- Your Apple Watch may not be charging due to a software bug. With WatchOS 8.3, for instance, some Apple Watches had trouble charging, particularly with third-party chargers. As such, it is advisable to update the wearable and try again.
- A completely drained battery takes a long time to charge. Try leaving your Apple Watch on charge for a few hours.
- If you were out and about in the sun, give the wearable some time to cool down before plugging it in.
Basic Fixes:
- Clean the rear surface of the Watch and charging puck : Dust and sweat can accumulate on your Apple Watch if worn daily. Use a microfiber cloth and lens cleaning solution to clean the area around the charger and the back of the device. Once done, charge the wearable again.
- Remove any external case : A poorly fitting case for your Apple Watch may come in the way of its charging chops. Remove the external case from the Apple Watch and try again.
- Use the original charger : The Apple Watch uses a proprietary charging solution and ships with a wireless charger. If you were using a third-party charger, try and charge the wearable with the original charger instead.
- Temporarily disable optimized battery charging: Your Apple Watch learns from your daily charging habits to improve the battery’s lifespan. That said, try disabling the feature to see if it helps solve the issue. To do so, head to the settings app > Battery > Battery Health tab from the subsequent menu > disable it.
Fix 1: Force Reset the Apple Watch
Sometimes, the solution to many problems is a simple reboot or reset. Press and hold the side button of the Apple Watch along with the digital crown simultaneously for 10 seconds. Release the buttons when you see the Apple logo.
Your Apple Watch will restart. Note that you’re rebooting your watch by doing this. It will not wipe your data.
Fix 2: Factory Reset Your Apple Watch
If the software is faulty and no update is available, your best option is to factory reset the Apple Watch. This will erase all your data on the Watch, so ensure you take a backup before proceeding.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch
Step 2: Select General . Then, scroll down and tap on Reset .
Step 3: Tap on Erase All Content and Settings .
Fix 3: Visit an Apple-Authorized Service Center
If all the previous troubleshooting steps fail, there may be a hardware issue with your Apple Watch. You can find your nearest service center by visiting Apple’s Store Locator page.
The Apple Watch uses a proprietary charging puck. So, you cannot use a standard Qi charger to juice your Apple Watch.
If you don’t wear your Apple Watch for sleep tracking , you can charge it overnight without issues.
Time to Charge Up
The above tips should help restore your Apple Watch’s charging ability. It’s a good practice not to let your Apple Watch’s battery die completely, as it can cause battery issues.
