How Far Can Apple Watch Be From iPhone And Remain Synced?

Apple Watch is a great device that can do many things when paired with an iPhone. But what happens if you leave your iPhone at home? Can you still use Apple Watch? How far can you be from your iPhone before it disconnects? In this article, we will answer all of these questions and more!

How far can the Apple watch be from iPhone and remain connected via Bluetooth Connections?

Apple Watch connects and shares its data with the iPhone primarily via Bluetooth connection. There are other ways to connect your Apple Watch to your iPhone, but Bluetooth remains the first choice.

Bluetooth technology has improved massively over the years, and with that, the range of Bluetooth connectivity has also increased. So, the range of any Bluetooth Technology depends on the version and the extrinsic factors that impact it.

The latest version of Bluetooth is 5.0, and all the generations of the Apple Watch series come with different versions of Bluetooth chips installed on them. So, to determine how far the Apple Watch is from your iPhone, you should be aware of the Bluetooth Version present on your Apple Watch.

Apple Watch Series 1

Apple Watch Series 1 is one of the pioneer editions of the Apple Watch that comes with Bluetooth 4.0. The range of coverage for Bluetooth 4.0 is 50 meters indoors and approximately 100 meters outdoors.

Apple Watch Series 2

Apple Watch Series 2 also comes with a 4.0 version of the Bluetooth chip installed. So the indoor range of connection between your Apple Watch Series 2 and iPhone is 50 meters, and the outdoor coverage limit is 100 meters.

Apple Watch Series 3

While the Bluetooth chip in Apple Watch Series 3 was upgraded to Bluetooth Version 4.2, the range of coverage didn’t change at all. The maximum distance between your iPhone and your Apple Watch Series 3 with Bluetooth 4.2 is 50 meters indoors and 100 meters outdoors.

Apple Watch Series 4

Apple Watch Series 4 received a massive Bluetooth upgrade to version 5.0. This further upgraded the maximum distance allowed between your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Now, the indoor distance of coverage is 400 meters at max, and the outdoor range is 1000 meters.

Apple Watch Series 5

Apple Watch Series 5 comes with Bluetooth Version 5.0, just like Apple Watch Series 4. So, the indoor range of coverage is 400 meters, and the outdoor range of coverage is around 1000 meters.

Apple Watch Series 6

Apple Watch Series 6 has Bluetooth Version 5.0. The indoor range of coverage is 400 meters, and the coverage is the outdoor is 1000 meters.

Apple Watch Series 7

Apple Watch Series 7 is the latest generation of the Apple Watch Series. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.0 installed on it. Thus, the indoor range is 400 meters, and the coverage of the outdoors is a maximum of 1000 meters.

Though every Bluetooth version comes with its maximum range of coverage, several other external factors impact the coverage. They are listed below –

The walls in your apartment will obstruct the range of coverage of Bluetooth on your Apple Watch.
When you are outdoors, like hiking in the woods, the trees will also obstruct the Bluetooth connection.
If many other electronic devices are lying around your room, the electromagnetic waves interfere with Bluetooth and reduce its range of coverage.

How far can the Apple watch be from iPhone and remain connected via Cellular Connection?

With a Cellular connection, the maximum distance allowed between your Apple Watch and your iPhone increases drastically compared to a Bluetooth connection. Further, the range of connections depends on your cellular service provider (or carrier) and the coverage map.

In the States, many service providers provide attractive data plans for Apple Watch. These carriers are –

AT&T
Verizon Wireless
Xfinity
US Cellular
T-Mobile USA
Sprint Wireless
C Spire
Appalachian

The coverage range of the top-four network carriers in the United States is discussed below:

Verizon Wireless covers more than 230 million people in the US with its 5G network and around 100 million people with the much faster Ultra Wideband.
T-Mobile covers around 310 million people around the nation of United States with its 5G Plan, making it one of the biggest carriers in the country.
AT&T 5G Coverage spans over 255 million people in the US, and it works amazingly well with Apple Watch.
Xfinity Mobile, the daughter company of Verizon, provides a coverage 5G network to around 230 million people in the states.
Sprint Wireless is relatively young in coverage but is spreading at an unprecedented rate. It covers 30 percent of the United States of America with its best internet service.

Apart from these, some small network players work nicely in one part of the country and have no coverage whatsoever in the other. These small ones tend to offer better value for money and service than the major players as they have a smaller customer base.

Does Apple Watch Automatically switch between Cellular and Bluetooth Connections?

Even though the cellular connection is much more robust than Bluetooth connectivity, it consumes much more power and tends to drain your Apple Watch quickly. So, Apple Watch switches to a cellular connection only when the iPhone is out of its Bluetooth range.

If your iPhone is in a reasonable range for Bluetooth, your Apple Watch will prioritize connecting over Bluetooth rather than a cellular connection to save battery.

What is the range of Bluetooth 4.0?

The distance of coverage for Bluetooth 4.0 can be 100 meters or 330 feet at max. But, this range is rarely achieved as it is decreased by interferences from various obstacles and obstructions.

Bluetooth technology uses short-wavelength radio waves with a frequency band between 2.4 and.2485 GHz. This means that a Bluetooth connection can be easily interrupted by WiFi signals, external monitors, microwaves, satellite signals, etc.

Do I need to keep Bluetooth on for Apple Watch to work?

You do not have to keep the Bluetooth turned on your Apple Watch for it to work. Your Apple Watch is capable of functioning without Bluetooth connectivity but the features will be limited as it won’t get any support from your iPhone. However, it is suggested that you keep it on as it is the power-efficient way of connecting your Apple Watch to your iPhone, compared to a WiFi or Cellular connection.

Your Apple Watch will automatically switch to using Bluetooth when your iPhone is in its range as this conserves the maximum power. But, when the iPhone is out of its range, it will try to connect to a WiFi network. Further, if there are no WiFi connections, it tries to use the cellular method of connectivity, provided that your Apple Watch has a cellular feature.

Does Bluetooth disconnect when Apple Watch is off?

If you are apprehension that the Bluetooth is turned off and disconnects automatically when the Apple Watch is turned off, you couldn’t be more wrong. Bluetooth is not going to disconnect automatically when your power off your Apple Watch. It will remain turned on the next time your boot your Apple Watch. If you want to disconnect it, you will have to manually toggle off the Bluetooth from the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Here is how you can do it –

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch and Tap on Bluetooth
Now, slide the slider to turn off Bluetooth on your Apple Watch

How do I temporarily turn off Bluetooth on my Apple Watch?

If you want to turn off Bluetooth temporarily on your Apple Watch and later turn it on again, you can follow the steps given below –

Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch to see all the apps
Now, find the Settings app and tap on it
Now, in the Settings menu, scroll down to Find the Bluetooth and Tap on it
Now, you can slide the slider to turn it off and later turn it on.

Will my Apple Watch still work without my iPhone?

Your Apple Watch is quite capable of functioning independently without your iPhone. So, if your iPhone is out of the Bluetooth range of your Apple Watch, you will get notifications and messages through the cellular connection (if your Apple Watch has it).

Even if you do not get notifications and alerts on your Apple Watch, there are lots of other features and functions on the Apple Watch that you can use. We will discuss these things that you can do with your Apple Watch without the iPhone later in this article.

How does Wi-Fi work on an Apple Watch?

To switch on the WiFi on your Apple Watch and connect to a network, here are the steps you can follow –

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch
Scroll down and find WiFi. Once you find it Tap on it.
Your Apple Watch will take a while to scan and search for all the available WiFi connections around it
Once you see a list of available WiFi networks, tap on the one you want to connect to.
With the latest Apple Watch Series 6 and Series 7, you can connect to both the kind of WiFi networks (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (5G) WiFi networks). On Apple Watch Series 5 and older, you can only connect to the 2.4 GHz band of the WiFi network as they are not compatible with the 5 GHz band.
Next, when asked, enter the network password using the Apple Watch Keyboard or Scribble
Now, Tap Join.
And, you are connected to the WiFi network via your Apple Watch.

To forget a WiFi network on your Apple Watch, you can follow the given steps –

Open the Settings menu on your Apple Watch and Tap on the WiFi option
Now, tap on the WiFi network you are currently connected to and that you want to forget.
Tap on the “Forget this Network” option
And you are done!

What can I do when my paired iPhone is out of range?

If your iPhone is in a reasonable range for Bluetooth, your Apple Watch will prioritize connecting over Bluetooth rather than a cellular connection to save battery.

What is the range of Bluetooth 4.0?

The coverage distance for Bluetooth 4.0 can be 100 meters or 330 feet at max. But, this range is rarely achieved as interferences from various obstacles and obstructions decrease it.

Bluetooth technology uses short-wavelength radio waves with a frequency band between 2.4 and.2485 GHz. A Bluetooth connection can be quickly interrupted by WiFi signals, external monitors, microwaves, satellite signals, etc.

Do I need to keep Bluetooth on for Apple Watch to work?

You do not have to keep the Bluetooth turned on your Apple Watch for it to work. Your Apple Watch can function without Bluetooth connectivity, but the features will be limited as it won’t get any support from your iPhone. However, it is suggested that you keep it on as it is the power-efficient way of connecting your Apple Watch to your iPhone, compared to a WiFi or Cellular connection.

Your Apple Watch will automatically switch to using Bluetooth when your iPhone is in its range, conserving the maximum power. But, when the iPhone is out of its range, it will try to connect to a WiFi network. Further, if there are no WiFi connections, it tries to use the cellular connectivity method, provided that your Apple Watch has a cellular feature.

Does Bluetooth disconnect when Apple Watch is off?

If you are apprehension that the Bluetooth is turned off and disconnects automatically when the Apple Watch is turned off, you couldn’t be more wrong. Bluetooth will not disconnect automatically when your power off your Apple Watch. It will remain turned on the next time your boot your Apple Watch. If you want to disconnect it, you will have to manually toggle off the Bluetooth from the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Here is how you can do it –

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch and Tap on Bluetooth.
Now, slide the slider to turn off Bluetooth on your Apple Watch.

How do I temporarily turn off Bluetooth on my Apple Watch?

If you want to turn off Bluetooth temporarily on your Apple Watch and later turn it on again, you can follow the steps given below –

Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch to see all the apps
Now, find the Settings app and tap on it.
Now, please scroll down to Find the Bluetooth and Tap on it in the Settings menu.
You can slide the slider to turn it off and later turn it on.

Will my Apple Watch still work without my iPhone?

Even if you do not get notifications and alerts on your Apple Watch, there are many other features and functions on the Apple Watch that you can use. Later in this article, we will discuss these things that you can do with your Apple Watch without the iPhone.

How does WiFi work on an Apple Watch?

To switch on the WiFi on your Apple Watch and connect to a network, here are the steps you can follow –

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Scroll down and find WiFi. Once you find it Tap on it.
Your Apple Watch will take a while to scan and search for all the available WiFi connections.
Once you see a list of available WiFi networks, tap on the one you want to connect to.
With the latest Apple Watch Series 6 and Series 7, you can connect to WiFi networks (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (5G) WiFi networks). On Apple Watch Series 5 and older, you can only connect to the 2.4 GHz band of the WiFi network as they are not compatible with the 5 GHz band.
Next, when asked, enter the network password using the Apple Watch Keyboard or Scribble.
Now, Tap Join.
And you are connected to the WiFi network via your Apple Watch.

To forget a WiFi network on your Apple Watch, you can follow the given steps –

Open the Settings menu on your Apple Watch and Tap on the WiFi option
Now, tap on the WiFi network you are currently connected to and that you want to forget.
Tap on the “Forget this Network” option
And you are done!

What can I do when my paired iPhone is out of range?

When your iPhone is out of range of the Bluetooth on your Apple Watch, and there isn’t any WiFi network available, there are a bunch of things you can still do with your Apple Watch –

You can pay at retail stores using Apple Pay to make purchases.
You can still play music from your favorite synced playlist. You can also add music using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and later sync your Apple Watch.
Essential utilities like timers, alarms, clocks, and stopwatches can be used.
You still have access to the activity tracker app to assess your workouts, moving, and standing.
You can also look at photos from a synced photo album.
You can use the workout app and various workout modes to track your activities.

When your iPhone is out of range, but your Apple Watch still has access to a WiFi network, you can:

Use the iMessage app to send and receive messages.
Receive and send Touch Messages (Digital) with other Apple Watch wearers
Get access to many third-party apps.
Ask Siri to do tasks like checking your calendar.
Access Apple Maps to see your current locations and other destinations
Use all the native applications on your Apple Watch.

Can you connect 2 iPhones to an Apple watch?

A single Apple Watch cannot be paired with two different iPhones simultaneously. So, if you were thinking about doing it, I am sorry, but you simply cannot. And, there are no workable hacks to achieve this either.

However, you can pair more than one Apple Watches to a single iPhone simultaneously. Let us think about it for a while. It is simply reasonable that a single user can have more than one Apple Watch to suit their lifestyle. Some users have one Apple Watch for workouts or sports and another for work and meetings.

Here is how you can add more than one Apple Watch to a single iPhone –

Go to the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap on the “My Watch” tab.
Now, tap on your Watch and tap on the “Pair new Watch” option.
Next, tap on the “Set up for me” option.
When asked, you need to position your iPhone so that the viewfinder in the Apple Watch app finds your Apple Watch.
This will allow the two devices to pair.
Now, tap on “Setting up Apple Watch” and follow the prompts or instructions on your iPhone to finish the process as you did for your first Apple Watch.

How do I unpair and pair an already-used Apple Watch?

If you want to unpair your Apple Watch from your current iPhone and pair it with a new one or pair a new Apple Watch to your current iPhone, here are the steps to follow –

Unpairing your Apple Watch with your iPhone

Go to your iPhone and open the Watch app.
Next, tap on the “My Watch” tab at the bottom left of the screen.
Now, tap on the “All Watches” option given in the upper-left corner of the screen.
Next, tap on the little “i” (info) icon provided alongside your Apple Watch’s name.
At last, tap on the “Unpair Apple Watch” option and tap on the “Unpair [ Your name ] Apple Watch” option to confirm and create a data backup.
And you are done!

Pairing an Apple Watch with an iPhone

Put your Apple Watch on your wrist and turn it on your Apple Watch by pressing and holding the button on the side. You will see the Apple logo, and you can be sure that your Apple Watch has powered on
Now, move your iPhone close to your Apple Watch, and in a few seconds, the Apple Watch Pairing screen will appear on your iPhone.
Now, tap on “Continue” or open the Watch app on your iPhone to pair a new watch.
Next, tap on “Set up for Myself.”
When asked, put your iPhone in such a position that the Viewfinder can detect your Apple Watch on the Apple Watch app.
This will pair the two devices.
Now, tap on “Set up Apple Watch” and follow the iPhone and Apple Watch face instructions to complete the pairing process.

How do I reset my Apple Watch to the previous owner?

To reset your Apple Watch after you get it from a previous owner, you can follow the given steps-

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
Now, Go to the General option, and from there, find the Reset option.
Tap on “Erase All Content and Settings,” and when prompted, enter your passcode.
If you own an Apple Watch with a cellular plan, you will be provided with two options –
1. Erase All
2. Erase All and Keep Plan
3. To completely wipe off the Apple Watch, Choose to Erase all.
And the Apple Watch is now reset to factory settings.
You can now pair it to your iPhone using the steps mentioned above and start using it.