The Apple Watch is one of Apple's most popular accessories. It's built to assist you with nearly every aspect of your daily life, from exercising to sleeping.
However, it's not always clear what sort of devices the Apple Watch can connect to. If you're an avid Apple user, you might wonder if you can connect the Watch to your iPad, as well as your iPhone.
Here's everything you need to know.
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Check out the products mentioned in this article:
iPad (From $329.99 at Best Buy)
iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)
Apple Watch Series 5 (From $399 at Best Buy)
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Your Apple Watch won't work with an iPad —here are the devices that the Apple Watch works with
In brief: No, the Apple Watch won't work with an iPad. The Apple Watch is designed to be paired with an iPhone, and isn't compatible with the iPad in any way.
It's not even possible to install the Watch app on the iPad, since Apple has ensured that it won't appear in the App Store when you search for it using an iPad. This may be disappointing news for people who don't have iPhones but do carry an iPad.
And unfortunately, Apple hasn't indicated any intention to update the Apple Watch so it can be paired and used with an iPad.
The Apple Watch isn't a standalone device, either — most models require an iPhone 5S or later for initial setup, as well as installing watch faces and apps. The Apple Watch Series 5 and cellular versions of the Apple Watch require an iPhone 6 or later.
The Watch also needs to stay paired with an iPhone throughout the day for many common tasks, since a lot of features rely on the greater processing power of the iPhone to work properly. For example, Siri on the Apple Watch won't work if your Apple Watch isn't near your iPhone.
Apple Watch models with cellular connectivity have somewhat greater autonomy. A Watch with a cellular connection can place phone calls and text messages, as well as stream music, for example.
For information on how to use your Apple Watch without a phone nearby, check out our article, "'Does the Apple Watch work without an iPhone?': Yes, but you might still need an internet connection — here's what you need to know."
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Dave Johnson
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
