Do I need my phone when I use my Apple Watch? (2024)

FAQs

Do I need my phone when I use my Apple Watch? ›

If your Apple Watch is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular

Use your Apple Watch without your iPhone nearby

With Apple Watch with cellular and an activated cellular plan, you can stay connected even when away from your iPhone.

If your cellular carrier offers Wi-Fi calling, you can use your Apple Watch to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi instead of the cellular network—even when your paired iPhone isn't with you or is turned off. Your Apple Watch just has to be within range of a Wi-Fi network that your iPhone has connected to in the past.

If your smartwatch has cellular connectivity and is capable of making and receiving phone calls and texts, then you can leave your phone at home and still use your smartwatch to stay connected.

The Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone. However, with a cellular watch, the phone does not need to be nearby for most operations.

If your Apple Watch is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular

With a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, your Apple Watch can do the following things, even if your iPhone isn't with you. Make and answer phone calls. Send and receive messages. Use Siri to get directions, send iMessages, and more.

The Apple Watch has built-in GPS in the device itself, so you can leave your iPhone at home and go for a run without it. They are completely independent.

For those people who want to get into a habit of leaving their iPhone behind in favor of an Apple Watch, it makes sense to have a cellular plan. Especially for those who run or take walks – with a cellular model, you don't need to keep a bulky iPhone with you to have access to calling, texting, music, and more.

Yes, your Apple Watch can count steps without being paired with your iPhone. While it can sync data with your phone to provide a more comprehensive overview of your fitness activity, the watch has its sensors and memory to track your steps independently.

It may be due to battery optimization. If your watch is in Extended or Time Only Mode, answering is disabled. If you want to save battery without losing access to calls, try creating your own experience in Custom Mode.

Which watch can make calls without a phone? ›

Standalone smartwatches have a built-in cellular connectivity that allows then to make calls or send messages without having it connected to a smartphone. How do you use these accessories? You can access the different functions and settings of your smartwatch by using their touchscreen, dials and buttons.

If it's a semi-smartwatch, the kind that has to be paired to a phone for you to do anything with it beyond telling the time, then it will have to be paired to your phone no matter what. On the other hand, if it's a full smartwatch, or at least a specialty watch, you should be able to use it without your phone.

With Family Setup, your family member who doesn't have their own iPhone can use their Apple Watch to do things like make phone calls, send messages, and share their location with you. After you set up a watch for a family member, you can use your iPhone to manage some of the watch's capabilities.

Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 cellular models with an active service plan allow you to make calls, send texts, and so much more — all without your iPhone.

You can set up and manage Apple Watch for someone who doesn't have their own iPhone—your school-aged child or parent, for example. To do so, you must be the family organizer or parent/guardian in your Family Sharing group.

The watch doesn't need to be connected to the same carrier as your Apple® iPhone® when setting up in Standalone mode for a family member. An Apple ID for yourself and one for the family member using the watch is needed. Your Apple ID needs to have two-factor authentication turned on.

You don't need a cellular plan, and Watch will provide all functions—except cellular access—when operating without a plan.

No. Apple Watch ONLY works with iPhones. Apple Watch DOES NOT work with ANY iPads ( especially very old iPads like the 2nd gen iPad) and DOES NOT work with ANY iPod Touches, either! The answer remains the same.