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To turn off an Apple Watch, disconnect it from its charger, press and hold the side button until the sliders appear, tap the Power button, then drag Power Off to the right. To turn it back on, hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
A force restart is different from a normal shutdown: reserve it for when you cannot complete a normal restart. It uses the side button and Digital Crown together until the Apple logo appears.
Key takeaways
- Disconnect the watch from its charger before turning it off or restarting it.
- Hold the side button, tap the Power button, and drag Power Off to the right.
- To turn the watch back on, hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
- Use a force restart only when a normal restart cannot be completed or has not resolved the issue.
How do you turn off an Apple Watch?
Disconnect the Apple Watch from its charger, press and hold the side button until the sliders appear, tap the Power button at the top right, and drag Power Off to the right. Apple notes that you cannot turn off the watch while it is charging.
- Disconnect the Apple Watch from its charger.
- Press and hold the side button until the sliders appear.
- Tap the Power button at the top right of the screen.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right.
These are the steps in Apple’s Apple Watch user guide. The side button is on the right side of the watch, below the Digital Crown.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
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Which button turns off an Apple Watch?
Use the side button to open the shutdown controls. The Digital Crown alone is not the normal control for turning off the watch. Apple Watch Ultra models also have a customizable Action button on the left; it is separate from the right-side side button.
Button and Control Center behavior can vary by watchOS version. For button details, see Apple’s button and gesture guide and its Apple Watch Ultra Action button guide. For shutdown, follow the slider flow once it appears.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
| Situation | What to do | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Watch responds normally | Hold the side button, tap the Power button, and drag Power Off right | Watch turns off |
| Normal restart cannot be completed | Hold the side button and Digital Crown together until the Apple logo appears | Watch force-restarts |
| Side button does not respond | Check whether a case, protective film, dirt, or debris is blocking it | May help identify an obstruction; arrange repair if the button remains damaged or intermittent |
How do you turn an Apple Watch back on?
Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears, then wait for the watch face to appear. Disconnect the watch from its charger first; Apple says it cannot be restarted while charging.
What should you do if the Apple Watch is frozen?
If you cannot complete a normal shutdown or restart, hold the side button and Digital Crown together for at least 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears. Apple says to use this force-restart procedure only when you are unable to restart the Apple Watch normally.
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
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A force restart reboots the watch; it does not leave it powered off. Use the ordinary shutdown steps whenever they work.
What if the Apple Watch side button does not work?
Check whether a case or protective film is blocking the side button, and look for dirt or debris around it. If the button remains damaged or works intermittently, arrange a repair. See Apple’s button and gesture guidance.
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- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Does the shutdown method differ by Apple Watch model or watchOS version?
The shutdown flow is to disconnect the watch if it is charging, hold the side button until the sliders appear, tap the Power button, and drag Power Off to the right. Button and Control Center behavior may differ by watchOS version, but the shutdown sliders provide the relevant controls.
On Apple Watch Ultra, use the right-side side button for the shutdown controls, not the customizable Action button on the left.
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- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
FAQ
Why can’t I turn off my Apple Watch while it’s charging?
Apple says you cannot turn off the Apple Watch while it is charging. Disconnect it from the charger, then use the side-button shutdown steps.
How do I restart an Apple Watch?
Turn it off using the Power button and Power Off slider, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. Disconnect it from the charger first.
When should I force-restart my Apple Watch?
Only when you cannot complete a normal restart. Hold the side button and Digital Crown together for at least 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
The Bottom Line
Disconnect the Apple Watch from its charger, hold the side button, tap the Power button, and drag Power Off right. Use a force restart only when a normal restart cannot be completed.
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