If this has been discussed somewhere, PLEASE merge, delete, smack me, or redirect me to the thread. I am coming from an 8 Plus. I have an AW Series 3 paired with my Xs Max, and when I receive texts, the screen on my phone won't light up. I had the same AW, the same settings, and my 8 Plus screen would light up when I received a text. DND is not on, I have notifications to display on lock screen, and I don't have alerts silenced. Am I missing a setting, or is this just the way it is? My watch vibrates, but the screen doesn't light up. What's the point of show in lock screen, if I have to tap to see it? Any assistance is appreciated.
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iPhone XS Max Iphone XS Max screen not lighting up when I get texts
- Thread starter mizmimi02
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If you’re wearing the watch then it won’t light up because it’s understood that you’ll get the notification tap on your watch and check the message. If it’s important then you’ll deal with it accordingly. If the watch is not worn then your phone should light up. It’s way more intelligent than you think it is. 
If you’re wearing the watch then it won’t light up because it’s understood that you’ll get the notification tap on your watch and check the message. If it’s important then you’ll deal with it accordingly. If the watch is not worn then your phone should light up. It’s way more intelligent than you think it is.
Apparently it's WAY more intelligent then I think I am too. LOL Thanks so much for that. It's weird because I thought it lit up the screen on my 8 Plus, but maybe it didn't. Now I'm second guessing myself on a lot of stuff. Wait, am I even wearing pants?? LOL Thanks again!
If you’re wearing the watch then it won’t light up because it’s understood that you’ll get the notification tap on your watch and check the message. If it’s important then you’ll deal with it accordingly. If the watch is not worn then your phone should light up. It’s way more intelligent than you think it is.
Correct. It has always behaved like this and I’ve owned a watch for years.
Perhaps a bug on OP’s iPhone 8 caused the unintended behaviour.