why cant i get notifications on my apple watch when its locked?

Hi

How notifications behave depends on the status of your devices and your settings. With Wrist Detection enabled, in order to bring notifications to your attention as soon as possible:

• If your iPhone is unlocked, you will receive notifications on your iPhone instead of on your watch.
• If your iPhone is locked or asleep and your watch is unlocked (regardless of whether the watch screen is asleep or awake) and on your wrist, you will receive notifications on your watch.
• If your watch is locked or has Do Not Disturb enabled, notifications will go to your iPhone.

More information:

Notifications on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If your Apple Watch is not delivering notification alerts as expected, the following steps may help:

On your iPhone in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > General > Wrist Detection - turn this on.

• Note that Wrist Detection can be affected by temporary or permanent skin changes, such as by some wrist tattoos.

If Passcode is enabled, check that you are unlocking your watch each day after placing it on your wrist and that you are wearing your watch sufficiently snugly (your watch may otherwise believe that it has been removed from your wrist).

In respect of Messages:

• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Messages:
  • Perhaps choose Custom and check - under Alerts - that Show Alerts, Sound and Haptic are each enabled.

In respect of Facebook:

• On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Notifications > Facebook > check that Allow Notifications is enabled and that Show in Notification Centre is also turned on.
• On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Notifications > scroll down to Facebook - check that the setting is turned on.
• More information: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook/id284882215?mt=8

Check that Theatre Mode is not enabled on your Apple Watch:

• When viewing the time on your watch, swipe up to open Control Centre.
• Tap the Theatre Mode button to toggle the setting on / off.
• https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apddfca28d21

Check that Do Not Disturb mode is not enabled on your watch:

• When viewing the time on your watch, swipe up to open Control Centre.
• Tap the Do Not Disturb button (crescent moon icon) to toggle the setting on / off.

On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch > Sounds & Haptics:

• Check that the Alert Volume is towards the centre or right hand side;
• Check that Silent Mode is not enabled;
• Check that Haptic Strength is set to the middle or far right hand side of the slider.

Confirm directly on your Apple Watch that Silent Mode is not enabled:

• When viewing the time on your watch: swipe up on the screen to open Control Centre > check whether Silent Mode (button with a crossed out bell icon) is enabled.

If the issue persists, the following further steps may help:

Close the Watch app and restart both your iPhone and your Apple Watch:

• On your iPhone: double-click the Home button, then swipe up on the Watch app preview.
• Turn both devices off together, then restart your iPhone first:
  • Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • Restart your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Unpair and re-pair your watch:

• The Watch app on your iPhone takes a backup of your watch automatically when unpairing via the app. Choose to Restore from Backup during set up. Most data and settings will be restored, with some exceptions (eg Apple Pay cards, passcode).
• Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support
• Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

See this support document explaining notifications on the Apple Watch. Notifications on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

If you have Wrist Detection off and the Apple Watch is locked, you will not receive notifications on the Apple Watch.

You should also check the settings on your Apple Watch. When your Apple Watch locks or you turn on Do Not Disturb, your notifications go to your iPhone.

• When your Apple Watch is locked, appears on the watch face. If your Apple Watch has a passcode, it locks automatically when you aren't wearing it, when it loses contact with your skin, or while it's charging.
• When Do Not Disturb is on, appears on the watch face. To turn this feature on or off, swipe up on the watch face, then tap .

That is correct.