Can I pair a standalone Apple watch to an iPhone without a cellular plan?

I have an Apple watch with GPS and a Cellular plan from T-Mobile. I have been paying for a cellular plan for several years under the assumption that in the event my phone was ever lost, I could use my Apple Watch as a "back up" to make and receive calls or send text messages.

That is not the case.

If I turn off my phone or the battery dies, my watch is basically useless. I can't make or receive a call or send a text message.

Therefore, help me understand why I am paying for a plan if I need the phone turned on and in the same vicinity as the watch for it to work.

Nikki

I have good news. Today I was able to set up cellular on my child’s Apple Watch. This is how I achieved it following the advice received from Bob in this forum.

My iPhone has service by Xfinity Mobile (about $30 Mo for unlimited).

Paired the watch to my phone using my child’s Apple ID (initially ignored the cellular part).

Once I had the time I went on to Truphone website, entered my info, entered the watch ID, paid. Took 3 minutes, all online. Didn’t talk to anyone.

A few minutes later Truphone notified me the watch was paired. I was confused because the notice was still there: “The Xfinity Mobile account on this iPhone cannot be used to add a cellular plan to “———'s Apple Watch“.

For more information about Apple Watch cellular plans visit https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular.”

I freaked out! But then realized the watch was in fact, already connected to cellular. The notice is still there but the watch is connected!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to port my child’s old phone number so I notified the family of his new phone number.

I can confirm, Xfinity Mobile on my iPhone plus Truphone on child’s Watch works!

Truphone mo is around $9

In terms of the hardware you need, two quick notes:

1. You need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later with cellular,* or Apple Watch SE with cellular, with watchOS 7 or later.
2. A cellular plan isn't required to set up an Apple Watch for a family member, but is necessary for some features. See Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support.

Now if you DO want to get the T-Mobile standalone option, you don't need to have the Watch connect on the same network as the iPhone you're setting it up with:

If your carrier doesn't support Family Setup, or you'd like to use a different carrier, select Not Now.* You can choose an alternative carrier from this list of supported carriers and contact them directly to set up your cellular plan.

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

Plus, since all Apple Watches are unlocked, you can most definitely add a T-Mobile plan to the Watch.

So you can either:

1. Use your iPhone to set up the Apple Watch without cellular.
2. Use your iPhone to set up the Apple Watch with T-Mobile service. In this case, you might want to look into the $5/mo 500MB Digits Standalone Plan with Auto-Pay from T-Mobile (I have the same as a customer). You will have to contact T-Force (T-Mobile support on Facebook Messenger or X, best support option), chat online, or visit a store to activate this plan, as it isn't available on their website.

Hope this helps and let us know if you still face issues setting this up!

The Apple Watch Family Plan does not require the same carrier for Parent’s iPhone and child’s Apple Watch.

The parent can have Xfinity, and the child can use a carrier that DOES support the Apple Watch Family Plan.

Carriers that support Apple Watch Family Plan are listed here:

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

BobHarris wrote:

pink_peony wrote:

Did you ever find out if you can pair an Apple Watch (GPS+Cellular) to an iPhone without a cellular plan? I don't have Xfinity, but I am trying to determine if I can pair my daughter's new Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation (GPS+cellular) to her iPhone which does NOT have an associated cellular plan, or if the only option is to use some type of Family Setup with an iPhone that DOES have an associated cellular plan?

If she does not want a cellular phone number , then it can be paired. The Apple Watch will just use WiFi either its own, or via the iPhone WiFi radio.

But if she wants a phone number, the either the Apple Watch Family Plan, or the iPhone get a cellular plan.

NOTE: iPhone needs to be an XS, XR, 11,12,13,14,15 or current SE model to work with watchOS 10.

The cost for an Apple Watch paired to an iPhone cellular plan is about $10 per month added to the iPhone’s cellular plan

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

Bob, thanks for the reply. When you mention scenarios for if she does or does NOT want a cellular number, are you referring to a cellular number for the Watch or the Phone? I think you are referring to the watch. If I'm interpreting it right, even if we purchase a watch with a $10+/- monthly cellular plan, the cellular plan will only work if it is paired with an iPhone with a cellular plan. This pairing can either be a traditional pairing or a pairing using Family Setup. If it is paired with a wifi only iPhone, the cellular service for the watch will not function. Am I summing that up accurately? (I realize the OP's question is more complicated because of Xfinity. I'm just trying to figure out the basics for the watch/iphone pairing.)

pink_peony wrote:

Did you ever find out if you can pair an Apple Watch (GPS+Cellular) to an iPhone without a cellular plan? I don't have Xfinity, but I am trying to determine if I can pair my daughter's new Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation (GPS+cellular) to her iPhone which does NOT have an associated cellular plan, or if the only option is to use some type of Family Setup with an iPhone that DOES have an associated cellular plan?

BobHarris wrote:

If she does not want a cellular phone number , then it can be paired. The Apple Watch will just use WiFi either its own, or via the iPhone WiFi radio.

But if she wants a phone number, the either the Apple Watch Family Plan, or the iPhone get a cellular plan.

NOTE: iPhone needs to be an XS, XR, 11,12,13,14,15 or current SE model to work with watchOS 10.

The cost for an Apple Watch paired to an iPhone cellular plan is about $10 per month added to the iPhone’s cellular plan

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

Pink_peony wrote:

Bob, thanks for the reply. When you mention scenarios for if she does or does NOT want a cellular number, are you referring to a cellular number for the Watch or the Phone? I think you are referring to the watch. If I'm interpreting it right, even if we purchase a watch with a $10+/- monthly cellular plan, the cellular plan will only work if it is paired with an iPhone with a cellular plan. This pairing can either be a traditional pairing or a pairing using Family Setup. If it is paired with a wifi only iPhone, the cellular service for the watch will not function. Am I summing that up accurately? (I realize the OP's question is more complicated because of Xfinity. I'm just trying to figure out the basics for the watch/iphone pairing.)

You interpreted it correctly. The cell phone number in my description would be for the Apple Watch.

A) iPhone that does not have cellular plan, and hence no phone number. An Apple Watch paired to that iPhone could NOT have a cellular plan either, and hence not phone number. It works, Internet connectivity is limited to places the iPhone and Apple Watch can get WiFi access.

B) iPhone that does not have a cellular plan (or even an iPhone with a cellular plan, but user does not want to sign-up for a cellular service that supports the Apple Watch; or this really is a parent/child relationship), where the iPhone is used in the "Role" of Parent iPhone controlling an Apple Watch in the "Role" of dependent child, under the Apple Watch Family Plan. Then the Apple Watch has a cell phone number, but is limited because it is not directly paired to an iPhone, and is not allowed to share information with the iPhone in the "Role" of Parent iPhone.

Apple Watch Family Plan

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

Set up a family member’s Apple Watch - Apple Support

Near the bottom of the following URL are the carriers that support Family Plan. An Apple Watch Family Plan cellular contract is more expensive than sharing the iPhone's cellular plan (see item C below)

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

Some limitations: Cannot receive SMS/MMS messages, as that depends on a fully paired iPhone (as in item C below). Messaging is pretty much limited to Apple's Messages, unless the messaging service provides an Apple Watch app. Alarms, alerts, notifications on the iPhone are not sent to the Apple Watch. Apple Pay via a credit card is not available. Also not available: Medications, respiratory rate, irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, AFib History, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Wrist Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Walking Steadiness, Audiobooks, Camera Remote, News, Shortcuts, and the double tap gesture.

C) Typical iPhone/Apple Watch usage. The iPhone has a cellular plan that supports an Apple Watch, and the Apple Watch is added to the iPhone cellular plan for about $10 U.S. per month.

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

D) A GPS only Apple Watch (or an unactivated Cellular Apple Watch) paired to an iPhone. In this configuration the Apple Watch can do everything the activated cellular models can do AS LONG AS the iPhone is nearby, so the Apple Watch can use the iPhone's radios. This setup does not require the iPhone have a cellular plan, it also does not require the iPhone's carrier support the Apple Watch, so less expensive MVNO cellular services can be used. If your iPhone it typically "Glued to your Hip", this is a less expensive way to own an Apple Watch, both the initial cost and the monthly costs.

pink_peony wrote:

Did you ever find out if you can pair an Apple Watch (GPS+Cellular) to an iPhone without a cellular plan? I don't have Xfinity, but I am trying to determine if I can pair my daughter's new Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation (GPS+cellular) to her iPhone which does NOT have an associated cellular plan, or if the only option is to use some type of Family Setup with an iPhone that DOES have an associated cellular plan?

If she does not want a cellular phone number , then it can be paired. The Apple Watch will just use WiFi either its own, or via the iPhone WiFi radio.

But if she wants a phone number, the either the Apple Watch Family Plan, or the iPhone get a cellular plan.

NOTE: iPhone needs to be an XS, XR, 11,12,13,14,15 or current SE model to work with watchOS 10.

The cost for an Apple Watch paired to an iPhone cellular plan is about $10 per month added to the iPhone’s cellular plan

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

Hey did you have any luck pairing an extra phone to your standalone watch? I have t mobile trying to do the same thing. Additional work contact phone but I want to utilize app store.

rfrombbc wrote:

Hi Bob, Thanks for the response.

I’m even more confused by your response.

If I don’t need Family Setup to have a separate number for the Apple Watch for my child, then what do I need?

I miss the part about your child. You only need a carrier that supports the Apple Watch Family Plan for your child’s Apple Watch.

Your iPhone carrier does not need to support the Apple Watch Family Plan.

So you can use Xfinity, and your child can use:

• AT&T
• C Spire
• T-Mobile USA
• Truphone
• US Cellular
• Verizon Wireless

This page lists the carriers that support the Apple Watch Family Plan:

Apple Watch - Carriers - Apple

Yes, can vouch for truephone have it for both kid Apple watches. It’s a UK carrier :-) but you get a US number. The reason I use this not something else is because I have prepaid T-Mobile and they won’t give me Apple Watch plans on prepaid. This will only work for family plans. You will need to control the phones via cell phone, not kids cell phones if they have them.

Cellular Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen (2022) 40mm

I have this exact same question. I still don’t get it from reading your explanation. If I have xfinity mobile on my iphone, can I get the watch set up through Family Setup simply by having that Apple watch on carrier that supports Family Setup? Meaning, can I keep Xfinity Mobile on my phone?

rfrombbc wrote:

I have this exact same question. I still don’t get it from reading your explanation. If I have xfinity mobile on my iphone, can I get the watch set up through Family Setup simply by having that Apple watch on carrier that supports Family Setup? Meaning, can I keep Xfinity Mobile on my phone?

Xfinity supports the iPhone. You do not need to use the Apple Watch Family Plan. And it will be cheaper than getting a Family Plan service.

Thanks for clarifying.

I will continue to try this with Xfinity Mobile on my iPhone and other one of those carrier’s on my child’s watch. But I’m still confused because there is currently a message that says: “The Xfinity Mobile account on this iPhone cannot be used to add a cellular plan to ‘———‘s Apple Watch.’”