How to clean your Apple Watch

Learn how to clean your Apple Watch and band.

Clean and dry your Apple Watch

Keep your Apple Watch clean and dry. Liquid-free contact is required for ECG and other readings to work properly. Readings may be affected if the Apple Watch and/or skin aren’t entirely clean and dry. Clean your watch regularly to avoid a build-up of lotion or sun cream on the back crystal, which may affect sensor functionality. Soaps, cleaning products, abrasive materials*, compressed air, ultrasonic cleaning and external heat sources can cause damage and shouldn’t be used with your Apple Watch.

To clean your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.

2. If you have a leather band, remove it from your Apple Watch.

3. Wipe your Apple Watch clean with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water. If your Apple Watch has substances or debris visible in places such as the speaker ports, you can hold your Apple Watch under lightly running, warm, fresh water until it's clean. Soaps and other cleaning products shouldn’t be used. With Apple Watch Series 10, you can use a soft-bristle brush to remove debris from the speaker ports.

4. Dry your Apple Watch with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth, including the surface of the back crystal.

Clean and dry the Digital Crown

If the Digital Crown gets stuck or won’t move, check for debris and wipe down your Apple Watch. If you find substances around the Digital Crown, follow these steps to clean it, and repeat as needed:

1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.

2. If you have a leather band, remove it from your Apple Watch.

3. Hold the Digital Crown under lightly running, warm, fresh water from a tap. Soaps and other cleaning products shouldn't be used.

4. Turn and press the Digital Crown continuously as water runs over the small gap between the crown and the housing.

When the debris or substance has been washed away, dry your Apple Watch with an absorbent, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Rotate and press the Digital Crown as you dry it, and make sure you remove water from the surface of the Digital Crown, the space between the Digital Crown and the watch case, and the surrounding surfaces.

Clean and dry your Apple Watch band

Remove the band from your Apple Watch before cleaning. This cleaning information applies to Apple-branded bands only. For all other bands, follow the care information provided with the band.

For leather bands:

1. Wipe the leather portions of the bands clean with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water*. Don’t soak leather bands in water. The leather bands aren’t water resistant.

2. Let the band air dry thoroughly before you attach it to your Apple Watch. Don’t store leather bands in direct sunlight, at high temperatures or in high humidity.

For Solo Loop, Braided Solo Loop, Sport Band, Sport Loop, Ocean Band, Alpine Loop and Trail Loop:

1. Wipe the band clean with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water. With these bands, you can also use mild hypoallergenic hand soap for cleaning.

2. Dry the band with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth before you attach it to your Apple Watch.

For FineWoven bands, including Magnetic Link and Modern Buckle:

1. In a clean container, mix 1 tsp (5 ml) of washing liquid into 1 cup (250 ml) of water.

2. Dip a lint-free cloth into the soapy water solution, wring it out slightly and rub the cloth on the band gently for 1 minute.

3. Wipe the band clean with a separate cloth that’s dampened slightly with fresh water. Don’t soak FineWoven bands in water. This material is not water resistant.

4. Dry the band with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, making sure you remove any excess moisture.

5. Lay your band flat to dry for at least a day before you use it again.

For Hermès bands:

• Rubber: Clean the band with a non-abrasive, soft cloth and fresh water. If necessary, you can use soapy water to remove stains. Hermès rubber bands are swim-proof and aren’t sensitive to light or cosmetics.

• Knit: Clean the band with a non-abrasive, soft cloth. If necessary, dampen the cloth slightly with fresh water and gently rub the band to get rid of stains. Hermès knit is not swim-proof, so you should avoid getting it wet.

• Woven: Clean the band with a non-abrasive, soft cloth. If necessary, dampen the cloth slightly with fresh water and gently rub the band to get rid of stains. Hermès woven bands are swim-proof.

For all other bands, buckles and closures:

1. Wipe the band clean with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water.

2. Dry the band with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth before you attach it to your Apple Watch.

Tips to avoid skin irritation, or if you have allergies or skin sensitivities

• Wearing your Apple Watch with the right fit – not too tight, not too loose and with room for your skin to breathe – will keep you comfortable.

• Keeping your Apple Watch and bands – as well as your skin – clean and dry will maximise comfort and prevent long-term damage to the watch. This is especially important after workouts or exposure to liquids such as sweat, soap, sun cream and lotions that can potentially cause skin irritations.

• Pick the right Apple Watch and band. If you have known allergies or sensitivities to substances like metals or plastics, check the materials in each Apple Watch and band.

• Many third parties make accessory bands for Apple Watch. Such bands may not fit properly, may interfere with the Apple Watch Wrist Detect feature, may contain materials that cause skin sensitivities or other health concerns, and may even damage Apple Watch. For the best results, use only Apple-branded or Apple-authorised bands.