Phone call notifications and text notifications simultaneously on watch and phone

What year will I be able to get notifications of a phone call or text coming in on my watch and on my phone at the same time like I get with an alarm? Or timer?

Apple Watch SE, watchOS 9

Posted on May 31, 2023 11:53 AM

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Posted on Dec 3, 2023 12:28 PM

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!!
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Dec 3, 2023 12:28 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

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!!

Nov 28, 2023 9:11 PM in response to Bawy76

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.

May 31, 2023 12:04 PM in response to Turbo8888

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)


Aug 26, 2023 5:03 PM in response to Bawy76

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.

Aug 27, 2023 8:55 AM in response to Bawy76

You're certainly entitled to your opinion. Me personally? I like it. I don't need my watch and my phone to make a sound at the same time. And I know people around me appreciate it. In fact, since I only use Haptics on my watch, no one near me hears anything, yet I'm notified just fine.


Whether Apple will change this in the future, I doubt it. It's been this way since the dawn of Apple Watch. But you are more than welcome to share your thoughts with Apple (this is after all a user to user only forum, which Apple doesn't participate in) by sharing your thoughts here --> Feedback - Watch - Apple


Note: I provided the link for Apple Watch feedback as this an issue about Apple Watch, not really about iPhone.

Aug 27, 2023 8:59 AM in response to Bawy76

It is not a technical reason; it is to avoid annoyance. If you got alerts on both devices, the forum would be flooded with posts complaining about “why do I have to be notified twice of every text and email. So annoying; what was Apple thinking?"


You can tell Apple you think it should work differently. The best place to suggest something to Apple is here→Product Feedback - Apple. But it’s worked this way since the first Apple watch, and there have been very few complaints about it here in ASC.


BTW, I get alerts on both my Watch and my iPad. I hate it when that happens.

Oct 15, 2023 2:15 PM in response to Turbo8888

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.


May 31, 2023 11:58 AM in response to Turbo8888

We are not fortune tellers in this user to user, community forum 😉 so cannot predict a year. But I can tell you why the delay occurs.


The phone calls and messages arrive at your iPhone first. The the iPhone sends them over to the watch. Hence, a slight delay. The same thing happens to me if I set an alarm or timer on my iPhone. Slight delay.


But if I set the alarm or timer on my watch, then the watch responds immediately. Hope this helps.


May 31, 2023 1:39 PM in response to Carol B.

I’m sorry, yes the phone And watch will ring if I get a phone call. but if I get a text, I only get it on my phone not my watch same with an email.


I had an appointment at the Apple Store with the service guy and he said that was the way it is for emails and texts. If I set the other configuration to mirror, then I get notification on my watch, but not my phone for a text or email.

I do understand the reason for the delay that you’re talking about for the timer or call and where it gets priority from.

Aug 27, 2023 6:32 AM in response to Bawy76

If the iPhone screen is dark (not on) while you are wearing your Apple Watch, you won't get a notification sound on your iPhone. You get the notification sound or tap from Haptics on your watch. Yes, the notification will appear on your phone. But the sound alert won't happen on your iPhone. This is by design as was detailed in the Notifications link I provided above.


I don't have alert sounds on my watch as I have set it up so that when I'm wearing my watch and my iPhone screen is dark, I get a haptic tap to my wrist. And I have the haptic tap set as Prominent and you can turn that haptic tap to be quite strong, so you can't possibly miss that a notification is available and can be seen on your watch.

Phone call notifications and text notifications simultaneously on watch and phone

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