Watch not vibrating when messages are received

Hello rastheimer,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you're having trouble with notifications when messages are received. We are happy to share information that may help.

First, on your iPhone, check under the My Watch tab, and tap Sounds & Haptics. Check there to see if you have Haptic alerts enabled. You can find more information here: Change the audio and notification settings on your Apple Watch

Also, if your settings are correct, restart your Apple Watch: How to restart your Apple Watch.

Finally, check for any updates available for your Apple Watch: Update your Apple Watch.

If you're still having trouble with this, please reply with the following details:

-Has this ever worked as expected?

-Are you only experiencing the missing haptic alert with Messages, or is this happening with all notifications?

Take care.

Hello rastheimer,

Thank you for providing the additional details.

Check out the "Where you’ll see your notifications" section of this article: Notifications on your Apple Watch. If your iPhone is unlocked, you'll receive the notification on your iPhone, rather than your Apple Watch.

I hope that helps.

Take care.