is supposed to be independent of the user granting notifications permissions, so why am I not observing that behavior? I only observe this behavior when running on hardware, when running on the simulator both forms of the code work. Yet its nothing to do with my phone not being able to contact the Apple servers etc. - if I change the code back and forth back and forth between the two then if 100% works when using requestAuthorization() and 100% doesn't when not using it. There's nothing additional or out of the ordinary with the code, its standard app delete template stuff. Why isn't it getting a push token when requestAuthorization() isn't used? (I've tried adding an async delay to calling registerForRemoteNotifications(), but it made no difference).
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310
Sep ’25
Issue with app not waking up intermittently due to Pushkit (VOIP)
I am developing a VoIP service. Usually, when receiving a VoIP Push, Callkit is exposed immediately after receiving the message and the app is designed to be used. However, there is an extremely intermittent phenomenon (not well reproduced) where the app does not wake up even when receiving a VoIP Push. And after a long time, the app wakes up and Callkit is activated. (A long time after receiving the call…) Has anyone experienced the above phenomenon? I wonder if there are any reported parts depending on the OS version. (I have identified that it does not occur in the 17.x version, but it is difficult to guarantee because it occurs extremely intermittently) The app is not running in the background, but... Could this be happening if there are a lot of pending operations in the background? I need help urgently
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PushToTalk Framework Behavior After Force Quit and Challenges in Achieving Reliable PTT Functionality
Hello everyone, Our team is currently developing a PTT (Push-to-Talk) application using the officially recommended PushToTalk framework. During development, we've encountered a point of confusion regarding the application's behavior after being force-quit by the user. Based on our understanding of the PushToTalk framework documentation (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/pushtotalk/creating-a-push-to-talk-app/) and the PTChannelManager session restoration mechanism, when a user manually kills the app from the background (App Switcher), the current PTT session (the system session managed by PTChannelManager) should terminate. Subsequent pushtotalk type pushes sent via APNS, without an active session, appear to be silently discarded by the system and cannot wake the app for processing (similar to what Kevin Elliott DTS mentioned in https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/760506 Point D). This seems to prevent reliable PTT message reception in our app after a user force quits. However, we've observed that some popular PTT applications on the market (e.g., TenTen) appear to successfully receive and play PTT voice messages from friends even after the user has performed a force-quit action. This behavior seems inconsistent with our test results and understanding based on the standard framework, posing a challenge for us in providing similar reliability using standard methods. This naturally leads us to wonder how this capability is achieved. We've reviewed developer forums and are aware of the historical existence of a PTT-specific com.apple.developer.pushkit.unrestricted-voip entitlement, which allowed PushKit usage for PTT without CallKit binding. While Apple DTS engineers have repeatedly stated this entitlement is being deprecated and urged migration to the PushToTalk framework (e.g., https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/763289), we are curious if the observed "wake-after-force-quit" capability might be related to some apps potentially still utilizing this outgoing special entitlement. Alternatively, is there perhaps a mechanism within the standard PushToTalk framework that allows wake-up after force quit that we haven't fully grasped? Therefore, we'd like to ask fellow developers for clarification and discussion: When using the standard PushToTalk framework, have others confirmed that the app indeed cannot be woken up by pushtotalk pushes after being force-quit by the user? Is this the expected behavior? Has anyone successfully achieved a TenTen-like experience (reliable PTT reception after force quit) using only the standard PushToTalk framework? If so, could you share key implementation insights or areas to focus on? (e.g., Is it related to specific usage patterns of the restorationDelegate?) How do you view this potential discrepancy between standard framework capabilities and the behavior exhibited by some apps? What considerations does this bring to development planning and user experience design (especially when users might have expectations set by the "always-on" behavior of other apps)? Are there any best practices or specific techniques when using PTChannelManager session management and restoration that maximize PTT message reliability (especially after the app is terminated by the system in the background), while still adhering to the framework's design principles (like user awareness of the session via UI)? [For instance, another developer raised challenges related to PTT framework restrictions here: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/773981] We hope this discussion can help clarify our understanding of the framework and gather community best practices for building reliable PTT functionality while adhering to Apple's guidelines. Thanks for any insights or shared experiences!
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Jun ’25
Xcode16.1&iOS18.1.1 Debugging App, unable to respond “didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken” delegation
I am an iOS development engineer. Recently, I updated the Xcode version to 16.1 (16B40) and updated my debugging device (iPhone 15) to iOS 18.1.1. However, I found that I could not respond to the delegate method. I confirmed that my code, certificate, Xcode settings, and network environment had not changed. Simply executing application.registerForRemoteNotifications() in func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool did not receive a response(didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken or didFailToRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithError ). In the same environment, when I switched to another device for debugging (iOS 17.0.3), the delegate method would respond. I really don't know what to do, I hope someone can help me, I would be very grateful. Please note: Everything is normal when using devices before iOS 18.1.1 version
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Oct ’25
Regarding "Overview of app transfer"
My iPhone VoIP app, which I'm developing, uses Apple Push Notification service (APNs). I have a question regarding the following statement found in "[Overview of app transfer > Apps using push notifications]" Overview of app transfer You must manually reestablish push notification services if transferring an app that uses the Apple Push Notifications service (APNs). The recipient must create a new client SSL certificate using their developer account, as associated client SSL certificates, TLS certificates, and authentication tokens aren’t transferred. Question Let's say the recipient of the app transfer creates a "new SSL certificates, TLS certificates, and authentication tokens." Afterward, we need to verify that the Apple Push Notification service (APNs) works correctly when combining the transferred app with this "new SSL certificates, TLS certificates, and authentication tokens." However, until the recipient finishes verifying that it works correctly, the transferor want to keep the app available for download as before and be able to use the Apple Push Notification service. Is this possible? More specifically, can the recipient test the app to be transferred on TestFlight "before the transfer is completed"? I want to combine it with the "new SSL certificates, TLS certificates, and authentication tokens." and test it on TestFlight. Reading "[Initiate an app transfer]," it mentions the existence of a "Pending App Transfer" status. During this "Pending App Transfer" status, can the recipient test the app on TestFlight? Initiate an app transfer After you initiate the transfer, the app stays in its previous status, with the Pending App Transfer status added, until the recipient accepts it or the transfer expires after 60 days. Also, if there are any documents describing these procedures, I would appreciate it if you could share them. Thank you very much.
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Dec ’25
Can APNs handle large numbers of VoIP requests in real time?
I am developing a system to send VoIP notifications to terminals with APNs. I understand that the maximum JSON Payload for VoIP is 5kb. If I want to send VoIP notifications to 3000 terminals, I am considering sending 3000 requests in parallel from the system to the APNs, will the APNs guarantee that the notifications will be sent to each terminal without a significant time lag when receiving 3000 requests simultaneously?
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Apr ’25
Push Notifications largely not get transmitted
I have three apps with a very low user rate, so it's easier to compare. In all three apps, when I send a notification to APNs, over two-thirds receive a "Stored - Device Offline" status, but only one or two notifications are delivered afterward. No message has been sent after that. The total number of recipients is 89; 26 were delivered to the device, and 62 were stored in APNs. One was delivered from storage, and one was discarded. All app users are located in the same region, and mobile internet or Wi-Fi is available everywhere. I can't believe that so many iPhone users aren't getting connected to APNs to receive the stored message. Or are event not connected. Or are there any other reasons why a notification cant be transmitted. (User beahaviour, time of not using the app or something else?)
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Mar ’25
CloudKit Subscriptions Not Triggering Push Notifications - No NotificationSend Events
ISSUE: CloudKit subscriptions are not triggering push notifications despite correct configuration. CloudKit logs show RecordSave events but NO NotificationSend events, indicating CloudKit is not attempting to send to APNS. CONTAINER: iCloud.Wunderkind.StrikeForceApp ENVIRONMENT: Tested in both Development and Production iOS 18.6.x Xcode 15.x (update with your version) Device: iPhone (not simulator) EVIDENCE: Subscriptions exist and are visible in CloudKit Dashboard Records are being created successfully (verified in logs) Device token is registered: 60eb962ff189dc5c2c0ef3e9d6643d72b4442a831bae224d2a553588b2e29139 Local notifications work correctly CloudKit logs show RecordSave but NO NotificationSend events STEPS TAKEN: Regenerated push certificates Disabled and re-enabled Push Notifications capability Deleted and recreated subscriptions Tested in both Development and Production environments Verified aps-environment entitlement matches environment Confirmed notification permissions granted SPECIFIC TEST: Creating a Challenge record with recipientRef matching my user triggers: ✅ RecordSave event in CloudKit logs ❌ No NotificationSend event ❌ No push notification received EXPECTED: CloudKit should send NotificationSend events and deliver push notifications when subscriptions match. ACTUAL: No NotificationSend events appear in CloudKit logs, no notifications delivered.
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Sep ’25
Wallet Pass not updating for some customers
I am looking for advice for debugging a wallet pass not updating for some customers after successfully posting an APNS notification (pass identifier as topic, no expiration, priority 10). Is there an exhaustive list of reasons for a wallet pass not updating or a guide for making sure updates happen reliably? Are there are any guarantees made as to when the pass is updated? We noticed it is either never updating or the update happens much later for some customers. Usually toggling "Automatic Updates" in Pass Details updates the pass immediately for affected customers. Can it be caused by an error in the implementation of the Wallet Passes Web Service? We generate passes on the fly as a response to /v1/passes/{passTypeIdentifier}/{serialNumber}. I noticed that we also sometimes receive HEAD requests to this endpoint despite the documentation only mentioning the GET method. I was previously returning a HTTP status code 405 (Method Not Allowed). I have now updated it to also respond with headers (Content-Type, Content-Disposition and Last-Modified) for the pass for HEAD requests, but I don't know if it makes a difference. Here is a list of issues on the customer side I was thinking of: No connection to the internet Low power mode (does it prevent or throttle updates?) What happens if there is an error? Does it keep trying or does it just fail silently? In the latter case it might make sense to keep sending APNS notifications until the pass is requested successfully. I know that you can use the PassKit framework in iOS apps to update (replace) passes. Would this be more reliable than a stand-alone Wallet pass?
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Nov ’25
didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken called twice when also using CKSyncEngine in project
In didFinishLaunchingWithOptions I have this setup for getting the token to send to my server for notifications. The issue is that the delegate callback didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken gets called twice when also initializing a CKSyncEngine object. This confuses me. Is this expected behavior? Why is the delegate callback only called twice when both are called, but not at all when only using CKSyncEngine. See code and comments below. /// Calling just this triggers `didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken` once. UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications() /// When triggering the above function plus initializing a CKSyncEngine, `didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken` gets called twice. /// This somewhat make sense, because CloudKit likely also registers for remote notifications itself, but why is the delegate not triggered when *only* initializing CKSyncEngine and removing the `registerForRemoteNotifications` call above? let syncManager = SyncManager() /// Further more, if calling `registerForRemoteNotifications` with a delay instead of directly, the delegate is only called once, as expected. For some reason, the delegate is only triggered when two entities call `registerForRemoteNotifications` at the same time? DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 4) { UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications() } func application(_ application: UIApplication, didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken deviceToken: Data) { print("didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken") }
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Notification Service Extension and the main thread
Question, if I am writing async code in the notification service extension, I understand it terminates after 30 seconds. If I want to wait until these async methods finish before calling the content handler, I believe an option I have is to use dispatch groups. However I am open to other solutions if there are better options. My question is, if I use dispatch groups, is there any issue in using the main queue here? Or does the main thread not make sense to use in the context of the NSE? dispatch_group_notify(group, dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{ if (self.contentHandler) { self.contentHandler(self.bestAttemptContent); } }); Or is it recommended to instead use a different queue in the NSE? dispatch_queue_t nseQueue = dispatch_queue_create("com.blah.blah.nse.queue", DISPATCH_QUEUE_SERIAL); dispatch_group_notify(group, dispatch_get_global_queue(QOS_CLASS_(SOMETHING), 0), ^{ ... }); OR am I over thinking this? :) Thanks ahead of time, relatively new to iOS so just looking to learn/understand better.
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Jun ’25
APNS is delivering expired voip push notification.
I have tried setting a 'apns-expiration' to current time + 30 seconds and also a value '0'. But still my voip app receives the voip push notification after 2-3 minutes. Till this time, caller has already hung up the call. But the receivers phone still rings on receiving the push notification as we have to report it to CallKit. Am I missing something or there is no way and even 'apns-expiration' does not guarantee timely delivery of Voip push notifications or discard if it is expired. I have set 'apns-priority' to 10 already as recommended.
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409
Mar ’25
APNs returning successful response for a token from an app that was uninstalled more than a month ago
We are observing an weird behaviour where a user uninstalled the app back in February (more than a month ago) but APNs is still accepting push notifications are returning success responses. We know that using APNs response codes for uninstall tracking is not reliable and that Apple will use fuzzy schedule to invalidate tokens. However, showing successful responses for month+ old tokens seems a bit misleading and results in wasted token processing for both us and Apple. Could you please confirm that invalidation (or fuzzy schedule) could take more than months to invalidate tokens on the APNs side? Is that expected or is this a bug somewhere?
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Nov ’25
Push Notification Gets Removed From Notification Screen When Setting "badge" to 0
Push message on the lock-screen disappears in one specific instance. In general the situation is as follows: the application, upon starting up, sets the badge counter (i.e. notificationCenter.setBadgeCount(3)) the application is being sent to background the screen is locked (it doesn't matter if it's turned on or not) send a push message to the application and set the badge (in aps) to "0" What happens: the screen lights up (unless it's lit up already), the push is being displayed for a very short time and gets hidden. Happens on iOS 18.1, 18.1.1, 18.2. If not setting badge in the aps keys it works correctly. I've created a feedback report https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/16095572. I am able to reproduce the issue on a sample app 100% of the time :/
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682
Oct ’25
APNs Returning 200 OK for Uninstalled Apps
We're experiencing an issue with Apple Push Notification service where APNs continues to return 200 OK responses for device tokens belonging to uninstalled applications. Issue Details: When sending push notifications to device tokens, APNs returns 200 OK responses even for devices where our app was uninstalled more than a month ago Thanks in advanced for support
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154
Jul ’25