Apple Watch is one of the best iPhone accessories developed by Apple Inc. Before using your Apple Watch, you need to connect it to your iPhone using Bluetooth. Because you are using a wireless connection, you might wonder how far apart your iPhone and Apple Watch can be.
So, how far apart can my iPhone and Apple Watch be? Your Apple Watch and iPhone can be apart for about 33 feet or 330 feet, depending on the Bluetooth version on your devices. The normal Bluetooth range is usually 33 feet, but some Apple Watch models are using Bluetooth versions capable of maintaining a connection up to 330 feet.
Your Apple Watch will stay connected to your iPhone if you remain within 33 feet or 330 feet. However, the distance might be shorter if there is wireless interference between the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch is a useful device that you can use to communicate via texts or calls, track your health, and listen to music, among other things. Some of these functions are dependent on your iPhone hence the need to maintain a connection between the two.
The Apple Watch is nice and stylish, and it can carry out various functions reducing the need to take out your iPhone from your pocket or bag. Some of these functions require your Apple Watch to stay connected to your iPhone. If you have connected your Apple Watch to your iPhone, you might be wondering what the furthest distance your devices can stay connected is.
Your iPhone and Apple Watch can be between 33 feet and 330 feet apart, depending on the Bluetooth version on your devices. The Apple Watch uses Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone, and the Bluetooth version on your devices will determine how far you can be from your iPhone without losing the connection.
If your Apple Watch uses normal Bluetooth, the range is usually 33 feet; if it uses Bluetooth 4.0 or later, it could reach 330 feet. However, the range can be smaller if there is wireless interference between your Apple Watch and iPhone.
Your iPhone and Apple Watch can stay connected when they are in the correct range, but sometimes the distance might be shorter. As a wireless connection, Bluetooth works best when there are few interferences between two devices.
If there are few physical obstacles between the Apple Watch and iPhone, you can move 33 feet or 330 feet away from your iPhone and still use your Apple Watch. However, the distance can be less if there are many obstacles between your iPhone and Apple Watch, such as walls and other devices using Bluetooth connection.
For example, if you are using your Apple Watch in a house with multiple rooms, your Apple Watch loses the connection to your iPhone even if the distance has not reached 33 feet.
To connect your Apple Watch to your iPhone, ensure that you have purchased the correct model for your iPhone. Put your Apple Watch on your wrist and turn it on by pressing and holding the side button until you see the Apple logo.
Take your iPhone, place it close to the Apple Watch, and wait for your Apple Watch pairing screen to appear on the iPhone and tap to continue. On your iPhone, launch the Apple Watch app and:
- click on “Pair New Watch”
- select “Set Up for Myself”
- place the iPhone above the Apple Watch to pair the two devices
- tap “Set Up Apple Watch”
- and follow the instructions on the devices’ screen to complete the setup.
You can now start using your Apple Watch as long as you are within range. Sometimes the Apple Watch could disconnect from your iPhone even when you are still within range. If you have already paired your Apple Watch to your iPhone, but you keep having connection issues, the first thing you should do is check your devices’ wireless settings.
If your iPhone or Apple Watch is on Airplane mode, they will not connect. Ensure that you have turned on Bluetooth on both devices since your Apple Watch will not connect to your watch without Bluetooth.
If the wireless connection settings are okay, reboot your iPhone and Apple Watch. You should also ensure that your devices run on an updated operating system. If you continue having connection issues with your devices, contact Apple Support for help.
Will Apple Watch Ring If iPhone Is Off?
The Apple Watch can do many things, including making and receiving calls. To make and receive calls on your Apple Watch, you need to activate cellular service on your device. If you have an Apple Watch connected to your iPhone, you might be wondering if the Apple Watch will ring when the iPhone is turned off.
Your Apple Watch will not ring if your iPhone is off because it relies on the iPhone and the Apple Watch connection to make and receive calls. When your iPhone runs out of battery, or you turn it off, the connection between the two devices will no longer exist. When someone calls your number, they will not be able to reach you, and your iPhone will not ring even after activating cellular service.
If you want to receive calls on your Apple Watch, you need to ensure that the iPhone is on. You will be able to make and receive calls via Facetime if you have connected your Apple Watch to a Wi-Fi Network.
If you want to make and receive calls on your Apple Watch, you need to activate cellular services. You can do it during the initial setup or do it later. Before activating cellular services, ensure that your iPhone and Apple Watch run on the latest operating system.
You should also have an eligible cellular data plan. To set up cellular on your Apple Watch, launch the Apple Watch app and
- tap “My Watch” on your iPhone
- tap “Cellular”
- tap “Set Up Cellular”.
Follow instructions from your cellular carrier to complete the process. When people call the phone number on your iPhone, your Apple Watch will ring, and you may choose to answer the call using your Apple Watch. However, when you turn off your iPhone, your phone number will be unavailable, and your Apple Watch will not ring.
Even though the Apple Watch cannot ring when your iPhone is turned off, you can still use it to do other things when your iPhone is off. If your iPhone is turned off, you can connect the Apple Watch to a Wi-Fi or Cellular network.
Some of the things you can do include using Siri, sending and receiving messages, making and receiving calls, using apps that require internet access, and listening to music, among others. However, you will only make or receive calls through Facetime, which requires an internet connection.
If you cannot find a Wi-Fi or cellular network to connect your Apple Watch, you can only use apps that do not require cellular or Wi-Fi connections. You can track your activities, look at your gallery, play music synced to your watch, use Apple Pay, monitor your health, and track your sleep, among others.
Some of the things you can do on your Apple Watch when your iPhone is turned off will also be limited to the Apple Watch model. The later versions of the Apple Watch can do more things when your iPhone is turned off compared to earlier versions.
To connect your Apple Watch to a Wi-Fi network,
- open “Settings” on your watch
- tap “Wi-Fi”
- tap on the name of the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to and enter the password if the network is password protected
- tap “Join” to start using the Wi-Fi network.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or later, you should note that you can connect to 2,4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. If you have an Apple Watch Series 5 or earlier, you can only connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
Will My Apple Watch Receive Calls if My iPhone Is Off?
One of the cool features of an Apple Watch is making and answering phone calls. This feature requires you to have connected the device to your iPhone. When you have been using your Apple Watch to receive calls, you might be wondering if it might receive calls even if the iPhone is off.
Your Apple Watch cannot receive calls when your iPhone is off because that feature is dependent on the connection between the two devices. When you turn off your iPhone, your Apple Watch is no longer connected to the device, and it will not receive any calls. You cannot receive calls on your Apple Watch if your iPhone is off because it uses the cellular network on your iPhone to make and receive calls.
No one can reach you if your iPhone is off, even if your Apple Watch is on. If your iPhone is off and you were expecting a call from someone important, you should communicate with them and give them an alternative way to reach you.
Answering a call on your Apple Watch is very easy. When you pair your iPhone to your Apple Watch and activate cellular service, your Apple Watch will ring every time someone calls your phone number.
When you receive a call on your Apple Watch, you can send the call to voicemail, answer the call on your Apple Watch, or answer the call on your iPhone. You can also transfer the call to your iPhone and send a message to your caller.
To send the call to voicemail, tap the red decline button in the incoming call notification. The person calling will either choose to end the call or leave a message. You can listen to the voicemail later or call them using your Apple Watch when you get the time.
To answer the call on your Apple Watch, tap the green answer button in the incoming call notification. You can either use the Apple Watch’s built-in microphone and speaker to talk to the person calling you or use a Bluetooth audio device such as AirPods to speak.
If you want to answer the call on your iPhone, tap the three dots in the incoming call notification. Tap “Answer on iPhone,” the call will be placed on hold, and the caller will hear a repeated sound until you answer the call on your iPhone.
If you cannot find your iPhone, touch and hold the bottom of your Apple Watch’s screen and swipe up. Tap the phone icon to answer the call. You should avoid answering a call on your Apple Watch if you are doing something else because it is easy to get distracted while using the device.
Sometimes your Apple Watch might not ring even when your iPhone is on. First, check if you are wearing the Apple Watch correctly to fix this problem. If the Apple Watch is okay, check and ensure it is properly connected to your iPhone.
Check if you have activated Do Not Disturb or placed the device in Airplane Mode. Restart your iPhone and Apple Watch if the connection is okay. You should also ensure that your Apple Watch and iPhone are running on updated software.
You should also ensure that you have an active cellular plan that includes an Apple Watch. Switch off your Passcode because sometimes the Passcode can temporarily block calls. If your Apple Watch still does not receive calls, you should contact Apple Support for help.
Finally
The Apple Watch uses Bluetooth to connect to your iPhone, and the distance between the two devices will be determined by the version of the Bluetooth in the devices. If the Apple Watch and iPhone use Bluetooth limited to 2.5 milliwatts, the range will only be 33 feet.
Other later versions of Bluetooth can give your Apple Watch and iPhone a range of 330 feet. The distance could be shorter if there are physical or wireless obstacles between the iPhone and Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch can make calls and receive calls, but it will not if the iPhone is off. If you intend to answer your calls through the Apple Watch, you should keep your iPhone on at all times. If your iPhone is off or out of range, there are certain things you can do. If your iPhone is off or out of range, you might need a Wi-Fi network to use your Apple Watch to access certain apps.
