Why Is My Apple Watch Not Charging and How to Fix It

Quick Tips

• Open the Watch app > Accessibility > VoiceOver > turn off the Screen Curtain toggle.
• Go to the Watch app > All Watches > i icon beside your watch > Unpair Apple Watch and confirm > pair watch again and check.
• Press and hold the Side button for 10 seconds > wait for the watch to restart to turn off Power Reserve Mode.

Reasons Why Your Apple Watch Is Not Charging

Before we proceed with fixing this issue, let us look at a few reasons why your Apple Watch won’t charge, especially after being dead:

• The charger is not properly connected to the charging port. In this case, detach and reattach the charger until you hear it snap into place.
• The charging cable is broken or twisted. In this case, try charging with a different cable.
• There is interference between the charger and the charging port, causing it not to connect properly.
• Screen Curtain is turned on, preventing your watch screen from being visible despite having the charger connected.
• A software glitch is causing your Apple Watch not to charge properly.

Tip: If your Apple Watch doesn’t charge past 80%, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health > toggle off Optimized Battery Charging. Then, check again.

Basic Fixes:

• Clean Apple Watch and charger: Continued outdoor use can leave your Apple Watch prone to catching and collecting foreign objects around the charging area. So, ensure the body of your Apple Watch and the charger are thoroughly cleaned before use. Remove any packaging as well.
• Connect to Apple charger: Connect your Apple Watch to the official Apple Charger and wait for about 30 minutes for the red lightning bolt to turn into a green lightning bolt. Check the battery percentage on your Apple Watch to ensure it is charging as expected.
• Restart Apple Watch: Forcing your Apple Watch to close and restart will help resolve any temporary glitches or bugs preventing your watch from charging completely. Once done, reconnect the charger and check.
• Check for software updates: If the issue of the Apple Watch not charging properly is due to a software glitch, Apple will promptly release an update to resolve this issue. So, check and install any pending software updates. 

Fix 1: Turn off Screen Curtain

Screen Curtain helps turn off your watch screen to safeguard it from prying eyes. The information is then relayed through the VoiceOver feature. When enabled, it might make it seem like your Apple Watch is not charging, especially after being dead. So, ensure Screen Curtain is turned off using the below steps.

Step 1: Open the Watch app and tap on Accessibility. Tap on VoiceOver. Turn off the Screen Curtain toggle.

Also Read: How to fix Apple Watch battery drain after watchOS 10 update

Fix 2: Check Connections and Apple Watch

If your Apple Watch keeps unpairing with your device or is not properly paired the first time, it can end up causing other issues. This might also affect the quality of charging for your watch. To fix this, you can unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch to resolve any related issues. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open the Watch app and tap on All Watches. Go to your Apple Watch and tap the i icon.

Step 2: Tap on Unpair Apple Watch and confirm when prompted.

Follow the instructions to complete the unpairing process. Use the Watch app to again pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone. Then, try charging your watch.

Fix 3: Disable Power Reserve Mode

Power Reserve helps your Apple Watch stay functional longer. It is automatically enabled once the battery percentage drops below 10%. However, this can end up causing issues when charging. If so, press and hold the Side button for 10 seconds. Once your watch restarts, Power Reserve Mode will be turned off.