How to Fix Smartwatch Not Receiving Notifications

Fix smartwatch notification issues with these step-by-step troubleshooting solutions. Restore alerts for calls, texts, and apps on your wearable device.

1. Check Bluetooth connection status. Open your phone's Settings app and navigate to Bluetooth. Verify your smartwatch appears as Connected, not just Paired. If the connection shows as unstable, tap the info icon next to your watch name and select Forget Device, then re-pair from scratch through your watch's companion app.
2. Verify notification permissions in companion app. Launch your smartwatch's companion app on your phone. Navigate to Notifications or App Notifications settings. Ensure notification access is enabled for the companion app itself, then check that individual apps like Messages, Phone, and Email have notification forwarding enabled to your watch.
3. Reset notification access permissions. Go to Settings > Apps > [Companion App Name] > Permissions on Android, or Settings > Privacy & Security > Notifications on iOS. Disable notification access for the companion app, restart both devices, then re-enable notification access. This clears any corrupted permission states.
4. Disable battery optimization for companion app. Navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization on Android. Find your watch's companion app and set it to Not Optimized. On iOS, ensure Background App Refresh is enabled for the companion app in Settings > General > Background App Refresh. This prevents the system from killing notification services.
5. Check Do Not Disturb and Focus settings. Verify that Do Not Disturb mode is disabled on both your phone and smartwatch. On iOS, check that Focus modes aren't blocking notifications. Some smartwatches have independent Do Not Disturb settings that override phone notifications even when your phone allows them.
6. Update companion app and watch firmware. Check for updates to your smartwatch's companion app in the App Store or Google Play Store. Then open the companion app and look for firmware updates for your watch itself. Install any available updates and restart both devices after updating.
7. Reset network settings if issues persist. As a final step, reset network settings on your phone through Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings on iOS, or Settings > System > Reset > Network Settings Reset on Android. This clears any corrupted Bluetooth profiles while preserving your data. Re-pair your smartwatch after the reset completes.