diff --git a/app/_layout.tsx b/app/_layout.tsx
index c58362e..c12d147 100644
--- a/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { NAV_THEME } from "~/lib/constants";
 import { isBiometricSupported } from "~/lib/isBiometricSupported";
 import { useAppStore } from "~/lib/state/appStore";
 import { useColorScheme } from "~/lib/useColorScheme";
+import { registerForPushNotificationsAsync } from "~/services/Notifications";
 
 const LIGHT_THEME: Theme = {
   ...DefaultTheme,
@@ -68,6 +69,15 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
     }
   }
 
+  async function checkAndPromptForNotifications() {
+    const isEnabled = useAppStore.getState().isNotificationsEnabled;
+    // prompt the user to enable notifications on first open
+    if (isEnabled === null) {
+      const enabled = await registerForPushNotificationsAsync();
+      useAppStore.getState().setNotificationsEnabled(enabled);
+    }
+  }
+
   const loadTheme = React.useCallback((): Promise<void> => {
     return new Promise((resolve) => {
       const theme = useAppStore.getState().theme;
@@ -86,6 +96,7 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
         await Promise.all([loadTheme(), loadFonts(), checkBiometricStatus()]);
       } finally {
         setResourcesLoaded(true);
+        await checkAndPromptForNotifications();
         SplashScreen.hide();
       }
     };
diff --git a/lib/state/appStore.ts b/lib/state/appStore.ts
index 147d29b..801440a 100644
--- a/lib/state/appStore.ts
+++ b/lib/state/appStore.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ interface AppState {
   readonly wallets: Wallet[];
   readonly addressBookEntries: AddressBookEntry[];
   readonly isSecurityEnabled: boolean;
-  readonly isNotificationsEnabled: boolean;
+  readonly isNotificationsEnabled: boolean | null;
   readonly isOnboarded: boolean;
   readonly expoPushToken: string;
   readonly theme?: Theme;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ interface AppState {
   setFiatCurrency(fiatCurrency: string): void;
   setSelectedWalletId(walletId: number): void;
   setSecurityEnabled(securityEnabled: boolean): void;
-  setNotificationsEnabled(notificationsEnabled: boolean): void;
+  setNotificationsEnabled(notificationsEnabled: boolean | null): void;
   addWallet(wallet: Wallet): void;
   addAddressBookEntry(entry: AddressBookEntry): void;
   removeAddressBookEntry: (index: number) => void;
@@ -196,8 +196,9 @@ export const useAppStore = create<AppState>()((set, get) => {
     nwcClient: getNWCClient(initialSelectedWalletId),
     fiatCurrency: secureStorage.getItem(fiatCurrencyKey) || "",
     isSecurityEnabled,
-    isNotificationsEnabled:
-      secureStorage.getItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey) === "true",
+    isNotificationsEnabled: secureStorage.getItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey)
+      ? secureStorage.getItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey) === "true"
+      : null,
     theme,
     balanceDisplayMode,
     isOnboarded: secureStorage.getItem(hasOnboardedKey) === "true",
@@ -239,7 +240,11 @@ export const useAppStore = create<AppState>()((set, get) => {
       });
     },
     setNotificationsEnabled: (isEnabled) => {
-      secureStorage.setItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey, isEnabled.toString());
+      if (isEnabled === null) {
+        secureStorage.removeItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey);
+      } else {
+        secureStorage.setItem(isNotificationsEnabledKey, isEnabled.toString());
+      }
       set({
         isNotificationsEnabled: isEnabled,
       });
diff --git a/pages/settings/Notifications.tsx b/pages/settings/Notifications.tsx
index 60ac6ff..9d3bfab 100644
--- a/pages/settings/Notifications.tsx
+++ b/pages/settings/Notifications.tsx
@@ -22,11 +22,12 @@ export function Notifications() {
           </Label>
           <Switch
             disabled={isLoading}
-            checked={isEnabled}
+            checked={!!isEnabled}
             onCheckedChange={async (checked) => {
               setLoading(true);
-              if (checked) {
-                checked = await registerForPushNotificationsAsync();
+              let enabled: boolean | null = checked;
+              if (enabled) {
+                enabled = await registerForPushNotificationsAsync();
               } else {
                 const wallets = useAppStore.getState().wallets;
                 for (const wallet of wallets) {
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ export function Notifications() {
                 await removeAllInfo();
                 useAppStore.getState().setExpoPushToken("");
               }
-              useAppStore.getState().setNotificationsEnabled(checked);
+              useAppStore.getState().setNotificationsEnabled(enabled);
               setLoading(false);
             }}
             nativeID="security"
diff --git a/services/Notifications.ts b/services/Notifications.ts
index d9ab39f..74355af 100644
--- a/services/Notifications.ts
+++ b/services/Notifications.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import { errorToast } from "~/lib/errorToast";
 import { registerWalletNotifications } from "~/lib/notifications";
 import { useAppStore } from "~/lib/state/appStore";
 
-export async function registerForPushNotificationsAsync(): Promise<boolean> {
+export async function registerForPushNotificationsAsync(): Promise<
+  boolean | null
+> {
   if (Platform.OS === "android") {
     ExpoNotifications.setNotificationChannelAsync("default", {
       name: "default",
@@ -27,12 +29,13 @@ export async function registerForPushNotificationsAsync(): Promise<boolean> {
       const { status } = await ExpoNotifications.requestPermissionsAsync();
       finalStatus = status;
     }
-    if (finalStatus !== "granted") {
-      errorToast(
-        new Error(
-          "Permission not granted to get push token for push notification",
-        ),
-      );
+    if (finalStatus === "undetermined") {
+      return null;
+    }
+    if (finalStatus === "denied") {
+      if (existingStatus === "denied") {
+        errorToast(new Error("Enable app notifications in device settings"));
+      }
       return false;
     }
     const projectId =