Galaxy Watch 8 Not Showing WhatsApp Notifications
WhatsApp notifications not appearing on your Galaxy Watch 8 usually stem from permission issues, Bluetooth connectivity problems, or Samsung Secure Folder conflicts. This guide covers the most common fixes.
Quick Checks
Before diving into troubleshooting, verify these basics:
- Bluetooth Connected: Watch shows connected status to your phone
- Other Notifications Work: Test if other app notifications appear on watch
- WhatsApp Not in Secure Folder: Apps in Samsung Secure Folder cannot sync to the watch
Enable Notification Permissions
Notifications require proper permissions on both your phone and in the Galaxy Wearable app.
On Your Phone:
- Open
SettingsAppsWhatsApp - Tap
Notificationsand enable all notification types - Enable
Show on lock screen - Enable
Pop on screen
In Galaxy Wearable App:
- Open
Galaxy Wearableon your phone - Go to
Watch settingsNotifications - Tap
App notificationsand findWhatsApp - Enable all
WhatsAppnotification categories - Set priority to
Highfor immediate delivery
Grant Notification Access:
- Open phone
SettingsAppsGalaxy Wearable - Tap
Special accessNotification access - Ensure
Galaxy Wearableis enabled
Check Secure Folder
If WhatsApp is installed in Samsung Secure Folder, notifications cannot sync to your watch.
- Open your app drawer and verify
WhatsAppis in your main apps, not Secure Folder - If
WhatsAppis in Secure Folder, move it to main phone storage - Dual Messenger instances may also cause conflicts
Check Do Not Disturb Settings
DND modes may be blocking notifications.
On Your Phone:
- Open
SettingsModes and Routines(orDo Not Disturb) - If DND is active, add
WhatsAppto the exceptions list
On Your Watch:
- Swipe down from the watch face
- Check if the moon icon (DND) is active
- Disable DND or add
WhatsAppto exceptions
Reset Bluetooth Connection
If permissions are correct but notifications still don't appear, reset the connection.
- On your phone, go to
SettingsAppsBluetooth - Tap
StorageClear Cache - Disable
Bluetoothon both devices - Restart both phone and watch
- Enable
Bluetoothand let them reconnect - Re-verify
WhatsAppnotification settings inGalaxy Wearable
Disable Battery Optimization
Battery optimization may delay or block notifications.
- Open phone
SettingsAppsWhatsApp - Tap
Batteryand selectUnrestrictedorDon't optimize - Do the same for
Galaxy Wearableapp
When to Contact Support
Contact Samsung Support if:
- All permissions are correctly configured
- Other app notifications work but
WhatsAppdoesn't - Multiple troubleshooting attempts have failed
Test with Other Apps
If other messaging apps like Telegram or Messages work but WhatsApp doesn't, the issue is specific to WhatsApp permissions rather than watch connectivity.
See Also: Galaxy Watch 8 Notification Issues|Galaxy Watch 8 Not Pairing|Galaxy Watch 8 Troubleshooting