Owning an Apple Watch reduces the need to carry your iPhone around all the time. But how can you extend your Apple Watch battery life to enjoy the convenience it provides? We’ve compiled a list of tips that will help maximize your Apple Watch battery to ensure it lasts all day or longer on a single charge.
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Content
- 1. Enable Low Power Mode
- 2. Disable Wake Screen on Wrist Raise
- 3. Turn Off Always On
- 4. Keep Bluetooth Enabled on iPhone
- 5. Reduce Brightness
- 6. Use Dark Watch Faces
- 7. Avoid Constant Media Playback
- 8. Disable Background App Refresh
- 9. Change iPhone Mirroring Settings in Apps
- 10. Use Theater Mode
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. Enable Low Power Mode
Turning on Low Power Mode on your Apple Watch reduces battery consumption, as it turns off the Always On Display while limiting sensors (e.g., heart sensors, accelerometer, etc.) and Wi-Fi connection.
From the Watch app, go to “Workout -> Low Power Mode” to turn it on.
Note: the feature can also be enabled via your iPhone – but only when you’re about to start a workout with the Apple Watch.
The downsides to enabling Low Power Mode include delayed notifications and the inability to use features that require sensors to work. If you’re looking to prolong your Apple Watch battery because you don’t have access to a charger or your iPhone, turning on Low Power Mode will help extend its battery life.
2. Disable Wake Screen on Wrist Raise
Sometimes your Apple Watch’s screen will accidentally wake when moving your arm and, in the process, consume some of that precious battery life. To maximize your Apple Watch battery, it’s best to disable the “Wake Screen on Wrist Raise” feature so that your Apple Watch screen stays in sleep mode until you intentionally wake it up by tapping the screen, pressing the Digital Crown, or turning the Digital Crown.
- Go to “Settings” on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and tap “Display & Brightness.”
- Scroll down to the “Wake” section and tap the switch beside “Wake Screen on Wrist Raise” to disable it.
You can also disable “Wake Screen on Wrist Raise” on your iPhone using the Watch app:
- In the Watch app, go to “Display & Brightness.”
- Under the “Wake” section, tap the switch beside “Wake Screen on Wrist Raise” to disable it.
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3. Turn Off Always On
In Apple Watch Series 5 or higher (except SE), you can keep your display on to show the time and other data. Since the screen is constantly on, more battery power is consumed. This isn’t ideal if you don’t have a charging outlet nearby.
Note: if you’ve turned off “Always On and Wake Screen on Wrist Raise,” you have to tap the display, press the Digital Crown, or turn the Digital Crown to wake your screen.
- Go to “Settings -> Display & Brightness.” on your Apple Watch.
- Find and tap “Always On.”
- Turn off “Always On” by tapping the switch beside it.
You can also change it on your iPhone.
- Go to “Settings -> Display & Brightness” in your Watch app.
- Tap “Always On.”
- Press the switch beside “Always On” to disable the feature.
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4. Keep Bluetooth Enabled on iPhone
Your Apple Watch uses Bluetooth LE to connect to your iPhone. Bluetooth LE consumes less power than regular Bluetooth. Aside from this connection method, your Apple Watch can also connect to your iPhone using Wi-Fi, which eats up more power. If you want to minimize Apple Watch battery consumption, keep Bluetooth enabled on your iPhone so that your watch connects to it using the more economic method.
- Pull up Control Center on your mobile device.
- Tap the Bluetooth icon to enable it.
Note: the icon should turn blue when it’s enabled, white when it’s disabled until the next day, and gray when it’s disabled until you turn it on manually.
5. Reduce Brightness
You can further reduce how much battery your Apple Watch consumes by reducing the brightness of the display.
- Go to “Settings -> Display & Brightness” on your Apple Watch.
- Under “Appearance,” choose the lowest brightness level by tapping on the sun icon on the left.
On your iPhone:
- Launch the Watch app and go to “Display & Brightness.”
- Pick the lowest brightness level by tapping or dragging the white circle to the leftmost part of the “Brightness” bar.
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6. Use Dark Watch Faces
Another strategy for conserving battery power is to opt for dark watch faces. When you use this type of watch face, fewer pixels are turned on, which means less power is consumed.
Switch between the watch faces you’ve added to your Watch via the app’s “My Faces” function.
- Press the Digital Crown or put your palm on your Apple Watch’s screen to go to the current watch face.
- Press and hold your watch face, then swipe left or right in “My Faces” to opt for a dark watch face.
On your iPhone:
- In the Watch app, tap on the watch face you want to use under “My Faces.”
- Scroll down and tap “Set as Current Watch Face.”
7. Avoid Constant Media Playback
While it’s convenient to listen to music on your Apple Watch with a compatible Bluetooth device, your Apple Watch battery life will take a toll. The consumption is even bigger if you have a cellular Apple Watch, as you can stream music that’s not downloaded to your Apple Watch.
If you’ll be listening to music for hours, we highly recommend bringing your iPhone and playing music from there. This is vital in conserving battery power if you won’t be able to charge your Apple Watch when its battery gets low.
8. Disable Background App Refresh
The Background App Refresh feature on your Apple Watch checks for updates and new content for your apps even when they’re not in use. This consumes battery power, as your apps constantly refresh to get new content in the background. To maximize your Apple Watch battery, we recommend disabling this feature on the wearable as well as iPhone.
- Go to “Settings -> General” on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and look for “Background App Refresh.” Tap on it.
- In the “Background App Refresh” screen, tap the switch to turn it off.
On your iPhone:
- Launch the Watch app and go to “General.”
- Scroll down and tap “Background App Refresh.”
- Tap the switch beside “Background App Refresh” to disable it for all apps. You can also disable it for some apps and keep it enabled for others.
9. Change iPhone Mirroring Settings in Apps
iPhone Mirroring lets your Apple Watch sync content for apps like Calendar, Mail, Messages, etc. With this feature, these apps, which are also installed on your Apple Watch, will get the same notifications and content.
If you always have your iPhone in hand while wearing your Apple Watch, this feature is rather redundant and needlessly consumes battery power. You can only disable and enable iPhone mirroring in the Watch app.
- Launch the Watch app.
- Scroll down and tap on the app in which you wish to change the iPhone mirroring settings.
- Under “Notifications,” tap “Custom” and configure your notifications and content mirroring settings. The process is the same for all other apps.
- Move on to the next “Mirror my iPhone” button below the app name and tap “Custom.” Change the settings according to your needs.
10. Use Theater Mode
Theater Mode is best enabled when you find yourself in a dark environment or in a setting where disturbance is frowned upon, like in meetings or theaters. It also saves battery power, as you won’t get any notifications, and the screen will remain turned off. You can turn Theater Mode on from your Apple Watch but not your iPhone.
- Pull up Control Center.
- Tap the theater icon to enable Theater Mode. Tap the same icon to disable it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my Apple Watch battery last?
Without Low Power Mode enabled, the latest Apple Watch Ultra should last you up to 36 hours according to Apple. If you’re using an older model like the Series 7, you should get up to 18 hours of battery life. These figures will vary based on individual usage patterns.
Can I charge my Apple Watch using a power bank or laptop?
If there’s no available wall socket near you, charge your Apple Watch using a power bank or laptop with a USB Type-C port.
Can I have my Apple Watch battery replaced?
Apple offers Apple Watch battery replacement services and other repairs. You can also get a battery replacement service from a third-party repair provider you trust.
Image credit: fancycrave1 via Pixabay. All screenshots by Natalie dela Vega
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Natalie dela Vega
Natalie is a writer specializing in tech how-tos and gaming. When she’s not writing, she plays PC games and travels. Here at MakeTechEasier, you will see her write about guides, tips, and solutions for Windows and iOS.
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