Apple Watch SE Message Notification Replies as SMS

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Level 1

8 points

Apple Watch SE Message Notification Replies as SMS

When a new message comes in and I look at my watch, the pop up notification lets me reply to the message. However, the option to reply there is SMS. If I click the notification, it takes me to the Messages app, and then I can reply in the app with iMessage.

Why is the quick reply from the notification an SMS reply and not iMessage? Is there a way to force the notification reply to be iMessage instead of SMS?

This is happening only on the Apple Watch SE model. On the Apple Watch Series 8, the notification quick reply is always iMessage. How can I make the SE model do the same iMessage reply?

Thanks in advance.

Apple Watch SE

Posted on Jan 24, 2023 9:15 PM

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Answer 1

lancerev08 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 25, 2023 4:49 AM in response to LD150

Yes, it is signed in.

Another thing is that the SE is the cellular version. Could that be the reason? The cellular version defaults to SMS on the notification reply?

One interesting thing is that I just updated the OS to 9.3. After the watch rebooted, notification reply had iMessage replies for a few minutes. It seemed like 9.3 solved the issue. But after a few minutes, it went back to SMS. I tried and power cycle the watch again, but it is still SMS.

FYI, this is a new watch. Just bought it on Monday.

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

90,113 points

Jan 25, 2023 5:18 AM in response to lancerev08

In your iphone try this

Settings, Messages, Turn off iMessage

Settings, Face Time, Turn off Face Time

Restart the phone.

Settings, Messages, Turn on iMessage, SMS, MMS

Settings, Messages, send & Receive, Start new conversations from, select your apple ID which should be there.

Settings, Face Time, Turn on Face Time

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Answer 3

lancerev08 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 26, 2023 8:21 PM in response to lancerev08

Nevermind, that was short lived. I only replied with iMessage for a short period of time, then reverted back to SMS again.

This watch was set up on my iPhone, but for a family member. So it's not technically sync'd to my phone. Therefore, I can't do those steps you suggested because it's a different Apple ID than my phone. And I have my own Apple Watch sync'd to my phone which always replies with iMessage.

It's just this family member's watch which is the cellular version that want to reply with SMS in the pop up notification, but replies with iMessage in the messages app.

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