Why Adalo Push Notifications Fail
Push notifications are one of the most requested - and most broken - features in Adalo apps. The setup looks simple: add OneSignal, configure credentials, and trigger notifications from actions. In practice, there are at least six places where this chain can silently break, and Adalo gives you almost no error feedback when it does.
As certified Adalo Experts, we've debugged push notification failures across dozens of production apps. This guide covers every failure point and how to fix it.
The 6 Most Common Push Notification Failures
1. OneSignal App ID Mismatch
Symptom: No notifications are delivered to any user, ever.
Cause: The OneSignal App ID in Adalo's settings doesn't match the App ID in your OneSignal dashboard, or you're using the wrong REST API Key (the one labeled 'Key' vs the one labeled 'User Auth Key').
Fix: In OneSignal, go to Settings → Keys & IDs. Copy the OneSignal App ID (not the User ID) and the REST API Key. In Adalo, go to Settings → App Access → OneSignal and paste both. They must match exactly - no trailing spaces, no line breaks.
2. Testing in Preview Mode
Symptom: Notifications work in your mental model but never arrive on any device.
Cause: Adalo's web preview and the Adalo app previewer do not support push notifications on iOS. Push requires a published native build installed from the App Store or TestFlight.
Fix: Publish your app through Adalo's native publishing flow. Install the published build on a physical device. Test with a real user account - the sender never receives their own notification.
3. Inactive User Tokens
Symptom: Some users get notifications, others don't - seemingly randomly.
Cause: Adalo only delivers notifications to users who have been active in the app within the last two weeks and who have granted notification permissions. If a user hasn't opened the app recently, their device token expires.
Fix: There's no way to force-refresh tokens in Adalo. Encourage regular app engagement. For critical notifications, consider implementing email fallback via a Make.com or Zapier webhook.
4. PWA Notification Limitations
Symptom: Web app users never receive notifications, or notifications always land on the home screen instead of the intended screen.
Cause: Progressive Web Apps have fundamental push notification limitations. On iOS, PWA push is severely restricted. On all platforms, Adalo PWA notifications always redirect to the home screen - there's no "target screen" support.
Fix: For PWA apps needing push, use Progressier as a wrapper. For full push notification control with target screens, publish as a native app.
5. iOS Certificate Expiration
Symptom: Notifications worked for months, then suddenly stop on iOS only.
Cause: If you configured iOS push with a .p12 certificate instead of a .p8 key, the certificate expires after 12 months. Apple doesn't warn you.
Fix: Switch to P8 token-based authentication in OneSignal. P8 keys don't expire. Go to your Apple Developer account → Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles → Keys → Create a new key with APNs enabled. Upload the .p8 file to OneSignal.
6. Sender Receives Nothing
Symptom: You test by sending yourself a notification and nothing arrives.
Cause: By design, Adalo excludes the user who triggers the notification from receiving it. This is not a bug - it's intentional behavior to prevent users from notifying themselves.
Fix: Always test with two separate user accounts on two physical devices. Account A triggers the action, Account B should receive the notification.
Complete Setup Checklist
| Step | Action | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create OneSignal account and app | App ID visible in dashboard |
| 2 | Configure iOS (P8 key) and Android (FCM key) | Green checkmarks in OneSignal |
| 3 | Add OneSignal credentials to Adalo | Settings → App Access saved |
| 4 | Add notification permission request on home screen | Permission dialog appears on first launch |
| 5 | Add trigger action on target component | Action chain includes 'Trigger Notification' |
| 6 | Publish native build | App installed from TestFlight/Play Console |
| 7 | Test with two accounts on two devices | Notification received within 30 seconds |
When Push Notifications Aren't Enough
Adalo's push system has hard limits: no rich media, no deep linking to active screens, no scheduled sends, and no segmentation. If your app needs any of these, you need a custom solution.
Rehost builds custom notification systems that integrate with Adalo or replace it entirely - with rich media, scheduling, user segmentation, and analytics. Start your free audit →
FAQ
Why are my Adalo push notifications not working?
The most common causes are: wrong OneSignal credentials, testing in preview mode instead of a published build, expired iOS certificates, or inactive user tokens. Follow the setup checklist above to verify each step.
Do Adalo push notifications work on web apps?
Only partially. PWA push notifications have significant limitations - they always redirect to the home screen with no target screen support, and iOS PWA push is severely restricted. For full push functionality, publish as a native app.
How do I send push notifications to specific users in Adalo?
In the Trigger Notification action, select 'One User' and filter by a relationship or property. For sending to groups, select 'Multiple Users' and apply collection filters. You can exclude the logged-in user to prevent self-notification.