To shut off an Apple Watch, take it off the charger, press and hold the side button until the sliders appear, tap the power button in the top-right corner, and drag the Power Off slider to the right. To turn it back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
These steps come from Apple’s Turn Apple Watch on or off and Restart Apple Watch guides.
In this article:
- Turn off an Apple Watch
- Turn it back on
- Restart your watch and iPhone
- Force restart a frozen watch
- If your watch won’t turn on
- Save battery without turning it off
- FAQs
How to Turn Off an Apple Watch
- If the watch is charging, take it off the charger. Apple notes that you can’t restart it while it is charging.
- Press and hold the side button (the flat button under the Digital Crown) until the sliders appear.
- Tap the power button in the top-right corner.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right.
Result: The screen goes dark and the watch shuts down completely.
How to Turn On an Apple Watch
Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. Apple says the watch face appears when Apple Watch is on. If nothing happens, the watch may need to charge, or you may need to force it to restart. If it still will not power on and you need to contact Apple, you can find the Apple Watch serial number on the case without turning the watch on.
How to Restart Your Apple Watch and iPhone
Apple suggests that if something isn’t working right, restart both your Apple Watch and its paired iPhone:
- Turn off the watch with the steps above, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
- Turn off your iPhone. On models with Face ID, press and hold the side button and a volume button, then drag the slider. On models without Face ID, press and hold the side or top button. On any model, you can also go to Settings > General > Shut Down.
- Turn your iPhone back on by holding the side or top button until the Apple logo appears.
Result: Both devices start fresh, which often clears small glitches.
How to Force Restart a Frozen Apple Watch
Apple says to force a restart only if you can’t turn off your Apple Watch normally or the problem continues.
- Press and hold the side button and the Digital Crown at the same time.
- Keep holding for at least 10 seconds.
- Let go when you see the Apple logo.
What to Do If Your Apple Watch Won’t Turn On
Apple’s won’t turn on or won’t charge article covers the most common causes:
- Red lightning bolt: the battery is too low to turn on. When you connect the charger, it changes to a red lightning bolt inside a ring.
- Blank screen or charging cable icon: you might need to charge the watch for up to 30 minutes before it turns on.
- No lightning bolt on the charger: use the Apple magnetic charging cable that came with the watch, plug the cable and adapter in all the way, reposition the watch so the magnets align, and make sure the back of the watch and the charger are clean, with any plastic wrap removed.
- Still won’t charge: force restart the watch by holding the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds.
How to Save Battery Without Turning Off Your Watch
You don’t need to power off your Apple Watch to save battery. Apple’s battery guide suggests Low Power Mode instead: press the side button to open Control Center, tap the battery percentage, tap Low Power Mode, then tap Turn On or Turn On For and choose a duration.
Apple notes that Low Power Mode turns off features such as Always On Display and background heart rate and blood oxygen measurements, and some notifications may be delayed. The watch also asks if you want to turn it on when the battery drops to 10 percent or lower.
To keep fewer features running all the time, see how to turn off heart rate tracking on Apple Watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I turn off my watch while it’s charging?
Apple says to disconnect it from the charger first. You can’t restart an Apple Watch while it is charging.
Should I turn off my Apple Watch at night?
You don’t need to. If you want to save battery, use Low Power Mode instead.
How do I update my Apple Watch?
See how to update your Apple Watch.
Related Guides
- What the icons on Apple Watch mean
- How to manage your Apple Watch passcode
- How to silence an Apple Watch
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.