Don’t want to receive work texts on my watch

[Apple_Robert]

I have a dual SIM (work and personal) iPhone 15 Pro. I don’t mind getting work texts on my phone but, I would rather not get work texts on my watch. Is there a way I can make that happen while preserving my personal line notifications and still get work texts only on the phone?

 

[mansplains]

I don't think there's a way to do what you're describing, unfortunately, short of buying a second watch paired to a separate work phone.

It would be nice to have the option for compartmentalizing apps in general. Apps like gmail support multiple accounts of course, but I've run into a few apps where I'd like to be signed into, and able to view multiple accounts simultaneously. I doubt it will come to iPhone, but iPad would make sense with the ability to have several apps open at a time. iPhone and iPad need either system profiles, or multi-user support, or both really. I would like to have all of my work separate from personal, a focus mode isn't enough. Apple would rather we buy more devices though 🤷‍♂️

More on topic, the watch doesn't sync messages with iPhone either, which is really annoying. Deleting messages on watch is a swipe, tap, tap, for every single thread. Super annoying with spam texts in a US election year. (Should be able to blacklist all unknown texts and calls, not "silence" them.) Prior to using iOS 18/watchOS 11, my watch would split message threads all the time. I haven't caught this bug on the betas yet, and am hoping it's been fixed.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks for the reply. I thought no would be case but, wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.

 

[curdy]

What about using a focus and putting the phone numbers from work texts (if they are always the same numbers) into a do not notify section? But leave everything else normal in this focus so it just filters out the work numbers. They won’t notify on the watch or phone but will still be viewable on your phone.

 

[JiggyJaggy]

Or do it the other way around and only allow text notifications from your Favourites list (which could include immediatel friends and family etc).

 

[Apple_Robert]

Or do it the other way around and only allow text notifications from your Favourites list (which could include immediatel friends and family etc).

I have it set that way with FOCUS but, I still get work texts on my watch because it mirrors my phone, which receives the work text and calls. Before I went dual SIM, I was using a different Apple ID with the work phone. When I went dual and brought the work eSIM to my personal phone, the work line got associated with my main Apple ID email, which I was already using with my personal line.

 

[Apple_Robert]

What about using a focus and putting the phone numbers from work texts (if they are always the same numbers) into a do not notify section? But leave everything else normal in this focus so it just filters out the work numbers. They won’t notify on the watch or phone but will still be viewable on your phone.

Thanks for the reply. See my response in post 6.

 

[curdy]

I have it set that way with FOCUS but, I still get work texts on my watch because it mirrors my phone, which receives the work text and calls. Before I went dual SIM, I was using a different Apple ID with the work phone. When I went dual and brought the work eSIM to my personal phone, the work line got associated with my main Apple ID email, which I was already using with my personal line.

It mirrors your iPhone, yes. But you can add those numbers to "Do not notify" in the focus you have set up and it will not notify either device. They will just be sitting as unread in your messages app.

 

[Apple_Robert]

It mirrors your iPhone, yes. But you can add those numbers to "Do not notify" in the focus you have set up and it will not notify either device. They will just be sitting as unread in your messages app.

Unless I am doing something wrong, I am still getting work texts on my watch while using the Focus.

Edited to add: It is working, now. Thank you. I still get texts but, like you said, I am not getting notified every time.