To turn on a smartwatch, press and hold the main button on the side of the device. For an Apple Watch, which is the most common case, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
How do you turn on a smartwatch?
For an Apple Watch, the side button is the power button. Press and hold it until you see the Apple logo. If the screen stays black briefly before the logo appears, that is normal. Once the watch face appears, your smartwatch is on and ready to use.
Charge your smartwatch first if it won't respond
If the screen is blank or shows a low-power symbol, the battery may be fully drained. Apple documents that a watch that is fully out of power may need up to 30 minutes on the charger before the lightning bolt appears or it will turn on. Apple says to use the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable or USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable that came with the watch. Plug the cable fully into the USB power adapter, and plug the adapter fully into a power outlet. Reposition the back of the watch on the charger if needed. Once the lightning bolt or charging indicator appears, you can press and hold the side button to power it on.
Apple Watch: exact button and what to expect
The side button is the power button for turning the watch on and off. Press and hold it until the Apple logo appears. A brief black screen before the logo is normal. The watch face appears when the device is fully on. Apple says you cannot turn off Apple Watch while it is charging. To turn the watch off, disconnect it from the charger first, then press and hold the side button until the sliders appear, tap the top right slider, and drag the Power Off slider.
Force restart an Apple Watch that still won't turn on
If the watch still will not turn on after charging, Apple says to force restart it. Press and hold both the side button and the Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds. Keep holding until the Apple logo appears, then release both buttons. This does not erase any data.
Turning your Apple Watch off and on again during setup
Apple’s setup instructions say to turn on the watch first, then put it on your wrist. Apple's setup page specifically mentions needing an iPhone with the latest version of iOS if setup errors occur. If setup fails, first make sure your iPhone has the latest version of iOS. Then turn the iPhone off and back on, and turn the Apple Watch off and back on. After that, try the setup process again.
What about Android and other smartwatches?
For broader help with a device that is not an Apple Watch, see the article on how to fix a smartwatch that won't turn on. That article also covers how to turn on a smart bracelet, which follows a similar long-press principle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my smartwatch turn on even after charging?
If the watch has been charging for up to 30 minutes and still shows a blank screen or low-power symbol, try a force restart. For an Apple Watch, press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears. If that fails, check that the charger and cable are properly connected and that the outlet is working.
Can I turn off my Apple Watch while it's charging?
No. Apple documents that you cannot turn off an Apple Watch while it is charging.
