About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch

Learn about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for your Apple Watch and how your watch uses both. And learn how cellular on GPS + Cellular models fits in.

To enjoy every feature on your Apple Watch, you need to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your paired iPhone. Open Control Center on your iPhone, then make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on.

Your Apple Watch uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to communicate with your paired iPhone. If you have cellular, your watch can also stay connected through a cellular network. Your watch switches between these intelligently to choose the most power-efficient connection. Here's how:

iPhone Control Center showing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Your Apple Watch uses Bluetooth when your iPhone is near, which conserves power.
If Bluetooth isn’t available, your Apple Watch will try to use Wi-Fi. For example, if compatible Wi-Fi is available and your iPhone isn't in Bluetooth range, your Apple Watch uses Wi-Fi.
If Bluetooth and Wi-Fi aren't available, and you set up a cellular plan, cellular models of Apple Watch can connect to cellular networks.

Connect to a compatible Wi-Fi network

Your Apple Watch can connect to a Wi-Fi network:

If your iPhone, while connected to your watch with Bluetooth, has connected to the network before.
If the Wi-Fi network is 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz (or 5 GHz if you have Apple Watch Series 6).

When your Apple Watch connects to a compatible Wi-Fi network instead of your iPhone connection, the Wi-Fi icon appears in Control Center.

Your Apple Watch won't connect to public networks that require logins, subscriptions, or profiles.

Choose a Wi-Fi network

With watchOS 5 or later, you can choose which Wi-Fi network your Apple Watch connects to.

Turn Wi-Fi off or on

To open Control Center, press the side button (for watchOS 9 or earlier, touch and hold the bottom of the screen, then swipe up). Tap the Wi-Fi icon. The icon dims and your device disconnects from any network that you're connected to.

Only Apple Watch GPS + Cellular models can disconnect from Wi-Fi networks. After you disconnect, your Apple Watch won't automatically re-join the Wi-Fi network that you disconnected from until:

You turn on Wi-Fi in Control Center.
You walk or drive to a new location.
It's 5:00 a.m. local time.
You restart your device.

Use a cellular network

Apple Watch GPS + Cellular models can connect to cellular. With a cellular connection, you can make calls and use data or apps when you don’t have your iPhone or Wi-Fi. Learn how to add your Apple Watch to your cellular plan.

Check your signal strength

To open Control Center, press the side button (for watchOS 9 or earlier, touch and hold the bottom of the screen, then swipe up). Check the Cellular button.

Apple Watch Control Center showing cellular connection

The Cellular button turns green when you have a connection. The number of bars indicates signal strength.

Apple Watch Control Center showing Wi-Fi connection

The Cellular button turns white when your cellular plan is active, but your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone or Wi-Fi.

Turn cellular off or on

To open Control Center, press the side button (for watchOS 9 or earlier, touch and hold the bottom of the screen, then swipe up). Tap the Cellular button, then turn off Cellular.

Some apps might not update without a connection to your iPhone.

Check the connection between your iPhone and Apple Watch

Check your watch face. If you see the red Disconnected icon or the red X icon on the watch face, you don't have a connection.
Check Control Center by pressing the side button (for watchOS 9 or earlier, touch and hold the bottom of the screen, then swipe up). If you see the red Disconnected icon or the red X icon, you don't have a connection.
Tap the iPhone icon in Control Center. If your devices are connected, your iPhone should make a "ping" sound.