Apple watch not charging red lightning bolt

Apple Watches are meant to have a battery life of 18 hours, almost as much as an iPhone. You must charge your Apple Watch battery nearly every day or face the possibility of it running out of power the next.

Users are reporting charging issues with their Apple Watch that cuts that time down. They talk about issues both with their Apple Watches and with them draining the battery of their connected iPhone.

How to fix Apple Watch wont charge:

What to Do if Your Watch Isn’t Charging

Step 1: Turn off your Apple Watch and reset it. Press and hold the side button until you see a Power Off prompt on the screen.

Step 2: Swipe on the prompt to turn your watch off.

Step 3: Press and hold its digital crown and the side button at the same time.

Step 4: Release both buttons when you see the Apple logo on the watch screen.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, reset your watch.

Step 1: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Tap on My Watch.

Step 3: Go to General.

Step 4: Tap on Reset.

Step 5: Tap on Erase All Content and Settings, which will un-pair your watch from your iPhone. (You want to make sure you have a backup of your watch before doing this step.)

Step 6: Re-pair your watch and iPhone again.

How to Tell if Your Apple Watch Is Charging

When your watch needs to charge, you will see a red lightning bolt on the screen. It changes to green when your watch is charging. If there is no lightning bolt and you don’t see the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable icon, charge your phone for up to 30 minutes.

Other Tips

Tip 1: When you charge your Apple Watch, you want to make sure to plug the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable fully into the USB Power Adapter. You also want to make sure the adapter is plugged fully into a power outlet.

Tip 2: It’s best to use the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable and USB Power Adapter that came with your watch.

Tip 3: Did you just get the Apple Watch? Make sure to completely remove the plastic wrap from both sides of the charger.

Tip 4: Position the back of your Apple Watch on the charger so that the magnets align with your Apple Watch. If aligned correctly, you will see the green lightning bolt.

Tip 5: Check the back of your Apple Watch and the magnetic charger to make sure both are clean.

Tip 6: If you have a different Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable and USB power adapter, try them and see if they work.

These tips and tricks should help you to get your Apple Watch charging again. If you still can’t get your Apple Watch to charge, it could be a hardware problem or some other problem that requires more help. Contact Apple Support.

Even with regular use during the day, your Apple Watch's battery should last 18 hours, and will fully recharge in just two hours. 

That long battery life and fast charge time means you can count on your trusty digital sidekick all day and almost all night too, as long as you can get it to charge in the first place. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple Watch Series 5 (From $399.99 at Best Buy)

How to troubleshoot your Apple Watch if it isn't charging

A red lightning bolt means your watch needs to be charged, while a green lightning bolt means it's actively charging.Apple

If you rest the watch on its magnetic charging dock and don't see that trusty green lightning bolt on its screen, you have a problem on your hands. 

But there are multiple ways to troubleshoot the charging issue, so don't panic yet.

Reposition the Apple Watch and check connections

Your Apple Watch should look like this when it's charging properly.Abigail Abesamis/Business Insider

1. Try picking up and then reconnecting your watch and charging dock. 

2. Also, try laying the watch down flat instead of charging it at a 90-degree angle.

3. Then, check the charging dock cable and make sure it is properly inserted into the adapter and that the adapter is fully plugged into the outlet.

4. Also make sure the back of the watch and the surface of the charger are clean and free of plastic film or any other physical objects.

Force the watch to restart

A force restart may solve your charging issue.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

1. Hold down both the Digital Crown, the disc on the right side of the watch, and the side button of your Apple Watch for 10 seconds. 

2. Once the Apple logo appears, you can release and the watch will restart. 

3. Repeat step two if you need to.

Try different hardware

Apple does not recommend using third-party devices for charging your Apple Watch.Apple

If possible, try a new charger with your watch to see if the issue is with the charging hardware rather than the device itself. And finally, if accessible, try a different watch with your charger or chargers.

By now, it will be clear if the issue is quickly fixable or if you need help from Apple.

Apple watch not charging red lightning bolt

Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm, GPS)

$429.00 $329.00 from Best Buy

$429.99 from Amazon

$429.00 from Apple

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Steven John

Freelance Writer

Steven John is a freelance writer living near New York City by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, four in Boston, and the first 18 near DC. When not writing or spending time with his wife and kids, he can occasionally be found climbing mountains. His writing is spread across the web, and his books can be found at www.stevenjohnbooks.com.

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Why is my Apple Watch stuck on red lightning bolt?

Apple Watch displays the time and a red lightning bolt - and cannot be used for any other functions - when it has entered into Power Reserve mode, which happens automatically when the battery reaches a low charge level. To restart your watch: press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

How do I fix my Apple Watch not charging?

Make sure that the back of your Apple Watch and the magnetic charger are clean. to appear after you start charging your device. If your Apple Watch still won't charge, force it to restart. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, or until the Apple logo appears.

Does red lightning bolt mean watch is charging?

If you see a green lightning bolt, you'll know that your device is charging or fully charged. If you see a red lightning bolt, a red lightning bolt with a charging cable icon, or no lightning bolt, you need to charge your watch. (This should take 30 minutes or so). Make sure to seat your watch on the charger correctly.

How do I fix the red snake on my Apple Watch?

Here are the most common troubleshooting options for this issue:.
Charge Apple Watch. Obviously, the first thing that you should do is attach the watch to its MagSafe charger that's plugged into a power source. ... .
Change Charging Cable. You should also double-check the MagSafe charger. ... .
Get A Replacement Unit..