question Cant active notifications in user preference in Community Central forum

Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:57:28 GMT

I’m facing an issue with email notifications in ServiceNow and would appreciate your guidance.

For a specific user, the “Allow Notifications” toggle in User Preferences is disabled (greyed out) and cannot be enabled manually.

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

VaishnaviK3009 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:20:55 GMT

Hi @pathumharsh ,

If the Allow Notifications toggle is greyed out, it’s usually controlled at the system level and not user-editable.

Check:

User is active and has a valid email
Notifications are enabled on the user record
System property glide.email.smtp.active = true
Any UI Policy / script / domain restrictions making the field read-only

In most cases, it’s restricted by configuration rather than a user issue.

Mark this as Helpful if it clarifies the issue.
Accept the solution if this answers your question.

Regards,
Vaishnavi
Technical Consultant

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:31:04 GMT

i checked the user record, notification field is shows as disable, if i change it to enable it automatically return to disable,

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

VaishnaviK3009 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:43:51 GMT

Check Notification Device

Go to cmn_notif_device and ensure the user has an active email device

Mark this as Helpful if it clarifies the issue.
Accept the solution if this answers your question.

Regards,
Vaishnavi
Technical Consultant

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

VaishnaviK3009 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:54 GMT

Check Active Button True. If the user is inactive, notifications will remain disabled.

Mark this as Helpful if it clarifies the issue.
Accept the solution if this answers your question.

Regards,
Vaishnavi
Technical Consultant

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:02:58 GMT

user is an active user.

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

Tanushree Maiti — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:05:44 GMT

Hi @pathumharsh

Check and confirm, for that specific user profile in sys_user profile, Notification field is enabled.

Refer: https://www.servicenow.com/community/servicenow-ai-platform-forum/where-is-the-quot-allow-notifications-quot-property-stored/m-p/1117630#:~:text=Notifications%20preferences%20are%20stored%20in,for%20user%20in%20user%20record.&text=Please%20mark%20this%20response%20as,assisted%20you%20with%20your%20question.

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

GlideFather — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:15:21 GMT

Hi @pathumharsh,

is this a PDI, non-prod or prod environment?

Perhaps the email notifications are disabled as per Email properties. Check this and let me know what you saw there

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:16:50 GMT

pro environment

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:42:32 GMT

Hi @Tanushree Maiti

it shows as disable, but I change it to enable, not saving return to disable

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

GlideFather — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:42:44 GMT

@pathumharsh and if you click on the advanced preferences?

Is this impacting just one user or more?

If nothing is found, create a case from support portal

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

pathumharsh — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:46:37 GMT

inside the advanced preferences, shows as

cant make it enable

Re: Cant active notifications in user preference

GlideFather — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:55:43 GMT

@pathumharsh Just you or more users? Ask colleagues or impersonate for some if you can.

If nothing helps, create a case from the support portal