Not Getting Audible Text Notifications Consistently

[Merlady]

I’m not getting sound notifications about iMessage texts received, on my iPhone 13 Pro and  Watch 6. I also had problems not getting them on my iPhone Xs and hubs has the same problem on his iPhone 12 Pro and his watch. We only get notifications occasionally. I’ve checked all settings on the phone and Watch app and all looks okay. I have a co-worker that had the same issue, not getting text audible notifications on phone or watch. Any ideas or help appreciated.

 

[JSands1964]

So, when you are wearing your watch and your phone is “asleep”, i.e. you aren’t using it, the watch will get the notifications. Double check that the watch hasn’t been muted by swiping up from the bottom of the watch face and making sure the bell icon isn’t red. This happens to my wife randomly and when she checks her watch somehow was muted.

 

[Merlady]

Thanks @JSands1964 but that is one of the things I check. There seems to be no reason; all settings are right and phone and watch aren’t muted. I’ve even changed the notification sound to Default and that doesn’t help. I’ve also looked to see if I had a carrier update. I may need to reach out to see if they can reset.

 

[Just_Me_D]

What type of notifications are you getting when you get them? Text notifications, email notification, weather notifications or what?

Remember, you will not get notifications on your iPhone when it’s screen isn’t active AND you’re wearing your Watch. If the iPhone screen is active then the notifications on your Watch will be muted.

 

[Merlady]

Thanks @Just_Me_D I’m aware of that. I’m getting all notifications except text. I’m not getting notifications on my phone OR watch for text most of the time; I occasionally do, but it’s rare.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Thanks @Just_Me_D I’m aware of that. I’m getting all notifications except text. I’m not getting notifications on my phone OR watch for text most of the time; I occasionally do, but it’s rare.

Do you have one of the “Focus” settings enabled? If so, are text notifications silenced during the particular focus timeframe?

https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-a-focus-iphd6288a67f/ios

 

[Merlady]

I do have Focus set for a certain time period but my problem is outside those hours ☹️

 

[Just_Me_D]

I do have Focus set for a certain time period but my problem is outside those hours

Hmmm…You and your husband aren’t sharing the same Apple ID. Right?

 

[Merlady]

No we don’t

 

[Annie_M]

This is definitely perplexing! There are times when I don’t get audible notifications either. However, my watch is muted, and my iPhone’s most likely not active. I wonder if AOD would be a solution? I’ll definitely unmute my watch to see if that helps.
.

 

[Up_And_Away]

Like Annie and the OP, there are times when I don’t get audible alerts but for me it is specifically for text messages. And this is definitely not focus mode related.
I can say that if i have a text conversation open->my phone goes to sleep->the person in that conversation texts me back = I don’t seem to get an audible alert on my iPhone or the message to pop up on my watch. (If I go into messages on my watch, the message is there). This may be expected behavior for an open conversation, I’m not quite sure.

But even tonight I had multiple text (three) conversations going on simultaneously. If between messages i set my iPhone down long enough to go to sleep, whether iPhone gives an audible alert or the message pops up on my watch does not seem always/uniform. Due to a band issue I didn’t wear my watch for about a week. It seemed like this issue did not happen during this time (seemed…though I can’t say for sure). An iPhone-watch paired inter communication glitch??
Fixed with a menu setting ‘Alert For Incoming Messages: Off, Always, Every! Single! Time!’

 

[Merlady]

@Annie_M what is AOD?

 

[Just_Me_D]

@Annie_M what is AOD?

Always-On Display

 

[Merlady]

Thx. I don’t have that turned on.

 

[Mars20]

I’m not getting sound notifications about iMessage texts received, on my iPhone 13 Pro and  Watch 6. I also had problems not getting them on my iPhone Xs and hubs has the same problem on his iPhone 12 Pro and his watch. We only get notifications occasionally. I’ve checked all settings on the phone and Watch app and all looks okay. I have a co-worker that had the same issue, not getting text audible notifications on phone or watch. Any ideas or help appreciated.

Have you by any chance activated Deliver Quietly on the related App notification?

 

[doogald]

This has been happening with me for the watch for a long time now - probably watchOS 5? It's sporadic, messages notifications almost always happen, but sometimes I glance at my watch and see that one came in and I definitely wasn't notified. I think it's just a thing.

One thing I know affects this is using my Mac. If I am actively using my Mac and a message comes in, it notifies me on the Mac and *not* on my watch or phone. I've always hated this. I would strongly prefer an option that will deliver notifications of messages to my watch if it is on my wrist, even if I have my phone actively unlocked and in use, and then sound on my phone if the watch is off my wrist. Apple tries to be "smart" about delivering to only one device and it often makes the wrong choice IMO.

 

[Merlady]

@Mars20 I’ve looked in the Settings app on iPhone and Watch and the Watch app on the phone but don’t find that option. All of my software is the latest.

 

[Annie_M]

@Annie_M what is AOD?

Sorry about that!

 

[Mars20]

@Mars20 I’ve looked in the Settings app on iPhone and Watch and the Watch app on the phone but don’t find that option. All of my software is the latest.

It is an option you can access by swiping left on the notification itself.

 

[Merlady]

Oh yea. Thx,