The latest Apple Watches have pretty great battery life, with around 18 hours per charge on the standard model and up to 60 hours on the Apple Watch Ultra. But even the most capable batteries need to be charged at least every now and then. So, how can you tell if your Apple Watch is charging as it should?
When your Apple Watch needs charging, a red lightning bolt will appear on the screen. Once the watch has been plugged in, the red lightning bolt changes to a yellow or green one. You can also see if your watch is charging by checking your iPhone’s Battery Widget in the Today View.
Charging your Apple Watch isn’t difficult, and it won’t take that long, but you need to get a few things right to successfully get your battery powered up. Let’s go through all the basics of charging your Apple Watch.
Charging Your Apple Watch
A red lightning symbol will appear when your Apple Watch (on Amazon) is low on battery and needs power. Once you’ve plugged it in, this symbol turns green to indicate that your watch is charging. The charging symbol will be yellow if the watch is in low power mode.
Your watch automatically turns off low power mode when the charge reaches 80%. During low power mode, your watch disables Always On Display, heart rate notifications, and blood oxygen measurements. It will also limit WiFi and cellular connections and delay certain notifications.
How to Charge an Apple Watch
Here’s how to charge your Apple Watch:
- Take off your watch before charging it as a precautionary measure.
- Plug your cable or charging dock into a USB power adapter.
- Now, plug the adapter into a power outlet. You can also plug the cable into a USB port.
- Place the back of your watch on the charger. The watch and charger’s magnets will align, and the charging icon will appear on your watch.
Your watch will go into Nightstand Mode unless you press the side button or digital crown.
How to Tell if Your Apple Watch Is Charging
You can tell if your Apple Watch is charging at a glance. Turn on the screen and look at its display. A lightning symbol should appear, implying that the watch is charging. If the watch had switched off completely after the battery got depleted, the charging symbol might take a bit to appear.
Checking the Apple Watch Battery From an iPhone
If you don’t have access to your watch, you can use your iPhone to check your watch’s charging status. To do this:
- On the Home Screen, swipe right to open Today View.
- Scroll down to the Batteries Widget.
- A lightning icon will appear on the watch symbol to show that it is charging.
What to Do if You Watch Isn’t Charging
A hardware or software problem may prevent your Apple Watch from charging. Try out the following methods to fix the issue:
Check Connections
First, check for a connection error. Your watch needs a solid connection for it to charge. If you’re using a dock or stand, confirm that they’re functional. You can also remove them and try to charge your watch separately.
Check that the cords are plugged in correctly on both ends. Also, the cords shouldn’t be damaged or frayed. If they are, replace them with other original ones and try charging.
The problem may also be the power outlet. Plug your charger and cables into a different outlet and see whether it will charge.
Restart Your Apple Watch
If there’s power left in your Apple Watch, restart it and then plug it in again. Rebooting your watch will clear out any bugs or glitches that may make it deplete faster than it should.
You can force restart your watch if it’s unresponsive. Press and hold the Digital Crown and Side button until the watch powers off. Leave it for a few seconds and press the Side button to power it back on. Try recharging it after it’s done rebooting.
Clean Watch and Charger
Dirt and debris accumulating on your charger and watch may be causing the problem. Use a damp cloth and clean the charging disk and the back of your watch. Remove any build-up that may be present. Dry the watch using a dry, soft cloth.
Your watch ships with a protective plastic on it. It’s nice to leave it on since it gives a shiny and new impression, but it could cause interference when charging. Remove it and try charging your watch.
See a Professional
If your watch still doesn’t work even after trying all these solutions, reach out to a professional for help. You could visit your local electronic repair shop or, better yet, schedule an appointment at the Apple Store. You will not incur any charges if you’re still covered under a warranty or AppleCare.
AppleWatch App
Here’s a Pro Tip you don’t want to miss out on. Download the BatteryPhone App for free from the App Store. It’s a very useful app that will notify you when your iPhone or Apple Watch is low on battery and needs charging. It will also tell you when the devices are full of charge and need to be disconnected from power.