My Apple Watch is like my personal assistant. With Siri always being at my beck and call, I have gotten so used to having it on my wrist that I can’t fathom a time when my Apple Watch won’t turn on.
If you, too, have been struggling with a watch that is not turning on, no matter how many reboots you try, here are some fixes for you!
7 Fixes for Apple Watch that won’t turn on
Fix 1: Force Restart your Apple Watch
In order to force restart an Apple Watch, press and hold the Digital Crown and the Side button simultaneously for about 10-15 seconds. You can release the buttons once the Apple logo appears on the screen.
This might take a few attempts to work, and if it doesn’t, try the same restart method whilst placing the watch on its charger.
Fix 2: Turn off Power Reserve Mode
If your Apple Watch is not turning on, it may be because it is in Power Reserve mode. Power Reserve mode keeps the watch functions limited and only shows the time in order to preserve battery.
To exit the Apple Watch from Power Reserve mode, press and hold the Side button for a few seconds until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Fix 3: Turn off Screen Curtain
An interesting feature of the Apple devices is Screen Curtain, which turns the screen off on your device when VoiceOver is enabled. To turn this off, head to the Watch app on your iPhone and tap Accessibility under the My Watch tab. Tap VoiceOver and toggle the Screen Curtain off.
Fix 4: Change your charger
Try putting your watch on the charger for about an hour, and if it still doesn’t turn on, check the connection between the charging cable and the power adapter. Also, check if the charger is working with another Apple Watch. If not, try charging the Apple Watch with a different charging cable and adapter.
Fix 5: Drain your Apple Watch completely and charge it again
If your Apple Watch is not turning on despite many efforts, put it on charge and see if it still has battery. If you see a lightning bolt appear on the screen, it means the watch has battery left. Leave it be and let it completely drain before you put it back on charge.
This time, you should see a charger logo signifying that the battery is completely dead. Charge the watch for at least 30 minutes to see if it works for you. This fix has personally worked for me, so I can vouch for it!
Fix 6: Freeze your frozen Apple Watch
So there is this weird hack on the internet where if you chuck your Apple Watch in the freezer for about 15 minutes, it gets it working. And as weird as it may sound, apparently, it works.
While I haven’t had a chance to verify it personally, the results posted online are convincing enough to give it a shot if nothing else is working.
Fix 7: Contact Apple Support
If none of the fixes work for you, contact Apple Support. They might suggest that you send your Apple Watch for repairs.
Common Reasons Your Apple Watch Isn’t Turning On
- A depleted battery can be the cause of your Apple Watch not turning on.
- A temporary glitch in the software.
- A buggy software update.
- Accidental turning on of the Power Reserve mode.
- A faulty charging cable or plug.
- The overheating issue of the Apple Watch.
- A hardware failure, such as a damaged screen, might be causing this issue.
Wrap Up
Apple Watch not turning on can be one of the most frustrating things, especially if you use it for everyday activities. The fixes above can be helpful in reviving your watch to its normal working. If this has happened to you before, and something has worked for you, which I might have skipped, let me know in the comments below.
