Phone call notifications and text notifications simultaneously on watch and phone

I “get” my messages but that’s not the problem. The problem is that I don’t “hear” that I got them. In other words there is no “sound” from my phone to tell me that I got mail or a text. I did not have this problem before I started using my watch. Any suggestions?

No, what SHOULD happen is

• a phone call will ring on both the watch and phone
• a text message alert will sound on both the watch and the phone, unless the ringer is silenced on the phone, in which case it would only appear on the watch
• a text message will alert on the phone if it is unlocked, as well as on the watch. locked/unlocked status SHOULD have NOTHING to do with it!
• better yet, allow the USER to customize these options to suit their needs!!

Samsung watch > phone connection is so much more seamless. I just switched to iPhone & the Watch... & I'm regretting it with every ounce of my being. This setting (& lack of user adaptability) is ludicrous. On Samsung, you HAVE THE OPTION to select where & how you receive notifications... you can even select haptic only on the watch & audible on the phone. Complete user control... practically THE DEFINITION of tech & wearables! I'm realizing I potentially wasted $500+ on a watch that doesn't perform.

To TJDavids…..please look at my post, gunsmokebob for the answer…. Both the watch and my iPhone notify me.

In my case I don’t seem to be getting the sound notifications on my watch. I totally get and appreciate the aggravation of the double notice but my watch is not “sounding” the notice. I’ve tried all the things that are supposed to make it work consistently.

CORRECT! I want to use my watch to track sleep but I also want to HEAR text sounds from elderly parents that come in while I'm not using phone. I do NOT feel vibration on my watch when sleeping. THIS IS AN ISSUE APPLE

Until this is fixed I will be turning my watch OFF while I sleep to be sure I HEAR messages come in over night.

I don’t understand why this is not a user set up. When I ride my motorcycle or if I’m in my car with Bluetooth, I am not notified of a text message if this is turned in my watch. So I have to keep it off and therefore can only get messages on my phone or other Bluetooth devices but cannot get them to my watch. This is ridiculous and needs to be fixed!

Agree! Please let me decide if I want them on both devices.

For what it’s worth I think that is the dumbest thing ever! I’m guessing there’s must be some technical reason for it but, in the very least, it should definitely be an option for the user to decide on and I’m sure I’m not the first person to say that!

Is there a chance it will be available sometime soon?

While it’s the “as designed” state, that doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t be a useful feature to be able to have simultaneous notifications on each.

I’ve missed notifications frequently due to the consistent but not always useful (to me) application of this rule.

On iPhone, go to Watch app first, then select My Watch at bottom, then scroll to and select Messages. Mirror phone would only very briefly vibrate my watch, barely noticable. I changed setting to Custom, then set the checkmark On for Notification Center and Alerts set On for both sound and haptic. Then my iphone would do a notification sound as expected. Sometimes I think Apple IOS designers are left brained, especially when I cannot tap a place in a text box to put the cursor there. They decided to put the cursor at the beginning of the word forcing you to hold your finger down and drag the cursor which is just wasteing your time.

Bawy76 wrote:

Ever since I started using my watch my iPhone stopped sounding incoming mail and text messages. I’ve got Mirror on as well as notifications. Is there something else I can try?

No, your notifications are working as designed. Read the Apple Recommended response just below the original post, where this link is attached --> Notifications on your Apple Watch – Apple Support (UK)

In that link it's noted that notifications come to your Apple Watch OR your iPhone, but NOT to both. If your iPhone screen is open (meaning you are using it), notifications will come to your phone. If your iPhone screen is locked (you're not using your iPhone), notifications will come to your watch. This is by design and there is no setting to defeat this.

In addition to what Carol B said, phone calls usually do come to the watch and phone at the same time. On your Apple Watch App on your iPhone, make sure you have Mirror your iPhone turned on for Phone Calls. But text notifications do NOT. And that is by design. If your iPhone screen is active, meaning you are using your phone, a text notifications will come to your phone. If you phone screen off (phone not in use) and you are wearing your watch, the notification will come to your watch, not your iPhone. Again, this is totally by design and exactly as Apple designed notifications to work. The rule is notifications will come to your iPhone or your Apple Watch, but NOT to both.

Read this link about Notifications on Apple Watch --> Notifications on your Apple Watch – Apple Support (UK)

After weeks of missed phone calls because my iPhone wouldn't ring when wearing my watch (powered the watch off so my iPhone would ring) and Googling but not finding a solution, I logged into ChatGPT and asked for a solution. Here's what worked for me:

When wearing my Apple Watch, my iPhone will not ring when someone calls me. Would like the iPhone and the watch to ring so I don't miss any calls, is this possible?

Yes, it is possible to have both your iPhone and Apple Watch ring when someone calls you. This way, you won't miss any calls whether you're wearing your watch or not. Here's how you can set this up:

1. On your iPhone:
2. a. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.
3. b. Scroll down and tap on "Bluetooth."
4. c. Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on.
5. On your Apple Watch:
6. a. On your Apple Watch, swipe up from the watch face to access the Control Center.
7. b. Ensure that the "Do Not Disturb" icon (a moon symbol) is not activated. If it's active, tap it to turn it off.
8. On your iPhone:
9. a. Go back to the main "Settings" app on your iPhone.
10. b. Scroll down and tap on "Sounds & Haptics."
11. c. Under the "Sounds and Vibration Patterns" section, you will see "Ringtone" and "Vibrate on Ring." Make sure both of these settings are enabled.
12. On your iPhone:
13. a. Go to the "Settings" app.
14. b. Scroll down and tap on "Phone."
15. c. Under the "Calls" section, make sure that "Silence Unknown Callers" is turned off. This ensures that your iPhone will ring for all incoming calls, even if the caller is not in your contacts.

By following these steps, you should have your iPhone and Apple Watch both ring when you receive a call. If you continue to experience issues with this setup, you may want to ensure that your iPhone and Apple Watch are running the latest software updates, as Apple often releases updates that can improve device compatibility and functionality.

What should happen:

• A phone call will ring on both the watch and phone
• A text message will alert only on the watch, if it is being worn and has wrist detection enabled and the phone is locked
• A text message will alert on the phone if it is unlocked