---
title: Taking advantage of notification forwarding
framework: watchos-apps
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: watchos-apps/taking-advantage-of-notification-forwarding
---

# Taking advantage of notification forwarding

Deliver notifications to the user’s iPhone or Apple Watch.

## Overview

Overview Apple Watch and iPhone work together to deliver notifications. Instead of appearing on both devices, notifications appear only on the device that’s most likely to have the user’s current focus. Forward notifications The system decides which device receives the notification based on the notification’s type, the process that created the notification, and the currently active device.  |  |   |  |   |  |   |  |   |  |  If a notification can be delivered to either device, the system uses the devices’ locked state to determine the best destination. The system applies the following rules, in the order listed: If the user’s iPhone is unlocked and the screen is on, notifications go to the phone. Otherwise, if the Apple Watch is on the user’s wrist and unlocked, notifications go to the watch. Otherwise, notifications default back to iPhone. Also, if the user has more than one Apple Watch, local notifications only appear on the device that scheduled it. Remote and background notifications also only appear at the specified watch — so you may need to send notifications to multiple devices.

## See Also

### Customizing the user experience

- [Customizing your long-look interface](watchos-apps/customizing-your-long-look-interface.md)
- [Adding actions to notifications on watchOS](watchos-apps/adding-actions-to-notifications-on-watchos.md)
- [Grouping notifications](watchos-apps/grouping-notifications.md)