Fix: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 / 6 Classic Not Getting Notifications

Not getting whatsapp notifs to galaxy watch 6 classic
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Whatsapp Notification not coming Galaxy watch 6 classic
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Not just the Watch 6 and 6 Classic, the issue has been prevalent in the Watch 5 and Watch 4 series, too. So, one thing is confirmed: this is exclusive to the Watch 6 and 6 Classic. This is most probably a wearOS issue that needs to be fixed.

18 Ways to Fix Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 / 6 Classic Not Getting Notifications

Regardless, we have compiled a list of solutions that will help you fix the issue. This is an extensive guide, so you should be able to find the fix for your specific issue. Make sure to try all the solutions if you are not sure about the specific issue on your Galaxy Watch 6 / 6 Classic.

Remember that these fixes are part of a comprehensive troubleshooting process. We suggest you start with the simplest and quickest options first. In most cases, one of these solutions should restore notification functionality on your Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 / 6 Classic.

Fix 1: Make Sure Notifications Are Turned ON

The first step is the simplest one. Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we might accidentally turn off notifications on our Galaxy Watch.

To fix this, you need to ensure that the notifications are turned on. It’s a quick check, but it could be the solution if notifications have mysteriously stopped. Follow the steps below:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Tap on the toggle next to All apps to turn it ON.

Fix 2: Check Notification Settings for Individual Apps

It’s important to double-check the notification settings for each app because they can change. The app’s notification settings may be turned off.

Your Galaxy Watch allows you to change the individual apps’ notification preferences. Ensure the apps that matter to you are set up to deliver notifications in this manner. Follow the steps below:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Then, tap on App notifications.
Tap on the toggle next to the app to turn it ON.

Fix 3: Show Alters Even When Phone In Use

It’s possible to miss vital alerts on your Galaxy Watch if you also use your phone simultaneously. You need to enable a certain setting for the notifications to appear on your watch even if you have your phone out for use. Follow the steps below:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Then, tap on Show phone notifications on the watch.
Select the “Show alters even when phone in use” option.

Note: You will not get notifications on your watch if you are not wearing it.

Fix 4: Auto Turn ON Notification For New Apps

When you install an app on your phone, the Galaxy Watch doesn’t immediately start providing notifications like some other smartwatches. You must either actively choose to receive notifications from each app you install or turn on a certain option. Follow the steps below:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Then, tap on Advanced notification settings.
Turn ON the toggle next to “Auto turn on watch notifications for new apps.”

Fix 5: Check Notification Settings on Phone App

Ensure you have notifications enabled on the app you are trying to use. Make sure all your notifications are in sync by checking the settings for the app on your phone.

If the app does not have permission to deliver notifications to your phone, you won’t receive any notifications on your watch either. Here’s how to check the notification settings for the apps on your phone:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on Apps.
Find the app that you want to enable the notifications for and select it. The app info screen should open.
Tap on Manage notifications.
Make sure all the toggles are turned ON.

Fix 6: Make Sure You Are Logged Into the App

Notifications may not reach your Galaxy Watch if you’ve recently signed out of the app on your smartphone or suffered a session timeout. This is especially true with apps like WhatsApp.

Verify that you have entered the right login information into the app. Simply logging back in again can restore the link and activate notifications. Follow the steps below (for WhatsApp):

Open WhatsApp on your watch. Swipe up on the watch face and tap on the WhatsApp icon.
Make sure you are connected to your phone.
Open WhatsApp on your phone as well. It should get a prompt for device linking. Enter your authentication biometric to proceed.
Your watch will display an eight-character code. Type in that code on your phone, and you should be logged in.

Note: For other apps, just open them and follow the on-screen instructions to log in.

Fix 7: Uninstall and Reinstall the App

Program data or settings corruption is a common cause of notification problems; thus, uninstalling and reinstalling the program may be necessary. If you’ve tried everything else and the notifications are still not working, try this solution.

Many users who were using WhatsApp have successfully resolved this issue by uninstalling and reinstalling the app. In many cases, a clean setup is the best way to get notifications syncing with your Galaxy Watch and fix any underlying issues. Follow the steps below:

Swipe up on the watch face to open the app screen.
Tap and hold on to the WhatsApp icon and select Uninstall.
Now, go back to the app screen and open the Google Play Store.
Search for WhatsApp and tap on Install. Make sure you are connected to your phone.
Once WhatsApp is reinstalled, open it and log in (refer to Fix 6).
Check to see if the notifications now show up.

Note: If the notifications still aren’t working, simply uninstall the app and don’t install it again. You will still get notifications on your watch, given you have enabled notifications for WhatsApp on your phone. This solution was suggested by a user on Reddit.

Fix 8: Restart your Phone and Watch

Sometimes, a restart is necessary to fix the notification problems on your phone and Galaxy Watch. If your phone and watch are having trouble connecting, try restarting both of them. Often, this will fix any transitory issues that were causing notifications to fail. Follow the steps below:

Restart your phone:

Press and hold the Power button until the Power off menu appears.
Tap on Restart to restart your phone.

Restart your watch:

Press and hold the Power button to bring up the Power off menu. If Bixby is activated, go to the Quick Settings panel and tap on the Power icon.
Tap on Power off.
Wait for a few seconds.
Now, press and hold the Power button to restart your watch.

After the restart, check if the issue has been resolved and whether you are getting notifications or not.

Fix 9: Make Sure Notifications Are Enabled for Wearable App & Watch6 Plugin

You need to double-check the notification settings for both the Wearable app on your phone and the Watch6 Plugin for optimal communication between your Galaxy Watch and your phone. If you want to share notifications between your two devices, you’ll need to turn on the appropriate settings.

Make sure that both apps can send notifications and that they have the permission to do so. Follow the steps below:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on Apps.
Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Show system apps.”
Search for Galaxy Wearable and Galaxy Watch6 Manager in the list.
Tap on any one of them. The app info screen should open.
Tap on Manage notifications.
Make sure all the toggles are turned ON.
Do the same for the other app.

Fix 10: Change How You Receive Notifications

There are certain notification settings that could be the reason why you are not getting notifications on your Galaxy Watch 6 or 6 Classic. You can experiment with many settings on your Galaxy Watch, such as the notification indicator, detailed notifications, and more. Follow the steps below to turn these settings ON:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on Notifications.
Then, tap on Advanced notification settings.
Turn ON the toggle next to the options you prefer.

Fix 11: Turn OFF DND, Theatre Mode, Bedtime/Goodnight Mode

Your Galaxy Watch has several modes that disable any incoming notifications. Do Not Disturb (DND) mode, Theatre mode, and Bedtime/Goodnight mode can all silence notifications to keep you from being interrupted.

One of these settings may be enabled, preventing notifications from reaching you. Turn off these settings as necessary to avoid accidentally silencing alerts. Follow the steps below:

Swipe up on the watch face to open the app screen.
Find the Settings app and tap on it.
Tap on Connections.
Scroll down and turn off the toggle next to Do not disturb.
Now, go back to the main page of the Settings app.
Scroll down and tap on Advanced features.
Tap on Bedtime/Goodnight mode and turn off all the toggles on that page.
Go back and tap on Theatre mode.
Turn off the toggle next to it.
You should now receive notifications on your watch.

Fix 12: Update Your Apps

Keep your apps up-to-date, as developers frequently make fixes and enhancements. It’s possible that out-of-date software is to blame for the persistent notification issues plaguing your Galaxy Watch. Updating your programs might fix compatibility problems and boost performance. Follow the steps below:

Note: You need to update the app on both your phone and watch.

Update apps on your phone:

Open the Google Play Store on your phone.
Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen.
Tap on Manage apps & device.
Tap on See details.
Then, tap on Update next to the apps you want to update.

Update apps on your watch:

Swipe up on the watch face to open the app screen.
Find the Google Play Store and tap on it.
Scroll all the way down and tap on Manage apps.
Then, tap on the app you want to update.
Tap on Update. Make sure you are connected to your phone.
Do the same for all other apps.
Once the updates are installed, you should receive notifications on your watch.

Fix 13: Free Up Storage Space

If your Galaxy Watch is experiencing performance issues in addition to notification issues, freeing up storage space may help. Your watch may have trouble processing notifications if it is running low on storage.

The Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic come with 16 GB of onboard storage, of which only 7 GB is usable. If you have filled up that 7 GB storage with music, photos, and apps, you might not get notifications. Follow the steps below to check the available storage on your watch:

Swipe up on the watch face to open the app screen.
Find the Settings app and tap on it.
Scroll all the way down and tap on About watch.
Now, scroll down again and tap on Storage. Here, you can see the available storage space on your Watch 6 or 6 Classic.

If your watch is low on storage, then you should delete any unused apps, photos, or music from your watch. A watch with less unnecessary data on its screen is more likely to function properly and send notifications in a timely manner.

Fix 14: Clear Cache & Data for Wearable App

Over time, your phone’s cache and data from your wearable app may accumulate, which could prevent you from receiving notifications. Deleting the app’s cache and data should help fix the issue.

Remember that this will disconnect your watch from the app, and you will have to set it up again. Make sure to take a backup of all your data before proceeding. Follow the steps below to clear the cache and data of the Galaxy Wearable app:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on Apps.
Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select “Show system apps.”
Search for Galaxy Wearable and Galaxy Watch6 Manager in the list.
Tap on any one of them. The app info screen should open.
Tap on Storage & data.
Tap on Clear cache and then Clear data.
Open the Galaxy Wearable app and set up your watch again.
You should now receive notifications on your watch.

Fix 15: Uninstall and Reinstall the Wearable App

If you’ve tried everything else and you’re still not getting notifications on your Galaxy Watch 6 or 6 Classic, try uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it. After this, the app will function normally once again. Follow the steps below to uninstall and reinstall the Galaxy Wearable app:

Note: You will need to re-configure the app after reinstalling it in order to use it with your Galaxy Watch.

Take a backup of your data before proceeding.
Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on Apps.
Search for Galaxy Wearable and tap on it. The app info screen should open.
Tap on Uninstall.
Once the app is uninstalled, open the Google Play Store and install the Galaxy Wearable app.
Open the Galaxy Wearable app and set up your watch again.
You should now receive notifications on your watch.

Fix 16: Update Your Watch

Like the apps on your phone, the Galaxy Watch’s software may also receive updates to repair bugs and enhance the device’s functionality. Try looking for an update in the watch’s settings menu.

You should always use the latest firmware on your watch if you want to fix compatibility issues and get the most out of it, including its notifications. Follow the steps below to check for an update:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app. Make sure the battery saver is turned off.
Tap on Watch settings.
Scroll down and tap on Watch software update.
If an update is available, tap on Download now.
Put your watch on the charging cradle and plug in your phone to charge before installing the update.
Once the update is installed, check to see if you are getting notifications or not.

Fix 17: Reset your Watch

If your Galaxy Watch is still having problems with notifications after you’ve tried everything else, try resetting it to factory settings. This returns the watch to its original settings, removing any data and customizations made by you.

It’s a big move, so be sure you’ve got a copy of everything before you do the reset. Even while resetting your watch means starting again with the initial setup, it can sometimes fix issues that other solutions can’t. Follow the steps below to reset your Galaxy Watch:

Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
Now, tap on Watch settings.
Tap on General.
Then, tap on Reset. If you have an LTE model, you can choose to keep or remove your mobile plan.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the reset.
After the reset, open the Galaxy Wearable app and set up your watch again.
You should now receive notifications on your watch.

Fix 18: Contact Samsung Support

If none of the above solutions help, you should contact Samsung support. They should be able to provide the solution for your issue and fix it promptly.

You can contact the Samsung support team via their website or simply visit your nearest Samsung store or service centre and ask them for help. Either way, don’t forget to mention all the solutions that you have tried in this guide.

Final Words

That’s it! That’s how you troubleshoot when your Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 / 6 Classic is not getting notifications. Samsung has had this issue with other watches in the past, so you can hope for a quick resolution soon. Make sure to try all solutions mentioned in the article, and keep all your notification settings correctly configured.

We hope that Samsung acknowledges the issue since this seems to be a widespread issue, and fixes it via an OTA update. If you are not getting notifications, then it is a good idea to wait for Samsung to patch the issue via a software update.

Which one of the above solutions worked for you? Do you know of any other solutions that could possibly fix the issue? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading till the end.