Notifications Not Working
Samsung Smartwatch
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
Notifications from your Android phone are not appearing on your Galaxy Watch. This is almost always a permissions issue, a Do Not Disturb setting, or the watch being disconnected from your phone. This is a settings problem and can always be fixed without repairs.
Affected Models
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Common Causes
- Notification access permission not granted to Galaxy Wearable app
- Do Not Disturb is active on the watch or phone
- Individual app notifications disabled in Galaxy Wearable settings
- Watch is disconnected from the phone
- Battery optimisation on the phone is killing Galaxy Wearable in the background
How to Fix It
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Grant notification access: phone Settings > Apps > Galaxy Wearable > Permissions > Notifications > Allow.
Without this permission, Galaxy Wearable cannot read or forward any notifications to the watch.
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Check Do Not Disturb: swipe down on the Galaxy Watch and look for the Do Not Disturb icon. Tap it to disable if active.
Do Not Disturb on either the watch or the phone will silence all incoming notifications on the watch.
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In Galaxy Wearable on your phone, go to Watch Settings > Notifications and enable notifications for each app individually.
Galaxy Watch requires per-app notification permission. Apps not enabled here will never send alerts to the watch.
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Disable battery optimisation for Galaxy Wearable: phone Settings > Apps > Galaxy Wearable > Battery > Unrestricted.
Android's battery optimisation can suspend Galaxy Wearable, preventing it from receiving and forwarding notifications when the screen is off.
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Reconnect the watch: in Galaxy Wearable, tap the watch name and select Reconnect if the status shows disconnected.
No connection means no notifications. Bluetooth must be active and the devices must be paired and connected.
When to Call a Professional
Notification delivery is entirely software-controlled. If notifications consistently fail after following all steps, contact Samsung Support — there may be an account or software issue requiring remote assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some apps send notifications to Galaxy Watch but others don't?
Each app must be individually enabled in Galaxy Wearable > Watch Settings > Notifications. Also, the app on your phone must have its own notification permission granted in Android settings. If an app is silenced on your phone, it will also be silenced on the watch.
Why does Galaxy Watch only show some notifications and miss others?
Samsung applies notification filtering by default — repeated or spammy notifications from the same app may be grouped or suppressed. Also, some apps use 'silent' notifications that are not designed to display on wearables. Check the specific app's notification settings in Galaxy Wearable to ensure all categories are enabled.