We received a lot of positive reader feedback about our troubleshooting newsletter edition, so we decided to expand it beyond our go-to CRU (Close app, Restart device, Update software) method that fixes many but not all issues. Based on the questions we’ve received from On the Watch readers like yourself, we’ve compiled seven additional common Apple Watch problems, and we’ll teach you how to fix them!
1. Fall Detection not working
Fall Detection is a life-saving Apple Watch feature that can notify emergency services and your emergency contacts if you experience a fall. While this feature isn’t foolproof, there are ways to make sure it is turned on and working as it should. Check that it is toggled on under the Emergency SOS settings in your Watch app and select Always On rather than Only on during workouts.
In addition to this, make sure that Wrist Detection is on in your watch’s Passcode Settings. Finally, make sure you are wearing your watch snugly around your wrist so that it can properly detect your heart rate and make sure it doesn’t keep locking itself due to being too loose.
2. Calls or texts only going to one device
Your iPhone and Apple Watch are designed to only get notifications on one device so that you aren’t constantly harassed with alerts. If your iPhone is unlocked, all your alerts will go to your phone. If your phone is locked, you’ll get calls and texts on your watch. If this isn’t the problem, then check out our Apple Watch notification troubleshooting article that will walk you through all the reasons this might be happening and will help you fix it for good!
3. Start a swim or other workout without touching the display
There are many situations where tapping your Apple Watch screen simply doesn’t work—if you are wet, wearing gloves that don’t have the touch screen feature, etc. Plus, if you are trying to reach a personal record, tapping your display to end your workout can waste precious seconds. My favorite solution is to use Siri to start the workout with just your voice. Just make sure you have your Siri Settings adjusted correctly to work hands-free. You can also pause or end a workout using Siri, but my absolute favorite is to use the buttons to pause it at the exact moment I’m done, then stop it by tapping the display at my convenience.
4. Watch and phone won’t pair
In order to pair your Apple Watch to an iPhone, the watch cannot be paired to another iPhone (here’s how to unpair it), has to be within Bluetooth range, and can’t have Airplane mode on. Follow these steps to pair your watch and phone. If your devices are paired but not syncing, this article can help.
5. Watch won’t charge past 80%
Apple Watch has a great feature that protects your battery life! The downside: it stops charging your phone at 80%, since charging to 100% every single day can damage your battery. Here’s how to turn off optimized battery charging. If you are one of those people who upgrades their watch every two years or so, or you usually just top it up without charging it fully, you might not need to worry about your Apple Watch battery health depleting over time. If you do want to keep the same watch for a long time, it might be worth keeping this on despite the inconveniences.
6. ECG not working
The ECG (or EKG) Apple Watch feature is very useful but Apple has experienced lawsuits, patent infringement, and antitrust cases against the company because of the feature. Lucky for Apple Watch wearers, none of these were successful, so if your ECG feature isn’t working, it’s an easy fix. Try restarting your Apple Watch and iPhone, make sure you have the ECG feature set up in the Health app, and wear your watch snugly against your wrist and stay perfectly still during the reading.
7. Apple Watch display is too dim
There are several reasons why your Apple Watch display might be too dim. The main culprit is Theater Mode. Sometimes we use Theater Mode instead of Do Not Disturb, but the key difference is that Theater Mode dims your display in addition to muting your alerts. If this isn’t your issue, check out our article covering all the other ways you can brighten up that watch display.
Do you experience any ongoing Apple Watch problems? Email OntheWatch@iphonelife.com and let me know!
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