Set up cellular on Apple Watch
Activate cellular on your Apple Watch to make calls, reply to messages, receive notifications, and more — even while you’re away from your iPhone.
Before you start
Make sure your Apple Watch supports cellular. If you're not sure, you can identify your Apple Watch to learn more.
Make sure you have the latest software on your iPhone and your Apple Watch.
Make sure you have an eligible cellular service plan with a supported carrier. Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same carrier,* and you must be within your carrier's network when you set up cellular on your watch.
Check for updates to your carrier settings.
If you have an enterprise or corporate cellular service plan, check with your company or carrier to see if they support this feature. Pre-paid accounts and some older accounts aren’t currently supported. To make sure your account is eligible, contact your carrier.
* An Apple Watch that you set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids (formerly known as Family Setup) can use a different carrier than your iPhone uses.
Activate cellular when you set up your Apple Watch
You can activate cellular when you first set up your Apple Watch. During setup, look for the option to set up cellular, then follow the onscreen steps.
Activate cellular after you set up your Apple Watch
If you don't activate cellular when you set up your watch, you can do it later:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular.
Tap Set Up Cellular.
Follow the instructions for your carrier. Contact your carrier if you need help.
You might see a phone number assigned to your Apple Watch that differs from the phone number assigned to your iPhone. The number shown for your Apple Watch is for your carrier's billing or tracking purposes only; your iPhone and Apple Watch share the same number.
Set up cellular on a family member's Apple Watch
You can use Apple Watch For Your Kids to set up a cellular Apple Watch for a family member who doesn't have their own iPhone.
If your cellular carrier supports this feature, you're given the option to add the watch to your plan during setup. If your carrier doesn't support it, you might be able to use an alternative carrier.
If you don't activate cellular when you set up your family member's Apple Watch, you can do it later:
Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
Tap All Watches, tap your family member's Apple Watch, then tap Done.
Tap Cellular, then tap Set Up Cellular.
Follow the instructions for your carrier. Contact your carrier if you need help.
To see the phone number assigned to your family member's Apple Watch after you set up cellular, go to Settings on the watch, then tap Phone.
Apple Watch For Your Kids is available only in certain countries or regions. If you're in China mainland, you must verify your identity when setting up cellular on a family member’s Apple Watch, as required by local regulations. Contact your carrier if you need further assistance.
If you can't set up cellular on your Apple Watch
If you have trouble setting up cellular on your Apple Watch, try these steps:
Turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Wait 15 seconds, turn Airplane Mode off on both devices, then try again.
Close the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, then try again.
Restart your iPhone and restart your Apple Watch, then try again.
If these steps don't work, contact your carrier for help.
Connect to a cellular network
Your Apple Watch switches automatically to the most power-efficient wireless option available. It can connect to your iPhone if itʼs nearby, to a Wi-Fi network, or to cellular.
When your watch connects to a cellular network, you can check the signal strength from Control Center or the Cellular complication that you can add to most watch faces. To open Control Center, press the side button.
The Cellular button turns green when you have a cellular connection. The green bars show the signal strength.
The Cellular button turns white when your cellular plan is active, but your watch is connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your iPhone.
To turn your cellular connection on or off, tap the Cellular button in Control Center. On the screen that appears, tap Cellular.
To check your cellular data usage, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, tap Cellular, then scroll to the Cellular Data Usage section.
Turning on cellular for extended periods uses more battery power. Also, some apps might not update without a connection to your iPhone.
Learn what your Apple Watch can do while connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, even when your iPhone isn't nearby.
About cellular networks
Apple Watch models with cellular introduced in 2024 and earlier can connect to 4G LTE and 3G (UMTS) networks.
If you have Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, or Apple Watch Ultra 3, your watch can connect to 4G LTE and 5G networks, where available.
5G connectivity requires a cellular plan with a participating carrier.
How to change carriers
Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same carrier, unless the watch was set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids.
If you change carriers on your iPhone, you need to remove the previous service plan on your Apple Watch and sign up for a new plan.*
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular.
Your Apple Watch should automatically switch to the carrier that your iPhone is using. If you need to add a new plan, tap Add a New Plan, then follow the onscreen steps. If your previous plan still appears in the Apple Watch app, you can remove it.
If you need help, contact your carrier.
* Carrier fees may apply. Contact your carrier for details.
Transfer your cellular plan to a new Apple Watch
If you get a new Apple Watch, you can transfer cellular service from your old watch to your new one:
Remove the cellular plan from your old Apple Watch. You can do this from the Apple Watch app or by erasing your old Apple Watch.
Pair your new Apple Watch with your iPhone. During setup, tap “Set up Cellular” to add a cellular plan.
Some carriers allow you to transfer your existing plan to your new Apple Watch directly from the Apple Watch app.
If you don’t see an option to transfer your cellular plan, contact your carrier for help.
How to remove the cellular plan from your Apple Watch
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Cellular.
Tap the information button
next to your cellular plan at the top of the screen. Tap Remove [carrier] Plan. Tap again to confirm.
You might need to contact your carrier to cancel your cellular subscription. Carrier fees may apply.
When you erase and unpair your Apple Watch, you also get the option to remove the plan from your Apple Watch. When asked, choose Erase All to remove the plan.
International roaming with your Apple Watch
With watchOS 9.1 and later, international roaming is available on cellular models of Apple Watch Series 5 and later, Apple Watch SE and later, and Apple Watch Ultra and later.
To get international roaming on your Apple Watch, contact your iPhone carrier to add your watch to your iPhone cellular roaming plan. For international roaming to work on your Apple Watch, your carrier must support VoLTE and roaming. Not all carriers support international roaming on Apple Watch and coverage in other countries is determined by your carrier.
To turn on international roaming, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Tap Cellular, then turn on Data Roaming.
International roaming isn't supported on cellular models of Apple Watch that were set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids.
To cover the LTE and UMTS bands used around the world, cellular models of Apple Watch come in regional models for the Americas, China mainland, and Europe/Asia Pacific. Unlike iPhone, there isn't a worldwide Apple Watch model that supports all cellular bands used globally. Find out which carriers in your country or region offer cellular service for Apple Watch.