Notifications
Learn More About the Push Notifications
To ensure that notifications from ExpiWell App is enabled:
For Android Devices: Settings > Apps > Manage Apps > ExpiWell > Notifications
For Apple Devices: Settings > Notifications > Expiwell
Push Notifications
As soon as a survey window opens, participants will receive a push notification informing them of which experience is available and how long until the window closes (see screenshot below). If the ExpiWell mobile app is open at the time of the push notification, the notification will not appear but will be recorded in the Notifications Inbox represented by the 'bell icon'. Please ensure that notifications from ExpiWell are enabled on every device.
The project creator can alter notification preferences by clicking the "Options" button in the scheduling section.Notifications Inbox
You can view your notifications inbox from any page by clicking the 'bell icon' at the top right corner. If there is a red dot on the bell, that means there is a notification that needs to be read.
If the "Newest" tab is shown, the notifications will be organized with the newest messages at the top. By clicking on that tab, the system will switch to "Unread," and the unread notifications will appear at the top.
By clicking on the "Options" tab, you can mark all as read or clear (delete) all messages.
ExpiWell's Push Notifications enhance participant engagement and prompt timely responses in research. They provide personalized alerts about survey availability and deadlines, which is crucial for maintaining high response and completion rates. Customizable notifications allow creators to adapt communication strategies, creating an engaged and responsive research community.
If you're having notification issues, you can follow these steps to troubleshoot:
1. Check that 'Do Not Disturb / Focus' is not enabled: Forgetting to turn off Do Not Disturb/Focus is a common reason for not receiving notifications. If this setting is enabled, turn it off to start receiving notifications again.
2. Restart your phone: Many notification issues on your devices can often be fixed by simply restarting your phone. Whether it's a frozen app, a poor network connection, or any other issue, restarting your phone can automatically resolve these issues and save you from lengthy troubleshooting.
3. Ensure you haven't turned off system notifications: Always check the system notification settings first before searching for issues elsewhere.
4. Make sure you haven't turned off app notifications: If you're not getting notifications from a particular app, the main reason could be the notification settings for that app. Each app has its own permissions to access features, and notifications are one of them. Ensure that notifications are enabled for the ExpiWell app.
- Android-specific app notifications: Besides ensuring 'Allow notifications' for the ExpiWell app is enabled, please also ensure the following:
- Enable Alerts: Allow notification sounds and haptic feedback when receiving a notification.
- Enable “Lock screen” and “Banner/ Pop-up": Lock screen—so you can see it even when your phone is locked. Banner—so it pops up while you're using the phone.
- Enable "Allow in Do Not Disturb/ Override Do Not Disturb": Turn this ON so the app can still send notifications even when Do Not Disturb mode is active.
- Many Android apps categorize notifications into 'channels' (like 'uploadChannel'). Ensure these specific channels are also configured correctly. Under the app notification categories 'uploadChannel', please ensure the notifications and alerts are enabled and set to default mode instead of silent, as shown in the screenshots below.
5. Ensure you are logged in to the appropriate ExpiWell account: For reliable and timely notifications, ensure you're logged into the ExpiWell account you used to join the study. This is crucial because all push notifications for that study are sent to that specific account.
6. Ensure you have a steady network connection: A stable network connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) is required for these notifications to reach you promptly. Ensure Data Saver modes are not enabled and your app's Background Data and Unrestricted Mobile Data Usage are enabled, as these settings can also ensure timely push notifications when the Wi-Fi connection is weak or spotty.
7. Check that your app isn't restricted from running in the background: Many apps that send notifications need to run in the background to work correctly. If Background App Refresh is turned off for an app, you might experience delayed notifications or not receive them at all. This is because the app won't be able to get new information when it's not actively in use. If you're using an Android device, ensure you have also disabled the Unused app settings under App info.
8. Check your battery-saving settings: Features like Battery Saver Mode/Low Power Mode and broader Battery Optimization (including Adaptive Battery Mode) can restrict app activity and might be preventing notifications. Also, ensure no third-party battery-saving apps are active, as they can similarly block notifications when your battery is low. Finally, verify that your app's battery usage settings permit unrestricted background usage.
9. Clear app cache and data: Almost every app includes a cache, which stores temporary information about your usage. This data can become corrupt or too large, resulting in abnormal app behavior, such as notifications stopping. Clearing the app's cache (and data for Android users) frequently resolves these issues. Note for iOS users: Clearing app data typically requires offloading or reinstalling the app.
10. Update your ExpiWell app: When an app is outdated, some features may stop working, which can prevent notifications from appearing. Ensure you update your app and enable automatic updates through the Google Play Store or App Store.
11. Clear your device cache: For Android devices: Your device also has a cache partition where data can get corrupted, causing problems for all apps. Clearing the cache partition will resolve these issues. (Note: iOS does not have a directly user-clearable device cache partition in the same way; a force restart or system update often addresses system-level caching issues.)
12. Install all system updates for your device: Your operating system might be outdated. New operating system updates often come with new features that can impact notifications. If you haven't updated your phone in a while, apps that depend on these new features for sending alerts might not function properly.
13. Reinstalling the app: If the issue persists, we suggest logging out of your account, deleting the app, and reinstalling it. This process will reset your notification settings without affecting your current projects or progress.
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