I'm not getting notifications for incoming messages

If new SMS or WhatsApp messages are landing in Cradle but you're not seeing a notification pop up, work through the checks below in order. The first one rules out the by-far-most-common cause.

Quick checks (try these first)

Does your org have SMS or WhatsApp turned on? If your messaging icon is greyed out, your org doesn't have messaging on yet, and there are no messages to be notified about. See I can't see the messaging icon.
Is Cradle running? Notifications come from the app. If Cradle isn't open in your system tray or menu bar, no notifications. Launch the app.
Is your computer's Do Not Disturb or Focus mode on? Same gotcha as for call notifications. The OS can hold messages back without Cradle knowing.

Does your org have messaging turned on for your number?

If your team doesn't have SMS or WhatsApp activated on any of your Cradle numbers, you won't see any incoming messages, so there are no message notifications to receive. SMS today is available on AU and UK numbers only; WhatsApp Business is in private beta with general availability expected mid-2026.

If the messaging icon in Cradle is greyed out with a Contact support tooltip, that's the situation. See I can't see the messaging icon.
Admins can get SMS switched on for a Cradle number by logging a request with Cradle support. See Getting SMS switched on for a Cradle number.

Is OS-level Focus or Do Not Disturb on?

Your operating system can silence notifications even when Cradle and the app's settings look fine. This is the single most common reason a notification doesn't appear despite a real message arriving.

Windows: Settings → System → Notifications → Do not disturb. Make sure it's Off. Older builds call this Focus assist or Focus.
macOS: System Settings → Focus. Check whether any Focus mode is on, especially Do Not Disturb. Add Cradle to the Focus's Allowed Apps list if you want its messages to come through.
Linux: check your distro's system tray for a Do Not Disturb or Quiet Mode toggle, and your distro's Settings application for a Notifications section.

Has Cradle's notification permission been granted?

Each OS has a per-app notification permission. If Cradle's switched off, no notifications.

Windows: Settings → System → Notifications, scroll to Notifications from apps and other senders, switch Cradle On.
macOS: System Settings → Notifications, click Cradle, switch Allow notifications On.
Linux: look in your distro's Settings → Notifications.

The full walkthrough is in Enabling Cradle notifications on your computer.

Are you in the thread already?

Cradle SMS threads are shared per team, but visibility follows who's joined the thread. If a teammate has already replied to a customer and you haven't, the thread doesn't appear in your messaging area and you don't get a notification when the customer responds.

A thread no-one has replied to yet is visible to everyone with access to the SMS number, and everyone gets the notification.
Once one teammate replies, the thread is theirs (and anyone else who has replied). Other people on the team don't see new messages on it, and don't get notifications for them.
You join a thread by replying to it, or by an admin adding you.

See How shared SMS inboxes work in Cradle for the detail. If you expected to be notified about a customer's reply and you weren't, check whether a teammate took the thread.

Is Cradle running?

If Cradle isn't open in your system tray or menu bar, the app can't show notifications. Launch it from your Start menu, applications launcher, or Applications folder, and consider setting it to launch at login so it's always there.

Still stuck?

If your messaging icon is active, OS-level Focus is off, Cradle's notification permission is on, you're a known member of the thread, and Cradle's running, the issue is likely deeper than settings.

Note the time of an expected message and the Cradle number it was sent to.
Email help@cradle.io with that time, the customer mobile number, your name, and your operating system.
Cradle support hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm New Zealand time, Monday to Friday.