Set up and use cellular service on Apple Watch Ultra (2024)

FAQs

Set up and use cellular service on Apple Watch Ultra? ›

Remove your Apple Watch, put on your Apple Watch Ultra, tap My Watch, then tap Cellular. Follow the instructions to activate your watch for cellular.

Remove your Apple Watch, put on your Apple Watch Ultra, tap My Watch, then tap Cellular. Follow the instructions to activate your watch for cellular.

Key Takeaways. Upgrading to a cellular Apple Watch comes with added cost, but it allows you to leave your iPhone behind while continuing to make phone calls and stream music. Both the cellular and GPS-only Apple Watch models have the same hardware, but the cellular version unlocks Family Setup and exclusive watch faces ...

Check to see if Airplane mode is activated on your Apple Watch or paired iPhone. If Airplane mode is on, turn it off to reactivate cellular connectivity. Check for updates to your carrier settings. Check your cellular carrier settings are up to date.

Apple Watch (GPS + Cellular) has an eSIM (embedded SIM) in it so there's no need to get a SIM card or transfer the SIM from another device. When you pair your Apple Watch to your iPhone, you will be prompted to set up cellular service and guided through a few simple steps.

Cellular is built into every Apple Watch Ultra 2. With a service plan, you can keep in touch almost anywhere, even when your iPhone is out of reach.

You only have to pay if you want to use your watch as a phone, independently of your iPhone. No, you do not have to pay a monthly charge to use your watch. As long as you have your paired iPhone with you, you can answer and make calls from your watch, send messages, etc., without paying the $10 monthly fee.

If your Apple Watch Ultra is connected to Wi-Fi

Get apps from the App Store. Send messages. Make phone calls (make phone calls if you have Wi-Fi calling enabled or want to make a FaceTime audio call and you're within range of a Wi-Fi network) Use Walkie-Talkie.

The cellular-enabled model is more expensive than the non-cellular offerings, plus, on top of that cost, no cellular provider is going to give away data for free, so there will either be an additional monthly data cost, or you will be sharing data with your iPhone, either way, it's likely to cost you more.

For all other models of Apple Watch, there are still things you can do even when you are away from your iPhone and not connected to Wi-Fi. Apple Watch has a built-in GPS that allows you to get more accurate distance and speed information during an outdoor workout without your paired iPhone.

How do I get my Apple Watch cellular to work? ›

Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular. Your Apple Watch should automatically switch to the carrier that your iPhone is using. If you need to add a new plan, tap Add a New Plan, then follow the onscreen steps. If your previous plan still appears in the Apple Watch app, you can remove it.

When your iPhone is turned off or out of range, your Apple Watch can use a Wi-Fi network to send and receive data. Your watch can also connect to a mobile network if it's a GPS + Cellular model. And if you've set up an Apple Watch for a family member, they can use a mobile or Wi-Fi connection with their watch.

An Apple Watch with just GPS needs to be connected to an iPhone, while a cellular Apple Watch can operate independently. The cost of an Apple Watch cellular plan can range between $10 and $20 per month. If you need multiple Apple Watch cellular plans, consider Family Setup to save money.

Remove your Apple Watch, put on your Apple Watch Ultra, tap My Watch, then tap Cellular. Follow the instructions to activate your watch for cellular.

Generally, the Apple Watch cellular stops working when there's a coverage issue, you run out of data on your plan, a mode is activated that turns off cellular connectivity, or a deeper issue related to your carrier or device hardware.

Once you have accessed the "Mobile Data" tab, choose the option "Add a Plan." This will display a catalog of carriers that endorse eSIM on Apple Watch. Simply select the carrier of your choice that you would like to use for your eSIM plan.

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.

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

You can't set up an Apple Watch without an iPhone, and even if you use a borrowed phone to set it up, unless you log into their phone with your own Apple ID for setup, you will receive the phone owner's texts, calls, app notifications etc if you are within range of the phone or the watch is on a WiFi network.