How to make an Apple Watch battery last longer

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

An Apple Watch is designed to last about a day. If yours runs out by the evening, a few settings use most of the power, and the battery itself may be worn.

These steps are for recent versions of watchOS. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the watch screen, not screenshots.

Step by step

1. Turn off Always On

   On the watch, open Settings, Display & Brightness, Always On, and switch it off. The screen lights only when you raise your wrist. This is the biggest single saving.

   Done

2. Lower the brightness

   On the same page, tap the smaller sun.

   Done

3. Limit Background App Refresh

   In the Watch app on the iPhone, tap General, Background App Refresh, and switch off apps that do not need live data.

   Done

4. Cut down notifications

   Every notification lights the screen and taps your wrist. In the Watch app, tap Notifications and turn off apps you do not care about.

   Done

5. Use Low Power Mode when needed

   It roughly doubles the time between charges: how to turn on Low Power Mode on an Apple Watch.

   Done

6. Check battery health

   On the watch, open Settings, Battery, Battery Health. If Maximum Capacity is around 80% or less, the battery is worn and a replacement restores the original runtime.

   Done

Good to know

Workouts with GPS and mobile data use the most power. Taking the iPhone along lets the watch use the phone's GPS.

A face with many live complications refreshes more often than a simple one.

After a watchOS update, battery life is often worse for a day or two while the watch reindexes. Judge it after that.

In short: Always On off, brightness down, fewer background apps and notifications, Low Power Mode.