Apple Watch not alerting when iPhone exceeds bluetooth range

Question

Apple Watch not alerting when iPhone exceeds bluetooth range

Hello!

I have an Apple Watch Series 5 and a critically important feature for me is “notify when left behind” should I forget my iPhone 13 Pro somewhere. I did so just yesterday forgetting it in a city park (luckily found a half hour later miraculously untouched). According to the "Find My" documentation, I should hear an audible notification on my watch but I don’t, all I get is a silent red small icon @ 12 o clock position which I missed yesterday until too late.

Last time this problem was posted, an Apple tech answered it as if the users iphone was available to find a different lost apple device. I need this to prevent my iPhone getting left behind when the Apple watch is on my wrist. IE, I need my Apple watch to BEEP and/or vibrate while wearing outside the BlueTooth range of my iPhone, not vise-versa.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Feb 18, 2023 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

AnimatronicBear Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 24, 2023 9:39 AM in response to Rob_H1

Hi Rob!

Thanks for the reply but I seem to be having trouble being understood here. That function you describe above assumes a device other than the iPhone is left behind and you still have the iPhone to search for that lost non-phone device. This is not my dilemma. What happens when the IPhone itself is left behind while one is wearing the Apple Watch. I had assumed (perhaps wrongly) my Apple Watch was capable of Ring or Vibrate to notify me that I accidentally left my iPhone behind. It seems like this should be easy- Apple Watch senses it has lost the BT connection to the iPhone so it vibrates or chimes to alert the wearer of accidentally forgetting the phone BEFORE one gets too far away and it is then stolen or lost forever.

Does that make better sense now?

Thanks!

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Answer 2

Feb 19, 2023 7:18 PM in response to WinsC1

Hi!

Alerts are working- I both hear and feel them on the apple watch. The watch is never set to DND, and the watch volume is loud and I hear it easily.

Watch does not alert me when leaving iphones' BT signal reach.

MB

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Answer 3

Feb 24, 2023 12:09 PM in response to bailier

I will contact Apple Support, TY!

Curiously, I visited the closest Apple store this morning and was told I needed to buy LTE service for my Apple Watch in order to do this...

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Answer 4

WinsC1

Community Specialist

Feb 19, 2023 6:53 PM in response to AnimatronicBear

Hey AnimatronicBear,

We'd recommend checking to ensure your Apple Watch volume and notification settings are enabled to allow audio notifications and that Do Not Disturb is not enabled. You can find more information on that here: Change the audio and notification settings on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

"How to turn on Do Not Disturb on your Apple Watch

Touch and hold the bottom of the watch face. Wait for Control Center to show, then swipe up.
Tap the Do Not Disturb button , then choose an option. You can manually turn off Do Not Disturb or set it for a period of time, so it automatically turns off.

Do Not Disturb keeps calls and alerts (except for alarms) from sounding or lighting up the screen. When enabled, the Do Not Disturb icon appears at the top of the screen."

Thanks!

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Answer 5

Rob_H1

Community Specialist

Feb 20, 2023 12:53 PM in response to AnimatronicBear

Thank you for the reply AnimatronicBear!

You do have the option to 'Play a Sound' as shown under the "Set up Notify When Left Behind" section here:

Set up and use Notify When Left Behind in the Find My app

If there is a feature or setting you do not see that you wish to have in future updates, you can submit feedback here:

Product Feedback

Cheers!

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Answer 6

bailier

Community Specialist

Feb 24, 2023 11:46 AM in response to AnimatronicBear

Hi AnimatronicBear,

Your Apple Watch should vibrate or produce an audible alert when your iPhone is left behind as long as you've done the following on your iOS device:

1.) Open Find My

2.) Tap Devices

3.) Tap "Notify When Left Behind"

You can read more here: Set separation alerts in case you leave a device behind in Find My on iPhone - Apple Support

If you're still not receiving an audible or vibration alert after checking your Settings, contact Apple Support. They'll be able to look into this with you further.

Take care.

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Apple Watch not alerting when iPhone exceeds bluetooth range

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