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Back of Watch fell off

This morning when I took my Apple Watch (sports version) off the charger, the back stayed on the charger while the rest of the watch came off, connected to the back through a small ribbon cable. The back just fell off.


I use the watch pretty normally - wear it during the day, charge at night, wear it running for an hour 3 times a week. Don't wear it in the shower or anything like that.


I can place the back on the watch but it eventually just falls off again, and I'm sure the moisture seal is shot.


Looks like the back is just glued on and prone to falling off. Even my relatively ugly Pebble Watch used screws and a rubber gasket. Apple just squirted a bit of glue around the edge, pushed the back on, and called it a day.


<Edited by Host>

Posted on Jul 15, 2015 10:47 AM

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Posted on Jun 25, 2017 5:44 AM

Hey brother... I am from Nepal. I bought an apple watch but the back side of it is coming out. Don’t know how it came out. I kept it on charger the next day i saw the back part fell of while removing from charger. I know there is replacement of apple watch from Apple although retailers don’t provide those services. Please show me the way to do the replacement process.

201 replies
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Jun 25, 2017 5:44 AM in response to Chamar

Hey brother... I am from Nepal. I bought an apple watch but the back side of it is coming out. Don’t know how it came out. I kept it on charger the next day i saw the back part fell of while removing from charger. I know there is replacement of apple watch from Apple although retailers don’t provide those services. Please show me the way to do the replacement process.

Feb 8, 2017 12:27 AM in response to luckyinlife

Happen to me last week too. Apple watch SS edition 42MM and its already 18months old hence no more warranty. I called Apple Service Desk first to report then advised me to just bring it to Service Centre then they will do some diagnostic first and advised if i need to pay for replacement. Got my REPLACEMENT WATCH today and did not pay a single cents. Apple is the best when it comes to customer service. Really disappointed with this issue though. Hope it will not happen again to my replacement watch.

Jul 5, 2017 8:02 AM in response to nevsf

My wife and I got 1st gen watches the day they were released in the stores in June '15. I got a sport, she got a stainless steel. This past Sunday, 7/2/17, she informs me that the back popped off her watch. She stuck it back on and is wearing it at the moment. However, in as bizarre a coincidence that you can have, not even an hour after the back popped off of hers the front face popped up on mine! What the heck! I can't wear mine because the face is loose. Because of the holiday I haven't been to the store yet, but needless to say we'll be scheduling a visit.

Jun 25, 2017 3:14 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Do they send you a replacement, or just glue the back, back on?


I went into a Apple Store this morning to tell them about my same problem. The back staying connected to the charger when pulling it off. She told me it would be 249 to fix it since my insurance expired on may 5th. 😑 I said it's ok, I might as well buy new for 269... as I was looking at a new watch she said she talked to her manager, that it's a known manufacturer defect and would repair it for free. It would be a week before its available for pickup. I wondered how they were going to fix it, if they were going to glue it back... or if they were going to replace it.

Jun 25, 2017 3:40 PM in response to CBrew100

I purchased mine in 15. My warranty was up in 16, and my Apple care was up in May of 17. The back popped off of mine Mid June. I talked to support who said too bad. Your out of your insurance period, send it in we will tell you what you owe. I was not having that. As the replacement parts are 200+. And if that's the case I would just buy new. I was in the city, and went to a Apple Store who said yeah, the insurance is up, and it would be around 249 to fix. I was like hmm yeah I'm not paying that to fix it. (Thinking I'll just glue it back myself or buy new) I was looking at the 42mm watches when she came back and said that her manager said it's a known problem and manufacturing defect and they would repair it for free.

Sep 19, 2017 10:19 AM in response to nevsf

I have this problem and hit it from a shore but the heart rate sensor was no longer working because I started the cable I guess. take it to an apple reseller but say they have to analyze. apart the screen change color with the sun and I did not like it so I bought another series 2 watch and I turned off two months after buying it is also under repair, with this are several faults I do not know what happens to apple me I like the brand but I'm already thinking if I buy the iPhone x or not /: I have one iPhone 7 Plus at this moment.

Dec 13, 2017 6:10 AM in response to hughgul

Same happened to me here. I’m from Brazil but bought at UK on pre-order on June 2015. I’ve always been careful on using watch, non sports guy. It fell off from metal charger (bought separately at Apple Store), and waiting for Genius Bar at Morumbi Shopping in Sao Paulo. I’ve called Apple and 1st Level Operator “did not have heat anything like that about it”. Senior level specialist said that there is no such repairing program extension mentioned in 3rd party websites. I cannot believe they are avoiding to get public this problem! 9to5mac eve has a copy of an internal document guidance for repair! They are not (at least in Brazil) aware of what international community is facing about this problem.

I’ll update if they will charge anything to fix this obvious project defect.

Dec 14, 2017 9:26 AM in response to nevsf

Both my husband & I are on the fourth versions of the Apple Watch 1st edition. Beginning to know when the back will fall off - the letters on the screen become very big and the watch needs to be rebooted, a few days later the back comes away. We do both love our Apple watches but will change to the new model if/when it happens again.

Jul 15, 2015 10:57 AM in response to Csound1

I did. They don't have replacements and told me to take it to my local store to send it in for repair when I get back next week. I'm traveling at the moment.


I was just curious because the design seems very flawed. Body heat, sweat and other moisture will wear down the glue over time, and pulling the watch off the charger puts a bit of stress on the back. Eventually I'd think every watch would fail. I've only had mine for 1 month!


Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I am following it.

Jul 16, 2015 6:22 AM in response to nevsf

You are not the first and will certainly not be the last, this happened to me also, I went to pull the watch from the charger and the back stayed on the magnet revealing the inside of the watch and the strip that connects it, this will happen to everyone over time because the heat from the battery charging eventually breaks down the glue which holds the back onto the watch, I own the stainless steel version, so there is no particular version not effected, there is a video on YouTube about this problem, all apple will do is glue the back onto the watch again so in a couple of months this will happen again, this is a manufacturing defect, I mean who glues the back onto a watch anyway?

Back of Watch fell off

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