Not getting texts on my Apple Watch

[eyecrispy]

I've noticed recently that I'm missing text messages pretty consistently. SMS and MMS more often than iMessage. It is infuriating. Last night while I was getting ready for bed, I missed 4-5 group texts. I was right next to my phone and was not using it. My watch did not buzz a single time. I've also missed several more at random throughout this week. If i reboot, it seems to take care of things for awhile but not always. Over the weekend, I had to wipe my AW bc nothing else worked.

I'm on iOS 10.1 and watchOS 3. I just saw watchOS 3.1 is out so hoping that takes care of it. Grrrrrrr.

 

[olearydan]

I've had this issue as well but usually in an area of poor cell reception, which I'm guessing isn't the case in your home. One suggestion has been to change the Notification settings on your Watch App from "Mirror my iPhone" to "Custom", then make sure all options are turned on. Here is a link that explains it as well. Fix Apple Watch Not Receiving Messages Issue Once And For All

 

[eyecrispy]

I've had this issue as well but usually in an area of poor cell reception, which I'm guessing isn't the case in your home. One suggestion has been to change the Notification settings on your Watch App from "Mirror my iPhone" to "Custom", then make sure all options are turned on. Here is a link that explains it as well. Fix Apple Watch Not Receiving Messages Issue Once And For All

Thanks. Unfortunately, I've tried that.

 

[anon(153966)]

...to confirm, when the messages were coming through, was the screen on your iPhone off? If not, I don't believe the notification will be prompted on the watch. In fact, I'm positive!

 

[eyecrispy]

...to confirm, when the messages were coming through, was the screen on your iPhone off? If not, I don't believe the notification will be prompted on the watch. In fact, I'm positive!

Yes, phone screen was off. I've even explicitly tested. What I've noticed is that iMessages come through most consistently. SMS from single source are hit or miss. Group messages never come through (unless they're group iMessages). Really annoying. I didn't change my settings or anything.

 

[mumfoau]

Interesting. I've got a situation where a group text message is set to DND yet still comes through and notifies me on my watch with each new message. It is quite the annoyance.

 

[eyecrispy]

Yea. I'm having all sorts of issues now. Both with my original AW and my nike+ AW, which is literally brand new. I even set it up as new to be sure it wasn't some anomaly in my backup.

I can't even get my iMessages consistently any longer. I used to have silent mode turned on. Turned it off and still nothing. I don't know what it is. Now I'm wondering if it's interference with my Fitbit? Does anyone use a Fitbit along with their AW?

I'm seriously out of ideas. I have a scheduled call with Apple this afternoon. I have a feeling they're just gonna tell me to set it up as new again, which I did 4 times last night. It works for awhile and then suddenly becomes unreliable.

 

[Rob Phillips]

That's a bummer. If it's happening with both of your Apple Watches then it's not the Watch itself. I'm wondering if it's an issue on the iOS side of the equation. Have you tried an iTunes restore on your iPhone? I know it's a pain but at least you've weeded out a software problem at that point.

You may also want to try unpairing your Fitbit for a while to see if your notifications come back. I honestly don't think that's your issue but I could be wrong.

 

[Mac Guy]

On and off I'll hear a tone on an iPad telling me a text has arrived. I'll get no tone or Taptic tap on my Watch or anything on my phone to indicate it's arrival. All devices are sleeping.

When I check my Watch or phone I'll see the appropriate indicators. But without waking either the Watch or phone, I'd never know I got a text.

Then sometimes it just works. Like it's supposed to.

 

[eyecrispy]

That's a bummer. If it's happening with both of your Apple Watches then it's not the Watch itself. I'm wondering if it's an issue on the iOS side of the equation. Have you tried an iTunes restore on your iPhone? I know it's a pain but at least you've weeded out a software problem at that point.

You may also want to try unpairing your Fitbit for a while to see if your notifications come back. I honestly don't think that's your issue but I could be wrong.

I don't think the Fitbit is the issue either. And as to resetting the iPhone, when I got the 7, it was a fresh setup but I haven't done it since. I don't know if it's iOS 10 or watchOS or what but I agree that it is prob not the watch.

 

[anon(153966)]

Weird. Keep us posted after the Apple call...

Yea. I'm having all sorts of issues now. Both with my original AW and my nike+ AW, which is literally brand new. I even set it up as new to be sure it wasn't some anomaly in my backup.

I can't even get my iMessages consistently any longer. I used to have silent mode turned on. Turned it off and still nothing. I don't know what it is. Now I'm wondering if it's interference with my Fitbit? Does anyone use a Fitbit along with their AW?

I'm seriously out of ideas. I have a scheduled call with Apple this afternoon. I have a feeling they're just gonna tell me to set it up as new again, which I did 4 times last night. It works for awhile and then suddenly becomes unreliable.

 

[eyecrispy]

Weird. Keep us posted after the Apple call...

I got off the call with Apple about an hour ago. She was super helpful but nothing she suggested was new to me. I've tried everything. She ended up making a genius bar appt for me. But she seems to think it's the phone, not the watch since I have the same issue with both my original AW and my Nike+ one. I offered to reset my phone but she said not to do that yet.

Since I got off the phone, I've updated my watchOS to 3.1. Things have been working normally most of the day (except while I was at the gym when I missed 4 texts). It's so random and unpredictable that it's absolutely frustrating. I can't replicate it or pin down in what situation it'll happen. Really annoying.

She tried to run a diagnostic on both my watch and phone, but neither worked for her, which is why she wants me to go to the apple store.

So, not much of an update but there you have it. Stuck with a half working watch until I see them I guess.

 

[Mac Guy]

So, not much of an update but there you have it. Stuck with a half working watch until I see them I guess.

Here's hoping they can get you sorted. My issue with random non-delivery may be related to my iPads intercepting them.

I've turned them off to see what happens, and I'll go through the phone and Watch settings. Maybe restart both.

 

[eyecrispy]

Here's hoping they can get you sorted. My issue with random non-delivery may be related to my iPads intercepting them.

I've turned them off to see what happens, and I'll go through the phone and Watch settings. Maybe restart both.

I actually asked them about that and they said that your other apple devices should not interfere with the AW. I use my iPad and MBP all the time so I may be in the same boat if that were an issue, but I also don't get my SMS notifications and they don't come up on my iPad and MBP.

 

[Mac Guy]

I actually asked them about that and they said that your other apple devices should not interfere with the AW.

Early on this was the case. Notifications (and texts) showed up on all my iDevices. Then recently, my Watches stopped getting notifications. Sometimes texts didn't show up. I've turn off a couple of iPads and so far I haven't missed a text notification or text.

 

[eyecrispy]

Early on this was the case. Notifications (and texts) showed up on all my iDevices. Then recently, my Watches stopped getting notifications. Sometimes texts didn't show up. I've turn off a couple of iPads and so far I haven't missed a text notification or text.

Well, that's crappy bc I use my ipad all the time and get my iMessages on that. I also have my MBP out every few days and get them on there as well. If you're right, Apple really needs to address it because the way I see it, don't offer a feature only to have to have folks turn it off for things to work properly.

I haven't had issues for the last 1.5 days. I have had my ipad and MBP out all weekend for work things.

And like I mentioned in my previous response, I miss normal SMS messages probably more frequently than I miss iMessages. SMS messages don't go through the iPad or MBP.

 

[Mac Guy]

don't offer a feature only to have to have folks turn it off for things to work properly.

I'm not ruling out some cosmic vortex or pilot error. Apple did have a problem with iPhones, iOS 10, new iMessage effects, and Reduce Motion. And that got fixed.

But maybe I'll restart everything and see what happens.

 

[eyecrispy]

I'm not ruling out some cosmic vortex or pilot error. Apple did have a problem with iPhones, iOS 10, new iMessage effects, and Reduce Motion. And that got fixed.

But maybe I'll restart everything and see what happens.

Ive already tried a restart on everything many times and it'll work for awhile and then I'll start missing notifications. Today, I missed two for the first time from an app outside the Messages app. Frustrating.

 

[durfmobile]

I've been having this issue intermittently since watchOS 3 & iOS10.

It's been more often the past couple of weeks. I did a completely fresh install of iOS10 on my "new" iPhone 6 (warranty swap) the first week iOS 10 came out (September?).

I also have an iPad & iMac, both set up to receive my iMessages and SMS-to-iMessage (or whatever they call it) And all set up with AT&T Number Sync (shouldn't affect iMessages or SMS). The iMac is usually off.

I often watch Podcasts on my iPad while working on my winPC, with my iPhone on the desk, and AW on my wrist.
Usually, I would get drop-down notifications on my iPad, and nothing on the others, but not want to reach over my PC keyboard to reply, or miss a notification when I'm not looking at the screen, so I usually put it on Do Not Disturb. After then however, I will NOT get a Notification AT ALL on my watch, even if I swipe down to the Notification Center. And No sound or screen light up on my iPhone, but then when I wake up my phone for whatever reason, the notification(s) is on the lock screen, sometimes. Sometimes there's no notification on the lock screen, but there will be a Badge Number on the Messages icon.

Too many times I have missed messages from my coworkers or my wife. Simply infuriating. Thanks, Apple, for making feel like a dip$h!t for wasting thousands of dollars on your garbage that doesn't do the #1 thing I need them to do - communications.

It's been happening more often, with or without the iPad in DND. And in both of these situations, I'm home with excellent Wi-Fi signal (2 Luxul AC WAPs with a wireless controller) and full LTE signal (tower outside the neighborhood). I don't go out to job-sites every day, but today it seemed to be working fine when the iPhone & iPad had 1-2 bars of LTE. I got about a dozen messages when my hands were full within 5 minutes. I surely noticed those!

And, yeah, I've tired the Notification settings shuffle for the AW & iPhone, and all the other crap. Everything except fresh restores. I refuse. Rebooting the AW, iPhone & iPad usually works for a while, as others have mentioned, but it's usually doing it again by the next day. I'll test & confirm by sending myself messages from my wife's iPhone, before & after the reboots.

My wife suggested a visit to one of the 4 Apple Stores in town. I might, but I have a feeling their only suggestion will be "restore everything from scratch" FFFFFFF that!!! I'm so sick of these productivity stopping problems, and their lack of solutions. This kind of stuff happens far too often. For a while I wouldn't receive phone calls, back in the iPhone 5 & 5s days. I have to change my voicemail message to "My phone didn't ring, leave a message and I'll call you back." I just changed it the other month.

But hey, we can send balloons & confetti in messages... so wooptydoo... At least we know what Apple's priorities are.

Watch Sport 42mm "Series 0". iPhone 6, AT&T. iPad Pro 12.9", AT&T LTE. iMac Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014, i5. All up to date on public releases, as of day of update release.

 

[eyecrispy]

I've been having this issue intermittently since watchOS 3 & iOS10.

It's been more often the past couple of weeks. I did a completely fresh install of iOS10 on my "new" iPhone 6 (warranty swap) the first week iOS 10 came out (September?).

I also have an iPad & iMac, both set up to receive my iMessages and SMS-to-iMessage (or whatever they call it) And all set up with AT&T Number Sync (shouldn't affect iMessages or SMS). The iMac is usually off.

I often watch Podcasts on my iPad while working on my winPC, with my iPhone on the desk, and AW on my wrist.
Usually, I would get drop-down notifications on my iPad, and nothing on the others, but not want to reach over my PC keyboard to reply, or miss a notification when I'm not looking at the screen, so I usually put it on Do Not Disturb. After then however, I will NOT get a Notification AT ALL on my watch, even if I swipe down to the Notification Center. And No sound or screen light up on my iPhone, but then when I wake up my phone for whatever reason, the notification(s) is on the lock screen, sometimes. Sometimes there's no notification on the lock screen, but there will be a Badge Number on the Messages icon.

Too many times I have missed messages from my coworkers or my wife. Simply infuriating. Thanks, Apple, for making feel like a dip$h!t for wasting thousands of dollars on your garbage that doesn't do the #1 thing I need them to do - communications.

It's been happening more often, with or without the iPad in DND. And in both of these situations, I'm home with excellent Wi-Fi signal (2 Luxul AC WAPs with a wireless controller) and full LTE signal (tower outside the neighborhood). I don't go out to job-sites every day, but today it seemed to be working fine when the iPhone & iPad had 1-2 bars of LTE. I got about a dozen messages when my hands were full within 5 minutes. I surely noticed those!

And, yeah, I've tired the Notification settings shuffle for the AW & iPhone, and all the other crap. Everything except fresh restores. I refuse. Rebooting the AW, iPhone & iPad usually works for a while, as others have mentioned, but it's usually doing it again by the next day. I'll test & confirm by sending myself messages from my wife's iPhone, before & after the reboots.

My wife suggested a visit to one of the 4 Apple Stores in town. I might, but I have a feeling their only suggestion will be "restore everything from scratch" FFFFFFF that!!! I'm so sick of these productivity stopping problems, and their lack of solutions. This kind of stuff happens far too often. For a while I wouldn't receive phone calls, back in the iPhone 5 & 5s days. I have to change my voicemail message to "My phone didn't ring, leave a message and I'll call you back." I just changed it the other month.

But hey, we can send balloons & confetti in messages... so wooptydoo... At least we know what Apple's priorities are.

Watch Sport 42mm "Series 0". iPhone 6, AT&T. iPad Pro 12.9", AT&T LTE. iMac Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014, i5. All up to date on public releases, as of day of update release.

I totally understand your frustration. I haven't had as many missed notifications the last few weeks, but definitely have had a handful. I am convinced it's related to having iMessages enabled on other devices. A few days ago, I accidentally left my phone at church. Did not realize it until I was on my way home and checked the time on my watch and saw it was disconnect from my phone. When I got home, I got on my iPad to message a few folks who work there to have them look for it when they went in the next morning. Suddenly, I see that the red disconnected icon gone from my watch and I'm receiving texts on my watch again. Then it stopped a few min later. Then started again. All the while, my phone is 10 miles away.

Your other devices should not impact what you do and don't get on your watch.

I think it's a bad implementation and they were trying to get fancy and it's obviously not working. Sigh.