Does Apple Watch Come Charged?

The Apple Watch comes pre-charged by Apple, so it should work out of the box. This allows you to start the initial setup process right away. However, the watch’s actual battery charge will vary based on how long its been sitting in the box. Lithium-ion batteries lose a small amount of charge over time. You can usually use the watch out of the box with the factory charge to complete the setup process. My watch had about 50% charge when I bought it, so I was able to use it all day before it needed a charge. In general, an Apple watch has about 18 hours of power before it needs a recharge. If your watch comes with a low battery or no charge, put it on the charger for about 10 minutes, and it should turn on and be ready for setup.

Unlike what many people say online, Lithium-ion batteries don’t need to be charged immediately when you buy an Apple Watch or any other electronic device. The batteries have already been tested and charged at the factory. You can use your Apple Watch out of the box with its current charge and then re-charge it at night.

If your watch doesn’t turn on when you press the side button, place it on the charger and wait for it to charge. As soon as it receives enough power, it should start up and allow you to go through the setup process. Usually, this takes about 10 minutes.

How to Charge Apple Watch the First Time

If you purchased an Apple Watch Series 7 or 8, you’ll find an Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable in the box. However, older series come with a standard Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable. Apple doesn’t supply a charging brick, so use your iPhone power adapter or purchase a new USB-PD compatible one with 5W or higher.

Here’s a quick rundown on setting up your charger and charging your Apple Watch for the first time:

Connect the Magnetic Charging Cable to a USB power adapter. Note: If you have an Apple Watch Ultra or a Series 7/8 model, use an 18W USB-C adapter for fast charging with the Magnetic Fast Charger.
Set the charging cable or charger on a flat surface and plug it into a nearby wall outlet.
Position your Apple Watch on the Magnetic Fast Charger or Charging Cable, backside down. The charger will magnetically attach itself to the back of your watch.

A green charging symbol should appear on the watch screen in a few seconds. You can either let your watch charge flat or on its side.

Alternative charging methods include the MagSafe Duo Charger and the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock. If you own one of these, just place your Watch flat on the dock to charge.

How Long do you Charge Apple Watch the First Time?

Apple Watches have a small battery capacity, and depending on your series, a full charge may take up to 2.5 hours.

But, if you have an Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8, or Series 7, which supports fast charging, charging is a lot faster. Assuming you use the included cable with a certified 20W USB-C power adapter, it takes:

Roughly 1 hour to reach 80%
Around 1.5 hours to hit 100%

Apple’s newer charging docks offer overcharge protection, so you don’t have to worry about leaving your watch on the charger after it’s at 100% charge. And keeping your watch on the charger overnight won’t damage it. However, this is only true if you use an official Apple charger with overcharge protection.

If you use a secondhand charger I would unplug the watch when its between 95% to 100% charge just in
case. Overcharging a Lithium-ion battery can potentially damage it.

How Long Does an Apple Watch Battery Last?

Apple Watches, while impressive, are known for their relatively short battery life. Apple touts up to 18 hours of battery life on its Apple Watch SE, Series 7, and Series 8, but actual longevity can fluctuate based on usage.

Frequent use of GPS, LTE, or even regular time and notification checks can impact battery duration. However, activating Low Power Mode on Apple Watch models Series 4 and later can effectively double the battery life.

Apple estimates up to 18 hours of battery life for the Apple Watch SE, Series 7, and Series 8 models under normal usage. This includes a combination of checking time, receiving notifications, using apps, and doing short workouts.

However, battery-intensive features like GPS and LTE can considerably shorten this duration. For instance, continuous workout tracking with GPS could reduce battery life to just 6 hours, while using the Apple Watch for a phone call could drain the battery in as little as 1.5 hours.

For the latest Apple Watch Ultra, battery performance is significantly improved. You can expect up to 36 hours of typical usage. This could potentially stretch to around 60 hours when Low Power Mode is enabled.

For owners of the latest Apple Watch Ultra, you can anticipate up to 36 hours of battery life. With Low Power Mode on, this can stretch to approximately 60 hours, courtesy of the larger battery and enhanced hardware with superior power efficiency.

Is it Normal for an Apple Watch to have a Dead Battery on Arrival?

Yes, it’s common for an Apple Watch to have a dead battery out of the box. Lithium-ion batteries slowly lose charge when idle, eventually depleting the watch’s battery. If your new Apple Watch doesn’t power on, place it on the charger for about ten minutes until it has enough juice to power up and complete the initial setup process.

After the initial setup and pairing, check your watch’s battery health. Open the Settings app on your watch > select “Battery”, > “Battery Health”. Your watch’s maximum battery capacity should display as 100%.

If the capacity is lower or your watch drains faster than expected, you may have a defective battery.

Do You Have to Charge Apple Watch as Soon as You Get It?

No, you don’t have to charge your Apple Watch as soon as you get it. It usually comes partially charged from the factory so you can start using it right away. However, if the battery level is extremely low or completely drained, you should charge it before use. This can occasionally happen if the watch has been sitting in the box for a long time.

Conclusion

Typically, an Apple Watch arrives with enough battery charge for the initial setup process. My watch came with about 50% charge, so I was able to use it the entire day before I had to charge it. Charge it using the included magnetic charging cable if it doesn’t power on.

If charging issues persist, try the following troubleshooting steps before contacting Apple Support:

Use a different power adapter or wall socket.
Ensure the USB end of the charging cable and the power adapter are fully inserted into their respective ports.
Make sure the ports are clean.
Remove any plastic wraps from the charger.
Adjust the Apple Watch’s position on the charger to ensure correct magnetic alignment.
Avoid third-party charging docks, as Apple devices prefer original accessories.