You can find a dead Apple Watch only by checking its last known location, which is stored if Find My was set up before the battery died. To find a dead Apple Watch, you must rely on that last location, because a watch with a dead battery cannot broadcast its position in real time.
Can you find a dead Apple watch?
Yes, but only if Find My was enabled before the watch went offline. A dead Apple Watch cannot send a live location, so the only way to locate it is through the last known location it reported before the battery ran out. That last known location is available for up to 24 hours on iCloud.com and for up to 7 days in the Find My app, provided the Find My network was turned on. Without that setting, no location is saved at all.
How to set up Find My on your Apple Watch
Setting up Find My before you lose the watch is the single most important step. Without it, there is no way to see any location after the battery dies.
- On your Apple Watch, open Settings.
- Tap your name.
- Scroll down until you see your Apple Watch.
- Tap your watch name.
- Tap Find My Watch.
- Make sure Find My network is turned on.
- Enable 'Send My Last Location': this makes the device automatically send its last location to Apple when the battery reaches 20% and again at 10%.
When Find My network is enabled, the watch can be located even if it is powered off, in Low Power Mode, or in Airplane Mode. This is what makes the last known location feature work.
How to see your dead watch's last location on a map
There are three documented ways to view the last known location of a dead Apple Watch. All of them require that Find My was set up beforehand.
Using the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad
- Open the Find My app on your paired iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the Devices tab.
- Select your Apple Watch from the list.
- If the watch is offline, the map will show its last known location. Note: the Find My app on your paired iPhone may show the iPhone's current location instead of your dead watch's last location, making it seem the watch is following you. To find your dead Apple Watch specifically, open the Apple Watch App on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap All Watches, tap the (i) icon next to your watch, then select Find My Apple Watch.
Using iCloud.com on a computer
- Go to iCloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account.
- Select your Apple Watch from the Devices list.
- If the watch is offline, you will see "Offline" below the device name, and the map will display the last known location.
On iCloud.com, the last known location is available for up to 24 hours after the watch went offline.
Using someone else's Apple device
- Open the Find My app on another person's iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the Me tab, scroll down, and tap Help a Friend.
- Sign in with the Apple Account linked to your lost Apple Watch. If prompted for Touch ID or Face ID, select Use Different Apple ID to log in.
- Select your Apple Watch from the Devices list to see its last known location on the map.
Apple does not support finding an Apple Watch from an Android device; the only methods are through an Apple device or a web browser.
What to do if the location isn't current
The location you see is the last one the watch reported before the battery died. It is not a live position. If the watch is still missing, you can turn on the Notify me when found option in the Find My app or on iCloud.com. This sends you an alert if the watch comes back online and reports a new location. There is no way to force the watch to report its location while it is dead.
How to lock your lost Apple Watch
Locking the watch remotely prevents anyone else from using it and displays a contact message on the screen. This action will be pending until the watch is powered on and connected to a network.
- Open the Find My app on your iPhone or go to iCloud.com/find.
- Mark it as Lost and follow the on-screen instructions to enter a message and contact number.
- If the watch is a cellular model, contact your carrier to suspend service.
Lost Mode disables Apple Pay and other sensitive services on the watch until it is unlocked.
How to erase your Apple Watch remotely
Erasing the watch removes all personal data, which protects your information if you believe the watch is gone for good. This is a security measure, not a method for tracking a phone location. After erasing, Activation Lock remains in place, so anyone who finds the watch will still need your Apple Account credentials to activate it. You cannot remotely delete data from a dead Apple Watch; you can only remove or erase the device from your Apple ID link to prevent data breaches.
- In the Find My app on your iPhone or on iCloud.com/find, select your Apple Watch.
- Choose the erase option and confirm.
- The erase command will be applied the next time the watch connects to a network.
After erasing, Find My can still show the watch if it later comes online, but erasing does not help you locate it while it is dead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find my Apple Watch if I never turned on Find My?
No. If Find My was not enabled before the watch went offline, there is no last known location saved, and the watch cannot be located through Apple's services.
Does the last known location expire?
Yes. In the Find My app, it is stored for up to 7 days if Find My network was turned on.
Will Lost Mode work on a dead Apple Watch?
It does not activate on a dead watch, but it will take effect automatically once the watch comes back online.
Can someone else use my erased Apple Watch?
No. Activation Lock remains after erasing, so the watch cannot be activated without your Apple Account password.
What should I do if I find my dead Apple Watch later?
Charge the watch and turn it on. Once it connects to a network, it will appear in the Find My app, and you can unlock it using your paired iPhone or Apple Account.
