Set up cellular on Apple Watch
With a mobile connection on Apple Watch, you can make calls, reply to messages, receive notifications and more – even while you’re away from your iPhone.
Before you start
Make sure you have the latest software on your iPhone and your Apple Watch.
Check for updates to your network provider settings.
Make sure you have an eligible mobile data plan with a supported network provider. Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same network provider,* and you must be within your provider’s network when you set up mobile on your watch.
If you have an enterprise or corporate mobile data plan, check with your company or network provider to see if they support this feature. Pre-paid accounts and some older accounts aren’t currently supported. To make sure that your account is eligible, contact your network provider.
* An Apple Watch you set up for a family member can use a different network provider than your iPhone uses.
Set up cellular on Apple Watch
You can activate cellular when you first set up your Apple Watch, or when you set up a watch for a family member. During setup, look for the option to set up mobile, then follow the onscreen steps.
You can also set up cellular later from the Apple Watch app:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile.
Tap Set Up Cellular.
Follow the instructions for your network provider. You may need to contact your network provider for help.
You might see a phone number assigned to your Apple Watch that differs from the phone number assigned to your iPhone. The number shown for your Apple Watch is for your network provider's billing or tracking purposes only; your iPhone and Apple Watch share the same number.
Set up cellular on a family member's Apple Watch
You can set up a mobile Apple Watch for a family member If your network provider supports the use of a managed Apple Watch, you're given the option to add the watch to your plan during setup. Look for the option to set up mobile, then follow the onscreen steps. If your network provider doesn’t support mobile on a managed Apple Watch, you might be able to use an alternative network provider.
If you don’t initially set up mobile on your family member's Apple Watch, you can do it later:
Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap All Watches, tap your family member's Apple Watch, then tap Done.
Tap Mobile, then tap Set Up Mobile.
Follow the instructions for your network provider. You may need to contact your network provider for help.
To see the phone number assigned to your family member's Apple Watch after you’ve set up cellular, go to Settings on the watch, then tap Phone.
Setting up a managed Apple Watch for a family member is available only in certain countries or regions.
If you're in mainland China, you must verify your identity when setting up mobile on a family member’s Apple Watch, as required by local regulations. Contact your network provider for further assistance if needed.
Connect to a mobile data network
Your Apple Watch with cellular automatically switches to the most power-efficient wireless available: it can connect to your iPhone when itʼs nearby, a Wi-Fi or cellular network. When your watch connects to cellular, it uses LTE networks. If LTE isn't available, your watch will try to connect to UMTS if your network provider supports it.
When your watch connects to a mobile network, you can check the signal strength from Control Centre or the Mobile complication you can add to most watch faces. To open Control Centre, touch and hold the bottom of the screen, then swipe up.
The Cellular button turns green when you have a connection. The green bars show the signal strength.
The Mobile button turns white when your mobile plan is active, but your watch is connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your iPhone.
Find out what your Apple Watch can do while connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile network, even when your iPhone isn't nearby.
Changing network providers
Your iPhone and Apple Watch If you change network providers on your iPhone, you need to remove the previous service plan on your Apple Watch and sign up for a new plan.* Here’s how:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile.
Your Apple Watch should automatically switch to the network provider 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.
If you need help, contact your network provider.
* Network provider fees may apply. Contact your network provider for details.
Transfer your mobile plan to a new Apple Watch
When you’re ready to start using a new Apple Watch, you can transfer cellular service from your old watch to your new one. Here’s how:
Remove the mobile plan from your old Apple Watch.
Pair your new Apple Watch with your iPhone. During setup, tap “Set up Cellular” to add a mobile plan.
Some network providers allow you to transfer your existing plan to your new Apple Watch directly from the Apple Watch app.
If you can’t see an option to transfer your mobile plan, contact your network provider for help.
Remove your mobile plan
You can remove your mobile plan at any time:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile.
Tap the information button
next to your mobile plan at the top of the screen. Tap Remove [network provider] Plan. Tap again to confirm.
You might need to contact your network provider to cancel your mobile subscription.*
When you erase and unpair your Apple Watch, you also get the option to remove the plan from your Apple Watch. When asked, choose Erase All to remove the plan.
* Network provider fees may apply. Contact your network provider for details.
International roaming with your Apple Watch
With watchOS 9.1 and later, international roaming is available on mobile models of Apple Watch Series 5 and later, Apple Watch SE and later, and Apple Watch Ultra.
To get international roaming on your Apple Watch, contact your iPhone network provider to add your watch to your iPhone mobile roaming plan. For international roaming to work on your Apple Watch, your network provider must support VoLTE and roaming. Not all network providers support international roaming on Apple Watch and coverage in other countries is determined by your network provider.
To turn on international roaming, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Tap Mobile, then turn on Data Roaming.
International roaming is not supported for mobile models of Apple Watch used in Family Setup.
To cover the LTE and UMTS bands used around the world, mobile models of Apple Watch come in regional models for the Americas, China mainland and Europe/Asia Pacific. Unlike iPhone, there isn't a worldwide Apple Watch model that supports all cellular bands used globally. Find out which network providers in your country or region offer cellular service for Apple Watch.
Find out more
To check your mobile data usage, use the Apple Watch app. Open the app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, tap Cellular, then scroll to the Mobile Data Usage section.
To turn your mobile connection on or off, swipe up from the watch face to open Control Centre. Tap the Mobile button
, then turn Mobile on or off.Turning on cellular for extended periods uses more battery power. Also, some apps may not update without a connection to your iPhone.
To receive SMS, MMS or push notifications from third-party apps on your Apple Watch with cellular, your paired iPhone must be powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.
Find out how to use Dual SIM with mobile models of Apple Watch.
