Set up mobile data on Apple Watch
With a mobile data connection on Apple Watch, you can make calls, reply to messages, receive notifications, and more — even while you’re away from your iPhone.
Before you start
Make sure you have the latest software on your iPhone and your Apple Watch.
Check for updates to your service provider settings.
Make sure that you have an eligible cellular service plan with a supported service provider. Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same service provider,* and you must be within your service provider's network when you set up cellular on your watch.
If you have an enterprise or corporate mobile service plan, check with your company or service provider to see if they support this feature. Pre-paid accounts and some older accounts aren’t currently supported. To make sure that your account is eligible, contact your service provider.
* An Apple Watch that you set up using Apple Watch For Your Kids (formerly known as Family Setup) can use a different service provider to your iPhone uses.
Set up mobile data on Apple Watch
You can activate mobile data when you first set up your Apple Watch, or when you set up a watch for a family member. During setup, look for the option to set up a mobile network, then follow the onscreen steps.
You can also set up mobile data later from the Apple Watch app:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile Network.
Tap Set Up Mobile Network.
Follow the instructions for your service provider. You might need to contact your service provider for 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 service provider’s billing or tracking purposes only; your iPhone and Apple Watch share the same number.
Set up mobile data on a family member’s Apple Watch
You can use Apple Watch For Your Kids (formerly known as Family Setup) to set up a GPS + Cellular Apple Watch for a family member who doesn’t have their own iPhone.
If your mobile service provider supports the use of a managed Apple Watch, you're given the option to add the watch to your plan during setup. If your service provider doesn’t support mobile data on a managed Apple Watch, you might be able to use an alternative service provider.
If you don't initially set up mobile data on 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 Mobile Network, then tap Set Up Mobile.
Follow the instructions for your service provider. You might need to contact your service provider for help.
To see the phone number assigned to your family member’s Apple Watch after you set up mobile data, go to Settings on the watch, then tap Phone.
Apple Watch For Your Kids is only available in certain countries or regions. If you're in China mainland, you must verify your identity when setting up mobile data on a family member’s Apple Watch, as required by local regulations. Contact your service provider if you need further assistance.
Connect to a mobile network
Your Apple Watch with cellular automatically switches to the most power-efficient wireless available: it can connect to your iPhone when itʼs nearby, a Wi-Fi network or mobile network.
When your watch connects to a mobile network, you can check the signal strength from Control Centre or the Mobile Network complication that you can add to most watch faces. To open Control Centre, press the side button.
The Mobile Network button turns green when you have a connection. The green bars show the signal strength.
The Mobile Network button turns white when your mobile data plan is active, but your watch is connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your iPhone.
Find out what your Apple Watch can do while connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, even when your iPhone isn’t nearby.
About mobile 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 mobile plan with a participating service provider.
Changing service providers
Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same service provider, unless the watch was set up for a family member who doesn’t have an iPhone. If you change service providers on your iPhone, you need to remove the previous service plan on your Apple Watch and sign up for a new plan.* Here’s how:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile Network.
Your Apple Watch should automatically switch to the service provider 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 service provider.
* Service provider fees may apply. Contact your service provider for details.
Transfer your mobile data plan to a new Apple Watch
When you’re ready to start using a new Apple Watch, you can transfer mobile service from your old watch to your new one. Here's how:
Remove the mobile 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 Mobile Network” to add a mobile data plan.
Some service providers 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 service provider for help.
Remove your mobile data plan
You can remove your mobile data plan at any time:
On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
Tap the My Watch tab, then tap Mobile Network.
Tap the information button
next to your mobile data plan at the top of the screen. Tap Remove [service provider] Plan. Tap again to confirm.
You might need to contact your service provider to cancel your mobile data subscription. Service provider 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 service provider to add your watch to your iPhone mobile data roaming plan. For international roaming to work on your Apple Watch, your service provider must support VoLTE and roaming. Not all service providers support international roaming on Apple Watch, and coverage in other countries is determined by your service provider.
To turn on international roaming, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Tap Mobile Network, then turn on Data Roaming.
International roaming isn’t supported on GPS + 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 mobile data bands used globally. Find out which service providers in your country or region offer cellular service for Apple Watch.
Learn more
To check your mobile data usage, use the Apple Watch app. Open the app on your iPhone, tap the My Watch tab, tap Mobile Network, then scroll to the Mobile Data Usage section.
To turn your mobile connection on or off, press the side button to open Control Centre. Tap the Mobile Network button
, then turn Mobile Network on or off.Turning on mobile data for extended periods uses more battery power. Also, some apps might not update without a connection to your iPhone.
To receive SMS, MMS or push notifications from third-party apps on your Apple Watch with cellular, your paired iPhone must be powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
Find out how to use Dual SIM with GPS + Cellular models of Apple Watch.