How far away for you have to be away from your phone to still be connected

Hi

The full range of features - including calling and texting - is available when Apple Watch and iPhone are connected. Whenever possible, the devices will connect via Bluetooth.

You don't necessarily need to have your iPhone on or immediately around you (within arm's reach, for example) for the devices to establish and maintain their Bluetooth connection. Normal Bluetooth range is around 33 feet / 10 meters (this will vary in practice due to wireless interference).

Whenever your watch can't connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth, it will attempt, as a fallback, to connect to a known, compatible Wi-Fi network.

When instead connected to Wi-Fi, the watch also still offers a number of features, including receiving and sending messages via iMessage. If your carrier offers Wi-Fi Calling and it is supported on your plan and enabled on your iPhone, you can also use Apple Watch to make calls and (subject to carrier support) send and receive texts.

If your watch is unable to connect either via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it again still offers some - although fewer - features.

Features that remain available in each case are detailed here:

How to use your Apple Watch without your iPhone nearby - Apple Support

For the best performance from your iPhone and Apple Watch, including the most power-efficient communication between them, Apple recommends keeping both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi permanently enabled on your iPhone.

More information:

About Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on Apple Watch - Apple Support

Most get 30-50 feet, I've gone a bit higher in a large office with the phone up on a shelf and a clean line of site. I can walk all around in my house, but a few feet out the front door, it stops the connection.