Not receiving reminder notifications on Apple Watch SE

Question

Not receiving reminder notifications on Apple Watch SE

I have an Apple Watch SE (with cellular + GPS) on a family plan in which the watch was set up using my wife's iPhone. In January, the watch stopped giving Reminder notifications - in fact, the Notifications setting on the watch (Settings >Notifications) no longer even lists Reminders as an option, and on my wife's iPhone, when I open the watch app to for my watch Notifications doesn't exist (although Notifications is available on the app for my wife's watch). I called tech support (un-paired and re-paired with phone), went to the genius bar for diagnostics, and even had the watch shipped to Apple in California for evaluation. It remains unable to find/turn on/create Reminder notifications.

I believe this is tied to the latest watch OS update.

How many millions of others are experiencing this?

Apple Watch SE

Posted on Feb 27, 2023 10:59 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LD150

Level 10

89,929 points

Feb 28, 2023 11:46 AM in response to Apple_Watch_SE_in_Washington

As it started in January, and all the other notification are there, although I am reluctant to use the word, it is looking very much like a bug in that update.

Continue with Apple Support!

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

89,929 points

Feb 27, 2023 1:21 PM in response to Apple_Watch_SE_in_Washington

Have not seen this so I suspect not many, if any.

Have you erased then Watch then pair again as a new device? (Any offer of restoring backup to be ignored)

i.e.

Sign into your apple account in https://icloud.com/find

and erase then remove the Watch in the devices list.

Then set up again exactly as in

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

as a new watch, no backup restore.

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Answer 3

LD150

Level 10

89,929 points

Feb 28, 2023 12:53 AM in response to Apple_Watch_SE_in_Washington

Lets go outside the box a little.

Do you have your own calendar entries, and do you get haptics and sounds for them or are they also not notifying you?
Do all the reminders and calendar entries have times as well as dates?
Do any other notifications give you haptics and a sound? eg email, noise, banks, heart rate, workouts?
If you drag down the screen are there any unread reminder notifications in there?

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Answer 4

Feb 28, 2023 11:12 AM in response to LD150

When the watch was first set up through the family setup option, notifications options on the watch itself had a full list of apps that could be turned on or off for notifications (in addition to the four items you list). I think this was because I would not have an iPhone to go into the watch app and set up notifications as someone would not using the family setup (eg, having an iPhone AND a watch).

For example, when I go into Settings>Notifications on the watch itself, I see:

Notifications

Notifications indicator
Show summary when locked
Tap to show full notifications

Activity
Calendar
Find My
Heart Rate
Home (pod thing)
Messages
Noise
Phone
Tips
Wallet

Government Alerts

Amber Alerts
Emergency Alerts
Public Safety Alerts

Each of these can be tapped to turn notifications On / Off / Send to Notification Center. Some, like Messages, provide additional options such as to notify by sound or haptic (this is in addition to the options under the general Sounds & Haptics setting).

Reminders used to be included in the list with Activity, Calendar, etc.

I get notifications for Messages, Mail and other apps listed and turned on, but no option listed for Reminders.

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Answer 5

Feb 27, 2023 2:06 PM in response to LD150

Thank you for the reply. Following the full erase and reinstallation at the California plant I followed Apple's instructions, the first of which was to set it up as a new watch with no backup. Unfortunately, it still had no ability to turn on Notifications for Reminders.

I then went with Apple's second instruction and started anew (factory reset) this time to include a backup. Same inability to turn on Notifications for Reminders.

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Answer 6

LD150

Level 10

89,929 points

Feb 27, 2023 2:31 PM in response to Apple_Watch_SE_in_Washington

I am aware and nervous that you have already been to the support groups that we usually send you to!

If you press digital criwn, is there a Reminders app installed?

The erase then set up as new should have reinstated it as far as I know, but then Reminders cannot normally be erased.

Just in case, on App Store app on the watch search for Reminders and see if it says OPEN or if there is a download cloud.

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Answer 7

Feb 27, 2023 2:34 PM in response to Apple_Watch_SE_in_Washington

I deleted the Reminders app and reinstalled it from the App store (it had a download cloud icon). Opened the Reminder app, then Notifications, but still nothing. (Also turned watch off and back on to see if Notifications would pick up Reminders being in place, but no joy.

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Answer 8

Feb 27, 2023 9:49 PM in response to LD150

Good morning and thank you for the continued assistance. The Reminders are mine (not the wife's) and I can see them when I open the Reminder app on the watch (where I also create them, usually via Siri with a time and day to remind me). But I don't get the haptic alert when the reminder is to 'alert' me, nor does the red notification dot appear on the watch face, although it's turned on to do so.

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