How to turn off Apple Watch
Michael Potuck

No matter if you just got your wearable or haven’t had to turn it off in a while, follow along with our guide on how to turn off Apple Watch.

It’s not that common that you’ll need to turn off Apple Watch but whether you’re trying to fix a glitch or just need to shut it down fully, we’ll cover how to power off your wearable as well as how to turn it back on.

How to turn off Apple Watch
Locate the side button (oval/pill shape) next to the Digital Crown
Press and hold the side button for 3-5 seconds
Now slide the power off slider to the right (watchOS 8 and earlier)
For watchOS 9, tap the power icon button in the top right corner, then slide the power off slider to the right
If the side button or touch screen is not working normally, you can try a force restart
If you’re still having trouble, reach out to Apple Support or head to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider

Here’s the side button:


To turn on Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo appear.
If it doesn’t power on, place your watch on the charger
If it doesn’t charge, try a different outlet and/or a different charger if possible
Ideally, use the original charger that came with your watch
Make sure your wearable and charger are both clean
If the battery is very low, a red lightning bolt will appear, that will turn green when it starts charging
Let your Apple Watch charge for at least 30 minutes