How do I activate message notifications (RCS or SMS) ?Updated a month ago
💬 Understanding RCS and SMS on your smartwatch
What is the difference between SMS, RCS, and iMessage?
| Type | Platform | Works on watch? |
|---|---|---|
| SMS (green bubbles) | Android & iPhone | Android: ✅ Yes — iPhone: ⚠️ Limited (see below) |
| RCS (enhanced SMS) | Android only | ✅ Yes on Android |
| iMessage (blue bubbles) | iPhone only | ❌ Not supported |
| WhatsApp / Telegram | Android & iPhone | ✅ Yes on both |
🤖 Android — how to activate SMS and RCS notifications
How do I enable SMS/RCS notifications on Android?
- Open the ICE Smart app → go to Notifications → enable your messaging app.
- On your phone: Settings → Apps → ICE Smart → Permissions → grant all permissions.
- Go to Settings → Battery → disable battery optimisation for the ICE Smart app.
- Make sure Bluetooth is active and the watch is connected.
💡 RCS messages are treated the same as SMS. Once SMS notifications are enabled, RCS messages will also appear on your watch.
🍎 iPhone — SMS and iMessage limitations
Why don't I receive SMS or iMessage notifications on my watch with an iPhone?
This is a known limitation on iPhone. Apple restricts third-party apps from accessing the native Messages app (SMS and iMessage).
⚠️ This is an Apple restriction — it is not a defect with your watch. It affects all third-party smartwatches on iPhone.
What can I do if SMS notifications are important to me on iPhone?
- Use WhatsApp, Telegram, or Messenger as your primary messaging app — these work correctly with the watch on iPhone.
What notifications work on iPhone?
- Incoming calls ✅
- WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger ✅
- Gmail and other email apps ✅
- Instagram, Facebook, and other social apps ✅
❓ Still not receiving SMS or RCS notifications?
Contact our customer service with your watch model, phone model, OS version, app version, and which message type is not working.