Why is my Apple Watch not charging?
Sit the watch flat on its magnetic charger and a bolt should appear on screen: green means it is charging, red means the battery is flat but charging. A completely flat watch can sit there for up to 30 minutes before the red bolt turns green, so give it that long before you worry.
What does the bolt on my Apple Watch mean?
- Green bolt: charging normally.
- Red bolt: the battery is flat. It is still charging, and goes green once there is enough in it.
- Nothing on screen: the watch is not getting power. Work through the checks below.
What if my Apple Watch shows nothing on the charger?
- Push the charging cable all the way into the plug, and the plug all the way into the socket.
- Peel any plastic film off both sides of the charging puck.
- Check the face of the puck and the back of the watch for dirt or grit, and wipe both with a dry cloth.
- Sit the watch flat and centred on the puck so it clicks on magnetically.
- Leave it 30 minutes, then look again for a bolt.
- Force restart: hold the side button and the Digital Crown together for about 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Try a different cable and plug if you have one.
Tip: Take any case or cover off while it charges. A thick one can hold the watch far enough off the puck to stop it charging.
When is a charging problem a warranty fault?
If the watch still will not charge on a charger you know works, after a force restart and half an hour on the puck, treat it as a fault. It is covered by your 12-month warranty, so contact us with your order number and we will sort it out. Apple’s charging guide is at support.apple.com.
If the battery charges but does not last, Apple Watch battery health is the page you want.
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