Use Apple Watch without its paired iPhone (2024)

FAQs

Use Apple Watch without its paired iPhone? ›

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

To connect your Apple Watch with an Android smartphone, you need: An unlocked Apple Watch with cellular + Wi-Fi. An unlocked Android smartphone. An unlocked iPhone 6 or later.

If you don't have access to the paired iPhone or the “Unlock with iPhone” feature is disabled, you can use iCloud to unlock your Apple Watch. Here's how: Open a web browser and visit icloud.com/find. Log in using your Apple ID and password.

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.

If you don't have the paired iPhone, you can erase your Apple Watch, but Activation Lock will remain. If you're using your Apple Watch with a transit card in the Wallet app, remove your transit card from your Apple Watch before you unpair.

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.

Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.

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.

Can Apple Watch be paired with Android? ›

In short, no. You cannot pair or use an Apple Watch with an Android phone. The Apple Watch will only function with iPhones, which isn't ever likely to change. You'll need an iPhone with the Watch app to activate an Apple Watch.

You cannot directly pair an Apple Watch to an iPad.

When your iPhone is 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 cellular network if it's a cellular model. And if you've set up an Apple Watch for a family member, they can use a cellular or Wi-Fi connection with their watch.

Take the watch to the local police department and let them handle it. As for keeping it you can't do that either as it is Activation Locked to the original owner and would require cooperation from the original owner to use it. Sorry, it's all about security and privacy.

And thanks to Activation Lock, your Apple ID and password are required before anyone can erase your Apple Watch and use it with their iPhone. When you use Find My: Apple Watch with GPS and cellular can use GPS and a trusted Wi-Fi or cellular connection to show you its approximate location.

You can't install the Watch app on the iPad, and the Apple Watch can't be paired with or managed from the iPad. You need to pair your Apple Watch with an iPhone to use it.

Cellular is not required to make or take calls or send or receive messages. However, you will need either the paired iPhone nearby, or if the iPhone is not nearby, a Wifi connection for the watch, and for the paired iPhone to be on, and have a cellular data connection or wifi available as well.

Unpair Apple Watch from the paired iPhone

Tap the "i" button. next to the watch that you want to unpair, then tap Unpair Apple Watch. Tap again to confirm, then wait for the watch to unpair. After Apple Watch unpairs, you can pair again.