Do I Need To Keep Bluetooth On For Apple Watch? [Explained!]

In the world of technology, Bluetooth is a fantastic advancement. If you want to take advantage of all of the features that your shiny new Apple Watch has to offer, make sure that the iPhone you’re pairing with it has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.

Before you can pair your Apple Watch, you’ll need to open the Control Center on your iPhone and make sure that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on.

Here’s how Bluetooth and Wi-Fi work with your Apple Watch: they may establish connections between your iPhone and the watch, allowing you to communicate with it.

If you have cellular service, you can stay connected over a cellular network, and your watch will dynamically switch between different connection types to establish the most powerful connection possible.

When your iPhone is close by, your Apple Watch will use Bluetooth to save the most power. If Bluetooth isn’t available, your Apple Watch will try to connect to Wi-Fi instead. Let’s pretend a compatible Wi-Fi network is available but your iPhone is out of range. 

In this case, your Apple Watch chooses to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. If Bluetooth and Wi-Fi aren’t available, the Apple Watch’s cellular versions will attempt to connect via your cellular plan.

We’ll go through what happens when your iPhone is out of range and what you can do on your watch without a connection because this might be a little perplexing for new Apple Watch owners.

Is it necessary for Apple Watch to have Bluetooth turned on?

Apple Watch does not require Bluetooth to be turned on. It is, however, strongly advised that you leave it on so that your watch can use the most energy-efficient connection possible. Otherwise, it will attempt to connect through Wi-Fi or cellular, if available.

Is Bluetooth required to be turned on at all times? How can you turn off Bluetooth on your Apple Watch temporarily? Will the watch still work if you don’t have your iPhone with you? Continue reading to learn about all of the Bluetooth problems that Apple Watch consumers have.

Is it necessary for Apple Watch to have Bluetooth on all of the time?

The Apple Watch does not require Bluetooth to be turned on all of the time. However, having Bluetooth enabled aids the Apple Watch in locating and utilizing the most energy-efficient connection available.

You’ll need Bluetooth switched on to pair your Apple Watch with a pair of AirPods.It’s fairly simple to put them together. Now all you have to do is:

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
2. From the menu, choose Bluetooth.
3. Tap on the gadget when it displays.

Alternatively, you may open the Bluetooth option by tapping the AirPlay button on the play screens of the Music, Now Playing, Audiobooks, and Podcasts apps.

Is Bluetooth disabled when the Apple Watch is turned off?

When you switch off your Apple Watch, Bluetooth will not instantly disconnect. It will still be toggled on the next time you turn on your device, just like it is on iPhones. If you want to disconnect it, go to the Settings app and toggle Bluetooth off.

How can I switch off Bluetooth on my Apple Watch for a while?

If you don’t want Bluetooth to work, you can turn it off with a few simple steps. You’ll have the option to switch it back on whenever you choose.

This is what you must do:

1. Open the Apple Watch’s Settings app.
2. From the menu, choose Bluetooth.
3. To turn Bluetooth off, slide the slider to the left.

Will my Apple Watch still work if I don’t have access to my phone?

Because your iPhone is out of Bluetooth range, your Apple Watch will not just stop working. Even if your iPhone is switched off and placed far away from you, you can still receive notifications and messages if your watch has cellular.

You’ll need to be within Bluetooth range to receive your messages and notifications otherwise. There are still many things you will be able to do, which I will discuss shortly.

On an Apple Watch, how does Wi-Fi work?

But first, a word about Wi-Fi. It takes a few steps to connect for the first time, but it is simple and convenient. This is how it’s done:

1. From your Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
2. Select Wi-Fi and wait for your device to scan for all available Wi-Fi networks.
3. Select the network you want to join by tapping on its name. (Note: You can connect to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz [5G] Wi-Fi networks on the Apple Watch Series 6 and 7. Because 5G was not yet available when these watches were made, you can only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks with the Apple Watch Series 5 and earlier, as well as the Apple Watch SE.)
4. If prompted, use Scribble or the Apple Watch keyboard to enter your password.
5. Press the Join button.

You may force your Apple Watch to forget a Wi-Fi network by doing the following: 

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
2. Select Wi-Fi.
3. Select the network to which you are now linked by tapping on its name.
4. From the drop-down menu, choose to Forget This Network.

If you wish, you can always rejoin the network at a later time.

When my linked iPhone is out of range, what can I do?

When your iPhone is out of range and Wi-Fi is unavailable, you can still use the Apple Watch to perform a lot of things. These include:

– Making purchases with Apple Pay at participating retail stores.

– Using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and connecting your Apple Watch, play music from a synchronized playlist and add songs (which you can do by putting it on the charger.)

– Make use of the stopwatch, timer, alarm, and clock.

– Use the Activity app to keep track of how much you’re standing, moving, and exercising.

– Show photographs from an album that has been synchronized.

– Track your workouts using the Workouts app.

You can do a few more things if the phone is out of range but Wi-Fi is active. You can: – Send and receive messages using iMessage.

– Interact with other Apple Watch users by sending and receiving Digital Touch messages.

– Use the majority of third-party apps.

– Use Siri to perform tasks such as checking your calendar.

– Check your current location with Apple Maps.

– Look through all of the Apple Watch’s native apps.

Final Thoughts

When you need to leave your iPhone with someone else, the Apple Watch is a versatile, multi-functional tiny device that comes in handy (uh, wrist). They’re perfect for individuals who want to keep track of their workouts but don’t want to carry their iPhone around with them all day at work.

There’s still a lot you can accomplish with your Apple Watch even if Bluetooth isn’t turned on. Bluetooth is simply the most energy-efficient connectivity.