Just bought new Apple Watch 10 in GPS only. Paired with new iPhone 16. When traveling internationally I want watch to work but want to keep phone in Airplane mode rather than pay for cellular or risk unsecured wifi. Will the watch still fully function or must the phone cellular service/wifi be activated. Thank you.
Apple Watch Series 10, watchOS 11
As varjak paw says, the GPS only will work, with the restriction that the Apple Watch cannot ask the iPhone to use cellular internet data.
Typically the Apple Watch is setup to mirror the iPhone with respect to Airplane mode, so that it will turn off its radios when on an Airplane and you are supposed to shutoff your devices. BUT, you can stay in Airplane mode, but turn the Bluetooth and WiFi back on for both devices, and then the Apple Watch can talk to the iPhone, and use WiFi is your iPhone is signed in to the WiFi access point.
If when doing International travel, you get a travel eSIM for the iPhone, then the Apple Watch would be able to use that.
Well actually the Apple Watch just asks the iPhone to get something for it, and the iPhone decides if it will use WiFi or cellular to get what the Apple Watch asks for. The Apple Watch is unaware of what cellular provider the iPhone is using, or if the iPhone decided to use WiFi to complete the request.
PS. I have owned a GPS only Apple Watch for 6 years. No international travel, but I've used Airplane mode when flying and been able to enable Bluetooth and WiFi when the airline staff said we could use our WiFi devices.
As varjak paw says, the GPS only will work, with the restriction that the Apple Watch cannot ask the iPhone to use cellular internet data.
Typically the Apple Watch is setup to mirror the iPhone with respect to Airplane mode, so that it will turn off its radios when on an Airplane and you are supposed to shutoff your devices. BUT, you can stay in Airplane mode, but turn the Bluetooth and WiFi back on for both devices, and then the Apple Watch can talk to the iPhone, and use WiFi is your iPhone is signed in to the WiFi access point.
If when doing International travel, you get a travel eSIM for the iPhone, then the Apple Watch would be able to use that.
Well actually the Apple Watch just asks the iPhone to get something for it, and the iPhone decides if it will use WiFi or cellular to get what the Apple Watch asks for. The Apple Watch is unaware of what cellular provider the iPhone is using, or if the iPhone decided to use WiFi to complete the request.
PS. I have owned a GPS only Apple Watch for 6 years. No international travel, but I've used Airplane mode when flying and been able to enable Bluetooth and WiFi when the airline staff said we could use our WiFi devices.
It depends on what you mean by "fully function". Anything that requires data from the Internet obviously is not going to work, but things that are entirely on the Watch should still be fine. What functions do you want your Watch to be able to do while travelling?
Regards.
Thank you for your replies. By "fully function" my interest is in have current/local time automatically update to my new locations and have the health app data fully accessible. I don't want to use wifi or cell on my phone while traveling except when checking in for flights. (I think that I don't care if I don't get messages/calls ... it will be a test to see if I can actually disconnect from the world!!!)
Thank you. Perhaps you know the answer to this question... I've been told that when traveling it's safer to use a personal travel router if I need to connect to wifi. I purchased a wifi 6 gig wireless router for this trip...what do you know about usage of personal routers when traveling?
Generally, you have to have access to an Ethernet port in your room that you can plug the travel router into. If the place you are staying ONLY offers WiFi, then unless you have a very sophisticated travel router, you will have no choice but to just use the room's WiFi.
Anyway, generally you configure your travel router to have its own WiFi name, and password.
If you are lucky, the room's Ethernet DOES NOT require you to sign-in (which if frequently the case for WiFi). If you have to sign-in to the Ethernet port, then it is a function of what the travel router provides to allow you to do that. If you are lucky it will just pass the sign-in request through to your iPhone/personal computer when you first attempt to browse the web. Or when you attempt to connect to "captive.apple.com" or "NeverSSL.com" (ways to trigger the captive login most hotels and other public WiFi services require).
Can I use Bluetooth only and not engage wifi?
By the way, the new iPhone 16 comes with eSim so there is nothing required to set up international except work with the carrier.
Yes. Separate Control Panel buttons.
Thank you Bob. I appreciate your help.
The Happy Crab wrote:
Can I use Bluetooth only and not engage wifi?
Does GPS only watch 10 fully function when paired iPhone is in Airplane mode?
