Screenshots from Apple Watch Ultra 2 not appearing in iPhone 16 Pro Max Photo app

I had to force restart both devices, then open the Photos App and wait a couple of seconds, then the screenshots I took were synced.

However, this is not a permanent solution, so you should also let Apple know directly about this issue by using the Feedback link.

Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

To force restart your watch, press and hold the Digital Crown and the Side button together for about 10sec, until the Apple logo comes back again.

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

It is fixed in the Watch OS 11.3 update from this morning.

For myself all the screenshots I tried to capture since the bug started all showed up in my photo app this morning as well.

watchOS 11.3 and iOS 18.3 fixed this screenshot issue for me. 🙂

update to OS11.3

Same as it originally was.

take a screenshot on my Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the screenshot does not appear on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, unless I power cycle both devices.

I use screenshots very regularly, and this is irksome.

So, syncing no longer works without power cycling both devices.

There was a brief period where it synced properly.

Andrew_C5 wrote:

Yeah right…

Apple doesn’t care anymore about user requests.

so why did they fix the bug in 11.3?

You are welcome to join the public beta program to help us find these bugs before release. It's free and fun.

I wish that was the case for me.

I just did another test, screenshot on my Apple Watch Ultra 2, it registers with haptics and a screen flash.

Check my iPhone 15 Pro Max, nothing.

Power cycle both devices, nothing.

Toggle syncing and toggle enabling screenshots, on and off, to no avail.

iOS 18.3 watchOS 11.3

The same on iPhone 13! Support told me today: happens to only a few users.

Should be fixed with next update.

This entire thread is about one single issue.

Syncing photos from an Apple Watch to an iPhone.

Previously this action worked, then stopped working, then an update to fix the issue, and then the issue returned.

Succinct enough for you?

Musical_Genius wrote:

This entire thread is about one single issue.

Syncing photos from an Apple Watch to an iPhone.

Previously this action worked, then stopped working, then an update to fix the issue, and then the issue returned.

Succinct enough for you?

The original post was about screenshots syncing from the Apple Watch to the phone, not all photos syncing. Thread drift is a very common issue here so it's well within the realm of possibility that you meant something else. When someone who is volunteering their time to try to help you asks a clarifying questions, answering it politely is the proper thing to do. You're far more likely to get help that way.

Clear enough?

This is what I have to do, almost every single time I take a screenshot on my watch.

My iPhone 15 Pro Max used to sync the new photo within a second.

Yeah right…

Apple doesn’t care anymore about user requests.

exactly!