Symptoms
- No buzz for notifications, calls, or alarms
- Vibration worked before but stopped
- Vibration feels weaker than before
- Some alerts vibrate but others don't
Likely causes
- CommonHaptic strength turned down or vibration disabled in settingsIt's easy to accidentally lower or mute haptic intensity.
- CommonSilent or Do Not Disturb mode activeSome silent modes also suppress haptics, not just sound.
- PossibleSoftware glitch after an updateHaptic bugs occasionally appear and get patched.
- Less commonFailing vibration motorAfter significant age or a drop, the small motor itself can wear out.
What to do
- Check the watch's sound and haptics settings to confirm vibration is enabled and turned up.
- Make sure Do Not Disturb or silent mode isn't active.
- Restart the watch to clear any stuck notification processes.
- Test vibration with a simple built-in feature like the timer or alarm to isolate whether it's app-specific or system-wide.
- Update the watch's firmware.
- If only specific apps fail to vibrate, check that app's individual notification settings.
When to call a pro
If vibration fails across every feature after a restart and settings check, the haptic motor may have failed and needs professional repair.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.