diff --git a/frontend/index.tsx b/frontend/index.tsx
index e863d41..b8b9687 100644
--- a/frontend/index.tsx
+++ b/frontend/index.tsx
@@ -2,46 +2,69 @@
 
 import "./globals.css";
 
-import React, {useState} from "react";
+import React, { useState } from "react";
 import { useColorScheme } from "react-native";
 import { NavigationContainer, DefaultTheme, DarkTheme } from "@react-navigation/native";
 import { createBottomTabNavigator } from "@react-navigation/bottom-tabs";
 import { Ionicons } from "@expo/vector-icons";
+import { enableScreens } from "react-native-screens";
+import { SafeAreaProvider } from "react-native-safe-area-context";
+import messaging from "@react-native-firebase/messaging";
+import notifee, { AndroidImportance } from "@notifee/react-native";
 
 import SubscribedFeed from "@/screens/SubscribedFeed";
 import AllFeed from "@/screens/AllFeed";
 import Profile from "@/screens/Profile";
-import {enableScreens} from "react-native-screens";
-import {SafeAreaProvider} from "react-native-safe-area-context";
 import AuthGate from "@/screens/AuthGate";
-import {AuthProvider, useAuth} from "@/context/AuthContext";
-import messaging, {setBackgroundMessageHandler} from "@react-native-firebase/messaging";
-
+import { AuthProvider, useAuth } from "@/context/AuthContext";
 import { useUpdatecheck } from "./hooks/useUpdatecheck";
-import { UpdatePrompt } from './components/UpdatePrompt';
+import { UpdatePrompt } from "./components/UpdatePrompt";
 import { usePushNotifications } from "./hooks/usePushNotifications";
 
-messaging().setBackgroundMessageHandler(async () => {});
+// Handles data-only FCM messages when the app is in the background or closed.
+messaging().setBackgroundMessageHandler(async remoteMessage => {
+    const title = remoteMessage.data?.title as string | undefined;
+    const body  = remoteMessage.data?.body  as string | undefined;
+
+    if (!title && !body) return;
+
+    const channelId = await notifee.createChannel({
+        id:         "default",
+        name:       "General",
+        importance: AndroidImportance.HIGH,
+    });
+
+    await notifee.displayNotification({
+        title,
+        body,
+        android: {
+            channelId,
+            pressAction: { id: "default" },
+        },
+    });
+});
+
 // Must be called before any navigator renders
 enableScreens();
 
+
 const Tab = createBottomTabNavigator();
 
 const LIGHT_TAB = {
-    bg:         "#FFFFFF",
-    border:     "#E8E2D5",
-    active:     "#C4622D",
-    inactive:   "#8A8278",
-    label:      "#1A1714",
-};
-const DARK_TAB = {
-    bg:         "#161513",
-    border:     "#2C2A27",
-    active:     "#E07B45",
-    inactive:   "#706D67",
-    label:      "#F0EDE8",
+    bg:       "#FFFFFF",
+    border:   "#E8E2D5",
+    active:   "#C4622D",
+    inactive: "#8A8278",
+    label:    "#1A1714",
 };
 
+const DARK_TAB = {
+    bg:       "#161513",
+    border:   "#2C2A27",
+    active:   "#E07B45",
+    inactive: "#706D67",
+    label:    "#F0EDE8",
+};
 
 function ProfileTab() {
     const { user, loading } = useAuth();
@@ -56,13 +79,12 @@ export default function App() {
     const tab = dark ? DARK_TAB : LIGHT_TAB;
 
     const navTheme = dark
-        ? { ...DarkTheme, colors: { ...DarkTheme.colors, background: "#0E0D0C" } }
+        ? { ...DarkTheme,   colors: { ...DarkTheme.colors,   background: "#0E0D0C" } }
         : { ...DefaultTheme, colors: { ...DefaultTheme.colors, background: "#FDFAF5" } };
 
     const { updateInfo } = useUpdatecheck();
     const [updateDismissed, setUpdateDismissed] = useState(false);
 
-
     usePushNotifications();
 
     return (
@@ -75,19 +97,19 @@ export default function App() {
 
                             tabBarStyle: {
                                 backgroundColor: tab.bg,
-                                borderTopColor: tab.border,
-                                borderTopWidth: 1,
-                                height: 60,
-                                paddingBottom: 8,
-                                paddingTop: 6,
+                                borderTopColor:  tab.border,
+                                borderTopWidth:  1,
+                                height:          60,
+                                paddingBottom:   8,
+                                paddingTop:      6,
                             },
 
                             tabBarActiveTintColor:   tab.active,
                             tabBarInactiveTintColor: tab.inactive,
 
                             tabBarLabelStyle: {
-                                fontSize: 10,
-                                fontWeight: "600",
+                                fontSize:      10,
+                                fontWeight:    "600",
                                 letterSpacing: 0.3,
                             },
 
@@ -96,9 +118,9 @@ export default function App() {
                                     string,
                                     { active: keyof typeof Ionicons.glyphMap; inactive: keyof typeof Ionicons.glyphMap }
                                 > = {
-                                    "Subscribed":  { active: "bookmark",         inactive: "bookmark-outline" },
-                                    "Discover":    { active: "compass",          inactive: "compass-outline" },
-                                    "Profile":     { active: "person-circle",    inactive: "person-circle-outline" },
+                                    "Subscribed": { active: "bookmark",      inactive: "bookmark-outline"      },
+                                    "Discover":   { active: "compass",       inactive: "compass-outline"       },
+                                    "Profile":    { active: "person-circle", inactive: "person-circle-outline" },
                                 };
                                 const set = icons[route.name];
 
@@ -130,7 +152,7 @@ export default function App() {
                     </Tab.Navigator>
                 </NavigationContainer>
 
-                {/* Overlays the entire app, including the nav bar */}
+                {/* Overlays the entire app including the tab bar */}
                 {updateInfo && !updateDismissed && (
                     <UpdatePrompt
                         updateInfo={updateInfo}
@@ -141,4 +163,4 @@ export default function App() {
             </SafeAreaProvider>
         </AuthProvider>
     );
-}
+}
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