Apple Watch messages not syncing? Fix it fast

⚡Fast fix

• Restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch.
• Make sure Bluetooth™ and Wi-Fi are on.
• Check that Airplane Mode is off on both devices.
• Reset your Apple Watch and re-pair it with your iPhone as a last resort. 

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Wearing an Apple Watch® makes it easy to read and reply to messages without ever picking up your iPhone®. But if your Apple Watch messages are not syncing with your iPhone, you lose access to these convenient features. Luckily, there’s often a quick fix to get your messages syncing up again.

At Asurion, we learn tech inside and out to help you make the most of your devices, including Apple Watches. Try these troubleshooting steps if your Apple Watch isn't syncing messages with your iPhone.

Understand how message syncing works

Your Apple Watch mirrors messages on your iPhone and vice versa to ensure that you can see all of your up-to-date messages on your trusted devices. When you open a message on your Watch, it should appear as opened on your iPhone, too.

If you activate iCloud® for Messages, your messages are stored in iCloud, allowing them to sync seamlessly across your Apple devices. SMS messages are a little different. To forward texts to your Apple Watch, your phone must be powered on and connected to a network. However, your phone doesn’t need to be nearby to receive the messages on your Watch.

You may notice that your messages sync at different speeds depending on your connection type (Wi-Fi vs. cellular) and whether you’re receiving SMS or iMessages. When Apple Watch text messages are not synced, it may just take a moment longer than iMessages.

Check your connection and message settings

Start by restarting both your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Restart your Apple Watch by holding down both side buttons for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears. If any software updates are available for your Watch or iPhone, install them.

Then check that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and that your Watch is connected to your phone or a network. Keep them close together to strengthen the connection, and turn off Airplane mode on both devices. On the Watch, go to Settings > Airplane Mode and turn it off.  

The next step is to verify that message forwarding and mirroring are enabled in your settings. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to My Watch > Messages. Select Mirror my iPhone if it’s not already on. If it is on, try selecting Custom instead before switching back to Mirror my iPhone for a quick reset.

Confirm that you’re signed in with the right Apple ID, too. On your iPhone: 

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages. 
2. Select Send & Receive. 
3. Choose Use your Apple Account for iMessage, and make sure it’s the same Apple ID that your watch uses. 
4. Try signing out of your Apple ID and signing back in.

If you have Focus modes that silence notifications, turn them off. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Focus to view your Focus modes. You can also check whether Focus mode is on by swiping up from the bottom right of your screen to open the Control Center.

Restore sync when messages still fail

If you try all these steps and your messages are still not syncing on Apple Watch, the next best move is to reset your Apple Watch.

Resetting your Apple Watch will remove all of your data and settings, including your fitness history, apps, and clock faces, so make sure you back up your iPhone to save all that information. If you regularly back up your iPhone you’re all set. If not, on your iPhone, go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud. Select iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. This will store your watch data in iCloud so you can restore your Apple Watch from a backup after resetting it.

To reset your Watch, open the Watch app on your phone and go to General > Reset> Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings. Then, re-pair the Watch like it’s new. Connect the Apple Watch to your iPhone and check the message mirroring settings again. If your messages are still not syncing after the reset and re-pairing, contact support for help.