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