iPad Receiving notifications Before watch or phone does

Call and Notification priority is based on...

The device you’re actively using

This gets first dibs.

• Screen ON?
• You touched it recently?
• Are you actively interacting with it?

Apple says: “Ah, you’re awake—catch!”

If none is active, the next preference is:

• Unlocked device → highest priority
• Locked devices follow

This is why you often notice your unlocked iPhone buzz first, with the iPad + Watch chiming a moment later.

Nearby devices using the same Apple ID + Wi-Fi network get the notification almost instantly.

Closer = quicker.

• Apple Watch on your wrist → often gets taps first
• iPhone in pocket → next
• iPad on the table in the next room → last

Apple Watch usually feels “instant” because it maintains a low-latency connection with the iPhone when nearby.

Where notifications appear

Notifications will appear on your Apple Watch or iPhone, but not both.

If your iPhone is unlocked, you’ll receive notifications on your iPhone instead of your Apple Watch.

If your iPhone is locked or asleep, you’ll receive notifications on your Apple Watch, unless your Apple Watch is locked.

Some apps, such as the Noise app, are only available on your Apple Watch. Notifications for these apps won’t appear on your iPhone.

• The red notification icon will appear at the top of your watch face when you have unread notifications. If you want to hide the notification icon, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap Notifications, then turn off Notifications Indicator.

When you read or dismiss notifications on your Apple Watch, they’ll also be also dismissed from your iPhone.

OllieM_ wrote:

This is really weird due to the iPad being wifi, and my phone is the only cellular device besides my watch.

Both Watch and iPhone can connect to WiFi.