iOS 26.3 Adds Notification Forwarding Option for Third-Party Wearables - GeekWebGuides
Skip to Content

iOS 26.3 Adds Notification Forwarding Option for Third-Party Wearables

iOS 26.3 adds a new "Notification Forwarding" setting that allows incoming notifications on an iPhone to be forwarded to a third-party device.

ios 26 3 notification forwarding
The setting is located in the Notification section of the Settings app under a new "Notification Forwarding" option. Apple says that notifications can only be forwarded to a single device at a time, so if Notification Forwarding is enabled with a third-party wearable, the Apple Watch won't able to receive and display notifications.

Users can choose to have a device receive notifications only from selected apps rather than all apps, and notifications will include the name of the app and all content contained in the notification. This is a feature that is only available to those living in Europe.

Apple is adding this feature to relieve regulatory pressure that it is facing. The Digital Markets Act in the European Union requires Apple to provide third-party smartwatches and other devices with access to notifications and features that are normally reserved for the Apple Watch.

Update: This article was updated to clarify that Notification Forwarding is only an option in the EU, even though it shows up on iPhones worldwide in iOS 26.3.

Related Roundups: iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Feature Dark

Apple Now Pushing iPhone Users Still on iOS 26 to Install iOS 27

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:17 pm PDT by
Starting today, iPhone users still running iOS 26 will see iOS 27.0.1 as the prominent software update in the Settings app under General → Software Update, with iOS 26.7.1 now relegated to a smaller "Also Available" section at the bottom. iOS 27 was released on September 14, but until now that update and later iOS 27.0.1 were shown under the "Also Available" section, with iOS 26.7 and...
apple lock security bug vulnerability fix privacy

iOS 26.7.1 Fixes Vulnerability Used in Targeted Attacks

Monday September 28, 2026 11:45 am PDT by
iOS 26.7.1, iPadOS 26.7.1, macOS Tahoe 26.7.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.8.1 address a major vulnerability that Apple believes was used against a small number of people. Apple's security support pages say there was a CoreGraphics out-of-bounds write issue that could be exploited with a maliciously crafted file, allowing for arbitrary code execution. It has been fixed with improved bounds...
iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...

Top Rated Comments

Fraud Goblin Avatar
11 months ago
If this is just another step to allowing me to use a Pebble again, I’ll take it.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dr McKay Avatar
11 months ago

Sounds good!
The more of this sort of stuff, the better.

I'd also not that we have EU and US opposition to where Apple is at here.
(bold emphasis below is mine)
Clearly Apple should pull out of the USA and the EU! 😡
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ItsASpider Avatar
11 months ago

Apple has supported ANCS ('https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/CoreBluetooth/Reference/AppleNotificationCenterServiceSpecification/Specification/Specification.html') for more than a decade(not sure how much more... but a LONG while). ANCS doesn't require any app on the phone and will just forward notifications after getting approval when pairing with the Bluetooth device.

Apple is being required by the EU to open up ALL information about notifications, this is part of that. ANCS doesn't send images and longer text to bluetooth devices. It seems the EU also wants apps to be able to directly read notifications from other apps... which is ****ing dumb and really really creepy.
Come on now... the EU doesn't require any such thing. They require Apple to provide APIs to allow their competition to, well, compete. Apple is completely free in implementing safe ways to do that, and no, not every apps must have direct access to notifications from other apps, that's just bs.

And I'll just assume you are already well aware that you are greatly misrepresenting what ANCS can do.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dormammu Avatar
11 months ago
Good!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
11 months ago

Clearly Apple should pull out of the USA and the EU! 😡
There's always the Moon 🌕
Apple Stores nicely fit that cold gray aesthetic.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppliedMicro Avatar
11 months ago

It’s not Apple‘s problem if someone can’t get a notification on a non-Apple device.
Thanks to regulatory action, it now is. 😎


Maybe these other companies need to create better software and hardware to compete against Apple
That’s exactly what this functionality now enables them to do.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
iPhone Duo Launch Begins as First Orders Reach Customers
2 hours ago
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
1Password for Agents Keeps Your Passwords Hidden From AI
3 hours ago
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
iPhone Duo 24 Hours Later: Your Questions Answered
4 hours ago
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
Apple's iWork Apps Get 'Intelligent Assistant' and iPhone Duo Support
5 hours ago
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
Apple is Apparently Considering a Slightly Larger iPhone Duo
5 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
Giant iPhone Duo Displays Coming to Four Apple Stores
6 hours ago
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
Apple Pulls Keynote, Pages and Numbers From App Store [Update: Back]
7 hours ago
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
Apple Updates More Apps With iPhone Duo Support
7 hours ago
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
Apple Will Label Apps 'Made for iPhone Duo' in App Store
10 hours ago
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
Amazon Takes $49 Off iPad With Prices Starting at $399.99
11 hours ago
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
F1 on Apple TV Now Available in Dolby Atmos
11 hours ago
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
Apple Reveals More Than 50 Apps That Will Be Updated for iPhone Duo
12 hours ago
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
Apple Blocks Certificates That Could Help Attackers Fake Websites
13 hours ago
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth Avenue
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
iPhone Duo 2 Prototypes Include Under-Display Face ID
14 hours ago
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
18 hours ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
18 hours ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
19 hours ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
19 hours ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
19 hours ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
20 hours ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
20 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
1 day ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
1 day ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
1 day ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
1 day ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
1 day ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
1 day ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
1 day ago