[Update: Fix Coming] Wear OS 5.1 Update Causing Delayed Notifications And Other Bugs

After no updates since November 2024, the March 2025 patch brought with it a sizable Wear OS 5.1 update to Pixel Watch hardware. However, it appears that the Wear OS 5.1 update has a few bugs in tow.

[Update 03/26]: A fix will be incoming for the issues that many have encountered around the Wear OS 5.1 update, with a Google spokesperson offering this tidbit with an OTA likely coming before June to address these bugs and notification delays:

We’re aware of an issue affecting a very small number of Pixel Watch users, where they are experiencing delayed notifications on their device after taking the March update. We are currently investigating the situation, and to address it as quickly as possible – we’ll share more details when a fix is ready.

According to reports on the /r/PixelWatch subreddit¹ (h/t Android Police), some Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 owners have had problems with delayed or missing notifications after updating to Wear OS 5.1 over the past week. The OTA has been rolling out since March 18, so it should be available quite widely as of now.

Delayed notifications appear to be one the most common bugs affecting the Wear OS 5.1 update right now, but other issues appear to be sporadic, like watch face editing causing crashes, Fitbit syncing not being up to speed, and touch screen freezes.

What’s annoying for those affected is that even a factory reset doesn’t remove the bugs and issues some have encountered since the Wear OS 5.1 OTA arrived on their Pixel Watch devices. A temporary reprieve is to restart your Pixel Watch. Sadly, this only cures the problems for a brief period.

To compound the issues, Google’s new update timeline for the Pixel Watch means that it will be months before a potential fix is issued. That said, Google could offer fixes earlier if enough people are affected. We have reached out to Google for a comment on this and will update our coverage should this be addressed.

Let us know if you are having issues or seeing bugs on your Pixel Watch after updating to Wear OS 5.1 down in the comments section below.