How to connect cellular on apple watch

To set up cellular on your Apple Watch, open the Watch app on your paired iPhone and tap on the My Watch tab. Scroll down to and tap Cellular, then follow the onscreen prompts.

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How to set up cellular on your Apple Watch

When you first set up your Apple Watch, you can activate cellular by following the onscreen prompts. If you opt-out of activating cellular during your original pairing process, you can always set up cellular from the Apple Watch app.

• On your paired iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
• Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular.
• Tap Set Up Cellular, then tap Set Up Cellular again.
• You will then be redirected to instructions for your specific cell carrier. You will need to confirm your identity to add the Apple Watch to your plan and may need to contact your carrier to complete the setup process.

Your Apple Watch will likely be assigned its own phone number for billing purposes, however, the device will actually use the same number as your iPhone. If you set up cellular on a family member’s device who doesn’t have their own iPhone, that device will receive and use its own number. Cellular support for a family member’s managed Apple Watch is only available in certain regions and through specific carriers.

How to connect to a cellular network

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority

If you have cellular service activated on your Apple Watch, the device will connect to the network automatically when necessary. Apple Watches automatically utilizes the most power-efficient wireless available. When your iPhone is nearby, the device will use your phone’s signal either via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. When your watch needs to connect to cellular, it will use LTE networks. If LTE isn’t available, your watch will try to connect to UMTS if your specific carrier supports it.

You can manually turn your cellular connection on or off anytime by swiping up from your Apple Watch face and tapping the Cellular icon.

How to know if your Apple Watch has an active cellular signal

When your watch connects to a cellular network, you can check the signal strength from your device’s quick menu by swiping up from your watch face.

• When the Cellular icon is green you are connected to a cellular signal.
• When the Cellular icon is white your plan is active but your device is connected to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Read more: Common Apple Watch problems and solutions

How do you remove a cellular plan from your Apple Watch?

To remove your cellular plan, open the Watch app on your paired iPhone and tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular. Tap the information icon at the top of the screen and tap Remove Plan, then tap again to confirm. You may need to contact your cellular carrier to complete the process and cancel your subscription.

Does a cellular connection use more battery on the Apple Watch?

Yes. According to Apple, extended periods of cellular connection will drain the battery faster than connecting to your phone.

How do you check your cellular data use on an Apple Watch?

Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular. Scroll down to the Cellular Data Usage section to review your data usage.

The Apple Watch lineup is available in a number of different options and configurations, ranging from different case materials, colors, sizes, and more. One of the most important things to consider, however, is whether or not you should buy an Apple Watch with cellular connectivity.

An Apple Watch with LTE lets you go out in the world, without your iPhone, while still remaining connected. It’s a useful feature, but one that comes at a cost.

Which Apple Watch models offer cellular?

According to Apple:

Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and Apple Watch SE cellular models with an active service plan allow you to make calls, send texts, and so much more — all without your iPhone. You can complete a call to emergency services when you’re traveling abroad just by pressing and holding the side button. And now with Family Setup, members of your family who don’t own an iPhone can use Apple Watch.

Apple currently sells the Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch SE starts at $249 with GPS connectivity and $299 with GPS and cellular. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399 for GPS and $499 for cellular and GPS.

One thing to consider, however, is this: the Apple Watch Series 8 in stainless steel, the Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, and the Apple Watch Ultra are only available with GPS and cellular connectivity. This means that your Apple Watch will have the necessary hardware for cellular connectivity, but you’ll have to decide whether to pay the monthly price.

Associated costs with cellular

Most plans will cost you at or around $10 each month, still much cheaper than many iPhone plans. You may be able to get a deal on a cellular plan if you purchase a watch directly from a carrier like Verizon or AT&T.

It’s also important to keep in mind that if you buy a standard Apple Watch with GPS, you cannot add a cellular plan later. You have to purchase an Apple Watch GPS + Cellular in order to have access to a plan now or in the future.

No need to keep your iPhone around

For those people who want to get into a habit of leaving their iPhone behind in favor of an Apple Watch, it makes sense to have a cellular plan. Especially for those who run or take walks – with a cellular model, you don’t need to keep a bulky iPhone with you to have access to calling, texting, music, and more. Paired with AirPods, you can take calls, listen to music, and more without your iPhone around.

However, if you find yourself always having your iPhone on you, cellular may not be worth it for you. When making the decision, take into consideration your current iPhone usage to see if a cellular Apple Watch could be justifiable.

Emergency SOS on Apple Watch

If you’re looking to call emergency services from your Apple Watch and you don’t have a cellular plan, you can still do that but only if connected to a known Wi-Fi network. Apple states:

To use Emergency SOS on an Apple Watch that doesn’t have cellular, your iPhone needs to be nearby. If your iPhone isn’t nearby, your Apple Watch needs to be connected to a known Wi-Fi network and you must set up Wi-Fi Calling.

When you make a call with Emergency SOS, your Apple Watch automatically calls local emergency services and shares your location with them.

This is one of the biggest things to consider. If you plan on being without your iPhone, a cellular Apple Watch can offer peace of mind. The Apple Watch offers an array of health features, and cellular is arguably a health feature too.

Family Setup

Family Setup is popular with parents who want to be able to contact their children without having them own an iPhone. With this feature, the parent can set up a cellular Apple Watch for their child on their personal iPhone. The child can then use their Apple Watch to call, text, or use any other available feature, all with their own phone number and Apple ID. With Family Setup, the parent’s iPhone does not need to be nearby.

Some reasonings for choosing this option include the fact that it’s more cost-effective. Not only is the device cheaper than most iPhones, but it’s also cheaper to add a data plan and insure with Apple Care+. Also, since Apple Watches are worn on the wrist, they tend to be a bit harder to lose.

Finally, opting for an Apple Watch instead of an iPhone keeps your child behind a screen less, something many parents aim to do. There are parental controls to make the Apple Watch work for you. For example, there’s a Schooltime feature that turns off access to apps and notifications while the child is in school.

Overall thoughts

For most people, the Apple Watch with cellular is likely the right decision. While there’s a higher cost associated, it unlocks a number of the Apple Watch’s best features and helps it be truly independent from your iPhone.

Also, keep in mind that you can buy the Apple Watch with cellular and not activate it. This could be a good option if you plan to keep the Apple Watch for several years, as you might one day decide you want or need cellular after all.

My hope is that we one day don’t even have to have this debate and all Apple Watch models will come standard with cellular, leaving it up to each person to activate it or not. But for now, it’s a decision you’ll have to make when buying an Apple Watch.

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Guides

Apple Watch

Apple Watch is Apple's wearable is designed to help you stay active, motivated, and connected. It runs watchOS, and it comes in 40mm and 44mm size options.

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