Text/iMessage notifications on multiple devices issue?

[Proplus24]

Hi,
I've noticed that if my iPhone is locked and near my iMac text notifications go to my iMac. I don't get a sound or screen light up on my iPhone. If I wake the phone I can see that the text is there just no notification. If I then start using my phone I will start receiving notifications on the phone.

Is it possible to confirm whether or not iOS is designed to defer text notifications to Mac OS when you're using a MacBook/iMac? The main issue I'm facing is that texts will show up on Mac OS with no notification on my iPhone when I'm using the computer. I'm pretty sure this wasn't the case before but not sure if it's a 'feature' like with watch OS.

Many thanks

 

[Psychbum]

This is expected behaviour -

 

[Proplus24]

This is expected behaviour -

Thank you very much for the reply

 

[ellsworth]

I'm running a M1 Mac mini and a iPhone SE 2020 and I get text message notifications and sounds on both devices when they're next to each other. The only time I don't receive sound and notifications is when I'm actively using messages application on my mac and can see the person I'm communicating with preparing a message (when you see the balloon dots animation.

 

[Proplus24]

I'm running a M1 Mac mini and a iPhone SE 2020 and I get text message notifications and sounds on both devices when they're next to each other. The only time I don't receive sound and notifications is when I'm actively using messages application on my mac and can see the person I'm communicating with preparing a message (when you see the balloon dots animation.

That’s interesting. It seems so be if I’m using the Mac for whatever purpose that the alert goes to the Mac only. I don’t necessarily need to have the messages app open.

 

[Psychbum]

That’s interesting. It seems so be if I’m using the Mac for whatever purpose that the alert goes to the Mac only. I don’t necessarily need to have the messages app open.

So when you are using the Mac do you receive any notifications at all? Or do they just not come through to any devices?

It should provide the notifications on the active device, if using Mac and iPhone is locked then the Mac should produce an alert for notifications and vice versa when the the Mac is off the iPhone should take over notifications.

Please confirm.

 

[Proplus24]

So when you are using the Mac do you receive any notifications at all? Or do they just not come through to any devices?

It should provide the notifications on the active device, if using Mac and iPhone is locked then the Mac should produce an alert for notifications and vice versa when the the Mac is off the iPhone should take over notifications.

Please confirm.

Hi, when I’m using my Mac I will receive text notifications on my Mac. If my phone is nearby and on Lock Screen I won’t receive a notification on the phone but if I wake it I can see that there is a message there.
If my Mac is off then I receive text alerts on my phone. I wasn’t sure if this was normal or not because there was a point where I was away from my Mac and still not receiving text alerts on my phone despite it being the last device used.

 

[Psychbum]

So yes that is the expected behaviour. And sadly you are experiencing the unreliability of this ‘feature’ - far from perfect. I have had this recently on my iPad and iPhone, seems since a previous update that it’s just more imperfect.

 

[Proplus24]

Yes. I knew it’s a ‘feature’ on the Apple Watch/iPhone interaction. I didn’t realise they brought this over to Mac OS. It’s not great at all but thank you for clarification. It got so bad at one point I had to let people know to WhatsApp me instead as I was missing quite a few notifications.

 

[Psychbum]

Yes. I knew it’s a ‘feature’ on the Apple Watch/iPhone interaction. I didn’t realise they brought this over to Mac OS. It’s not great at all but thank you for clarification. It got so bad at one point I had to let people know to WhatsApp me instead as I was missing quite a few notifications.

My situation is that the 'feature' isn't working all that well between my iPad and iPhone/Apple Watch. I am signed into messages on my iPad but have notifications off, I would expect messages to notify on Apple Watch/iPhone in this situation but due to poor implementation I can only assume by apple the iPad doesn't tell my iPhone that its not actively set to provide notifications and so the iPhone should deal with this actively! - Its irritating, this wasn't the case however until a recent update so maybe this shall change. - My MacBook Pro handles this situation very well though, so as I say poor implementation!

 

[iMas70]

Different question about messages, I receive them and notifications at different times. Today I received a message on my phone or iPad then had it pop up on my watch about a minute later. I usually see them on my phone first then the iPad shortly after. Shouldn’t they all hit at the same time?

 

[EM2013]

Notifications act weird with my phone/watch.

I get a message while I’m using the phone then my watch will get the notification way after.

The watch is only supposed to go off when phone is locked.

 

[cynics]

The way its supposed to work.

You will get message notifications and alerts on the device you are using. The other devices will get it but not make a sound, they will remain unread on all devices until you read it on one and then the notifications will disappear on all (obvious the message will remain in the app).

This is to prevent chaos when you get a bunch of text and your Mac, Watch, iPhone, iPad, etc are all beeping and buzzing.

Now sometimes its not perfect, I'll hear my iPad ding in the other room sometimes even though I'm reading the message on my iPhone. I found it to work pretty good but I found my Watch to be the weak link, sometimes I just won't feel it buzz and somehow miss a text while being surrounded by devices with that text on it.

 

[cynics]

Different question about messages, I receive them and notifications at different times. Today I received a message on my phone or iPad then had it pop up on my watch about a minute later. I usually see them on my phone first then the iPad shortly after. Shouldn’t they all hit at the same time?

From a customers perspective they should all hit at the same time. However the reality is there are just too many variables. The data you are receiving (messages in this case) could be going all over the place if its an iMessage or it could be going to your iPhone then uploaded and seeded to other devices via iCloud servers. Your Watch is relying on Bluetooth connection to your iPhone.

Plus on top of all of that the Notification service for app events is a separate service using separate servers. And once the notification arrives your devices in close proximity determine which device to prioritize. Once you check it on your device of choice you can watch them disappear from another device if you are look at its notification center. Again separate of the app itself. Its also why you can find a message every now or then thats marked unread on a device that was at home while you were out.

Miracle its works at all.

A device with a poor internet connection can flub up everything. At work the Wifi can be really bad, so I'll always get messages on my iPhone prior to my MBP. If I reply from the MBP anyway I can watch the message rearranging themselves to sync with iCloud.

 

[Fred Zed]

Mines the other way around. Im using my MBP, the iPhone next to me receives iMessages notifications but the MBP doesn't even show me anything notifications wise. But it does receive the iMessage, meaning I open the messages program on the MBP and its there.

 

[Fred Zed]

Somehow managed to get it working . I turned on share name and photo option on my phone, maybe its a fluke I wish I knew.

 

[raindogg]

I can't get any of them to work. I miss text messages all the time.