The Apple Watch remains one of the most sought-after accessories from Apple. It’s built to help with virtually every facet of your daily life, from sleeping to jogging, weight-watching, and exercising. However, there seems to be some confusion about the types of devices that work with the Apple Watch. If you’re an Apple aficionado, you’re may wonder if it’s possible to connect your Apple Watch to the iPad instead of your iPhone.
The Apple Watch can’t connect with the iPad and it’s not even possible to install the Apple Watch app on the tablet. The Apple Watch is designed to work with the iPhone and many watch functions only work when the phone is nearby. There are smartwatches with LTE designed to be used without a phone.
So if you own an iPad but don’t have an iPhone, it’s impossible to use your Apple Watch — you won’t be able to connect and configure it. There’s really no alternative solution. But let’s take a more in-depth look at why the Apple Watch doesn’t work with the iPad and how you can use your Apple Watch without an iPhone present.
Does Apple Watch Work With iPad?
No, the Apple Watch (on Amazon) doesn’t work with the iPad. The Apple Watch is designed to work with the iPhone and has zero compatibility with the iPad.
It’s even impossible to install the Apple Watch app on an iPad because Apple has made sure that the Watch app doesn’t show up on the app store when you search for it on an iPad. People who don’t own iPhones but who do have an iPad may find this very disappointing.
Unfortunately, Apple has no plans to update the Apple Watch to give it the capability to pair with and be used in collaboration with the iPad. Additionally, the Apple Watch isn’t a standalone device; the different versions need an iPhone (5S or newer) for initial setup as well as the installation of various apps and watch faces.
The Apple Watch Series 5 and the cellular models of the Apple Watch need an iPhone 6 or later to function optimally.
The Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone for many tasks. That’s because many features depend on the superior processing power of the iPhone to function properly. For instance, Siri won’t work on the Apple Watch if the Watch isn’t close to your iPhone.
Versions of the Apple Watch with cellular connectivity have some degree of autonomy. For example, a Watch with cellular connectivity can make phone calls, send text messages, and stream music without the phone nearby.
How to Use Apple Watch Without an iPhone
If you want to use your Apple Watch without an iPhone, you’ll need a version of the watch that includes the option for GPS + Cellular connectivity, such as the Apple Watch SE (on Amazon). This allows you to receive text messages, accept phone calls, and stream music on the Watch without using an iPhone.
However, you need to be careful as this type of usage runs down the battery faster and it isn’t recommended for use throughout the day. Also, you still need an iPhone in order to setup the Apple Watch initially.
Apple Watch, on its own, can do numerous things without being paired with the iPhone, and without a cellular connection. Some of these things are:
- Examine your sleep
- Measure your heartbeat
- Use as a stopwatch
- Track your steps
- Set a timer or alarm
- Give you an estimate of the calories burned for certain activities
- Use Passport and Apple Pay
- Observe your heart by using the ECG app and an electric heart sensor (on Apple Watch Series 3 and newer models).
- Connect to the internet. (As long as you connected to the same WiFi network in the past when your iPhone and Apple Watch were with you.)
- Stream music. The Apple Watch has storage for 2GB or more of music, which you can stream through Bluetooth headphones.
A lot of third-party, non-Apple apps will function without the iPhone, but others still need an iPhone to do most of the work.