problem with hearing message notifications

Since day one I have had a problem hearing notification sounds when receiving a message. I spoke with Apple three times and followed all their instruction but no help. I have had the watch for three months now and have tried everything. Now I am asking if this is normal? I don't have any problem hearing any other notification sounds or phone ringing but when receiving a text message, I cannot hear the very faint "ding".
Does anyone else have this problem?

 

The watch's ding is fairly quite even at the highest setting, but I usually hear it. Then again, I spend most of my time in moderate to low noise environments.

Personally, I have my watch muted most the time. I prefer relying on the haptic notifications (turned to the highest level). I still miss things now and then, but to be honest I can miss the much noisier iPad and iPhone too. Well, except for the ringtone. That goes on long enough I'm bound to notice it.

 

So, this must be normal? Does anyone else have this problem and if so, is it only the message notification sound that is light? I can hear all other notifications loudly with the
sound turned up (calendar, fitness, etc.) I would love to hear from other people that this is normal and then I can get back to having a life

 

Only Messages? Sorry. I didn't catch that part. I've never had reason to notice a difference. I get very few Messages. You could try going to the Watch app on the iPhone and changing the Alerts to Repeat Alerts to more than once. It might help. You have to choose Custom to do this.

This doesn't put three dings in a row. It just alerts you up to the number you set, if you don't acknowledge it the first time: about a minute later.

So, multiple chances not to hear it.

 

Other random thoughts.

Also, did you try the Prominent Haptics setting? It won't affect the sound, of course, but if you're having trouble feeling the taps, this might help.

I've also noticed that the bell sound is very high pitched. If you have any hearing loss in the high frequencies, maybe that's part of the problem.

Or it could just be an unusually quite watch. If you have an Apple Store nearby you could make a Genius appointment and ask them to check it out. Those are free.

And that pretty much uses up my ideas.

 

I also have had this problem since day 1. I have discussed this with several Tech people with Apple and the only fix is a change in software to provide an option for a different sound for text notifications. I am hearing impaired and cannot hear high pitch sounds. This is a high pitch sound, others can hear my sound but I cannot. I have no problem with the other notifications. My watch does vibrate when a text comes in but it is not always felt; depending on what I am doing at the time. There certainly must be enough people in this world with this problem to justify Apple changing the software to give us a option.

 

I had this problem with my Series 5 Apple Watch. I could not hear the message and email audible alerts.

After I received my Series 6 watch last week I spoke with Apple Support and they told me to activate the Prominent option under the Sounds & Haptics settings. I believe this only changes the intensity of the haptic alert but the Support Person was adamant that it also increases the volume of the alerts. That said, making this change did enable me to start hearing the alerts on a regular basis.

As other posters have mentioned, these two alerts seem to be higher in frequency and shorter in duration than other Apple Watch alerts. I think this does cause issues for older individuals and people who suffer from tinnitus. I'm 71 and have had tinnitus all my life. The frequency of these two alerts seems fairly close in frequency to the sound I hear all the time due to tinnitus.

I believe Apple really does need to think about changing these two alert sounds to make them a bit more user friendly for seniors.