How to turn on Apple Watch

Whether you just got your wearable or you just haven’t needed to turn it on in a while, read along with our guide for how to turn on Apple Watch.

It can be a rare instance when you need to turn on Apple Watch but whether you’re trying to fix a bug or it completely died on you, we’ll cover how to power on your wearable as well as turn it off below.

We’ll also look at what to do if your wearable won’t charge.

How to turn on Apple Watch

1. Locate the side button (oval/pill shape) next to the Digital Crown
2. Press and hold the side button for 3-5 seconds to turn it on
3. If it doesn’t power on, place your watch on the charger
   • If it doesn’t charge, try a different outlet and/or a different charger if possible
   • Ideally, use the original charger that came with your watch
   • Make sure your wearable and charger are both clean
4. If the battery is very low, a red lightning bolt will appear, that will turn green when it starts charging
5. Let your Apple Watch charge for at least 30 minutes
6. If it’s still not responding or charging, try a force restart

If you’re still having trouble, reach out to Apple Support or head to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider

Here’s the side button if you’re unsure:

To turn off Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until you see the power off screen, then slide the power off slider to the right on watchOS 8 or earlier.

For watchOS 9, press and hold the side button, tap the power icon button in the top right corner of your screen, then slide the power off slider to the right.

Read more 9to5Mac tutorials:

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• iPhone Lockdown Mode coming in iOS 16, here’s how it works
• How to see your steps with Apple Watch including distance and trends
• Apple Watch: How to see calories burned – active, passive, and total
• Use iMac as monitor: How to create a Mac to Mac, PC to Mac, or iPad to Mac setup

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