How does Apple Watch work with other phone not on same cellular plan

Looking to buy new watch for fiancé through Verizon. She has Verizon on her parents plan. I’m buying it on my Verizon account and putting a plan of the watch. Would that cause an issue when she goes to connect to her phone. And would it cause issues with notifications for text and calls on the watch


Posted on Dec 9, 2025 7:58 AM

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4 replies

Dec 10, 2025 7:25 AM in response to Jets340

Jets340 wrote:

Well when you go through Verizon app, it shows you can make separate number for just the watch and it would be on its own plan. That’s why I was wondering if I did something like that would it cause issue

As mentioned, that works for kids watches set up using Family Setup. Which restricts certain features on the watch.

It won't work for watches that are tied to the person's iPhone since that process shares the line from the iPhone with the watch.



Dec 9, 2025 9:27 AM in response to Jets340

Yes. It would cause issues as the watch shares the iPhone's plan. Not sure Verizon will simply activate a different number on a watch directly. It would require you activate it with your plan and you iPhone, which is not ideal.


You can buy the watch on your account, just don't activate a plan for it. Let her set it up and pair it to her iPhone so it get's her iPhone's number. It will of course add a fee to the Verizon Plan she is using whether it's her's or her parents' service.






How does Apple Watch work with other phone not on same cellular plan

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