How to read prior or missed notifications on Apple Watch

In a single day, chances are you get hundreds of notifications. These can be somewhat frustrating to go through one-by-one, but what if you miss one on your Apple Watch? Here is how you can read missed notifications on your Apple Watch.

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You may feel like there is no chance of viewing prior notifications, but that’s not the case. We’re going to help you find those notifications without jumping through many hoops.

Read Your Missed Notifications on Apple Watch

It can be rather annoying to miss out on notifications, and you won’t want to worry about that on your Apple Watch.

Turn on Notifications Indicator

Before getting started, you will want to make sure that you can see an indicator when notifications arrive.

This action is pretty simple. Do it via the Watch app on your iPhone

1. Open the Watch app
2. Scroll down and select Notifications
3. Toggle Notifications Indicator

Once completed, there will be a red dot displayed at the top of your watch face. You can then swipe down and interact with your notifications as necessary.

Missed notifications on Apple Watch? Access Those Notifications Today

Now that you will see when there are missed notifications accessing them is pretty easy.

Here are the steps to access Notification Center on your Apple Watch

1. Press the Digital Crown until you are on your watch face.
2. Swipe down from the top to open Notification Center
3. Tap on the notification to open it
4. Swipe on the screen or scroll with the Digital Crown to view your missed notifications

What if it’s not in Notification Center?

When notifications arrive on your iPhone or Apple Watch, there is something important to remember. If your iPhone is unlocked, the notification will not appear on your Apple Watch. However, if your screen is locked, then these show up on both your Watch and iPhone.

Additionally, if you remove the notification from your Watch, it will then also be removed from your iPhone. This can be a cause of some of your frustrations, so it will be something to keep in mind.

Not receiving notifications?

If for whatever reason you are not receiving notifications on your Apple Watch, there could be a few reasons. These range from your Apple Watch needs to be restarted, or even repaired with your iPhone.

Here are a few ideas of what you can do:

Is Bluetooth enabled?

One of the first things you want to check if your Apple Watch is not receiving notifications is to check Bluetooth. Head over to your iPhone and go to Settings > Bluetooth. 

The Apple Watch should appear in your list of connected devices. If not, make sure that your Watch is in-range and re-connect it.

Is your Watch paired?

From time to time, your Watch may disconnect itself from your iPhone. This can occur when either device runs out of battery, or if you take your watch out of range of your iPhone.

Simply checking Bluetooth or the Watch app will confirm whether the Watch is still paired.

Is your Apple Watch in-range of a Wi-Fi network?

This does not apply to LTE-enabled Apple Watches.

However, if you have a regular Watch, you will want to make sure that it is in range of your Wi-Fi network or iPhone. 

If not, activate Control Center and make sure that the Wi-Fi icon is Blue.

Is the Watch locked?

Keeping a password on your Apple Watch is important. This is especially true if you use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac automatically. 

However, if you did not enter your password, you won’t receive notifications. To check, look at your watch face, and there will be a lock at the top.

Do Not Disturb

When it comes to not receiving notifications by choice, Apple has included a Theater Mode and Do Not Disturb. From time-to-time, you can forget to turn this off, so you will need to double check. 

Swipe up on your Watch to reveal Notification Center, and make sure these are turned off.

Check for software updates

If you are still having issues, you may want to check for an update via the Watch app.

To do so, open the Watch app, and tap on General > Software Update. 

Your phone will automatically check and download any pending updates.

Force Restart

If everything else is working on your Apple Watch, the last option you may want to take is to restart your Watch.

To restart your watch, press and hold the side button until you see the Power Off slider.

Then, drag the slider to turn off your device and press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Check Out Our Video on Apple Watch Notifications!

Conclusion

The Apple Watch is a phenomenal device, but it is still a piece of technology that can have problems. If you have run into any issues with accessing your notifications, sound off in the comments below and let us know!