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You’d think it would be simpler. You press a button, things shut down, and you move on with your life. But honestly, sometimes figuring out how to turn off my Apple Watch feels like trying to solve a puzzle you didn't sign up for. Maybe you’re at the movies and don't want that OLED screen blinding the person behind you. Or maybe the haptics are going haywire because of a ghost notification. Whatever the reason, Apple has changed the interface just enough over the years—especially with the jump to watchOS 10 and 11—that the old "hold the button" trick doesn't always look the way you remember.
It’s not just about saving battery. Sometimes the software gets gunked up. If your Series 9 or Ultra 2 is acting sluggish, a hard reboot is often the only way to clear the cache and get the heart rate sensor back on track.
The basic way to turn off my Apple Watch
Let’s get the standard method out of the way first. You aren't looking for the Digital Crown here; you want the Side Button. That’s the flat one right next to the dial.
Hold it down. Don't just tap it, or you'll just open your recent apps or the Control Center depending on your settings. Hold it until a screen pops up with a few different sliders. You’ll see "Medical ID," "Compass Backtrack," "Emergency Call," and right at the top, a little icon that looks like a power symbol.
You have to slide that Power icon to the right.
If you’re running an older version of watchOS, the interface might look slightly different—the button might just say "Power Off" directly. But for most of us on modern hardware, it's that circular slider. It’s a safety feature, really. Apple doesn't want the watch turning off in your sleeve while you're hiking or mid-workout because you accidentally leaned on the button.
Wait, why can't I turn it off while it's charging?
This is a weird Apple quirk that catches people off guard. You cannot turn off an Apple Watch while it is actively sitting on its magnetic charger. Try it. You’ll hold the button, the slider will appear, you’ll swipe it, and... the watch will just reboot itself back to the watch face.
If you want it off, take it off the puck first.
There’s a technical reason for this involving the way the Watch manages its lithium-ion health. Apple prefers the device to be "awake" while receiving power so it can manage the thermal levels and charging cycles. If you’re trying to pack it away for a long trip, pull it off the charger, shut it down, then toss it in your bag.
When the screen is frozen and nothing works
We’ve all been there. The screen is stuck on a frozen weather complication or a notification that won't go away. You press the side button and nothing happens. The slider doesn't appear.
In this scenario, you have to force a restart.
This is the "nuclear option" for your wrist. You need to hold down both the Side Button and the Digital Crown simultaneously. Keep holding them. It usually takes about ten seconds. Ignore the power sliders if they do appear. Keep holding until the screen goes black and the silver Apple logo pops up in the center.
Note: Do not do this if you are currently in the middle of an OS update. If you see that circular progress ring, leave it alone. Hard resetting during a firmware flash is the fastest way to turn a $400 watch into a very expensive glass paperweight that requires a trip to the Genius Bar.
Managing the battery without a full shutdown
Sometimes you're searching for how to turn off my Apple Watch because the battery is at 10% and you still have four hours of your day left. You might not actually need to turn it off.
Power Reserve mode used to be the go-to, but Apple replaced that with "Low Power Mode" a while back. It’s much more functional. It keeps the watch working but kills the Always-On display, slows down the background heart rate readings, and stops the "Start Workout" reminders.
To find it, swipe up to get to your Control Center (or press the side button once on newer OS versions). Tap the battery percentage. There’s a toggle for Low Power Mode. It’ll ask if you want it on for one day, two days, or three. It’s a lifesaver if you’re trying to make it through a long flight without losing your activity rings.
What about Theater Mode?
If your goal is just to keep the watch dark, don't shut it down. Use Theater Mode—the icon with the two masks. It keeps the screen off even if you raise your wrist, but you’ll still feel the taps for important texts. You just tap the screen or turn the crown to wake it up. It's much faster than waiting the 45 seconds it takes for a Series 7 or Series 8 to boot back up from a cold start.
Why won't my watch stay off?
It’s rare, but some users report the watch turning itself back on immediately. Usually, this is a hardware issue with the Side Button being "sticky." If there’s even a tiny bit of salt buildup from sweat or dried soda under that button, it might be registering a constant press.
A quick fix? Turn the watch off. Run the side of the casing under a very light stream of warm (not hot) fresh water while clicking the button repeatedly. Dry it thoroughly with a lint-free cloth. This usually clears out the debris that's triggering the reboot cycle.
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Real-world impact of frequent shutdowns
Does turning it off every night help? Honestly, not really. Apple Watches are designed to stay on. The battery degradation from a nightly power cycle is negligible compared to just leaving it on a charger in "Nightstand Mode."
However, if you're experiencing "Bugs in the Machine"—like the Siri dictation not working or the "Double Tap" gesture on the Ultra 2 being unresponsive—a full power down is the best first step. It flushes the RAM. Just like a Mac or an iPhone, the watch needs a "brain scrub" every once in a while to keep the animations fluid.
Turning it back on
When you're ready to rejoin the world of notifications, just hold that Side Button again. You don't need to hold it for ten seconds this time. Just a couple of seconds until the Apple logo appears. Then, let go. It’ll take a minute to load your complications and reconnect to your iPhone’s Bluetooth or your local Wi-Fi.
Practical Steps for a Healthy Watch
If your watch is acting up, don't just keep turning it off and on. Try these specific steps to see if you can solve the root cause:
- Check for an update: Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General > Software Update. Sometimes a battery drain bug is fixed in a point-release (like watchOS 11.1).
- Unpair and Repair: If the watch won't stay off or acts possessed, unpairing it in the Watch app and then re-pairing it as a "New Watch" clears out corrupted backup files.
- Clean the Sensors: If you're turning it off because the heart rate is wrong, wipe the back crystal with a microfiber cloth. Skin oils and dried sweat block the green LED lights.
- Audit your apps: Go to the Watch app on your phone and scroll down. If you have fifty apps installed that you never use, they are pinging the CPU in the background. Delete the junk.
The next time you're stuck wondering how to turn off my Apple Watch, remember the Side Button is your primary tool, the Digital Crown is for emergencies, and the charger is the one thing that will prevent a shutdown every single time. Keep the casing clean, avoid hard resets unless the screen is truly frozen, and use Low Power mode if you're just trying to survive until you get home to your charging cable.