Apple Watch won't connect to wifi when phone is disconnected. Read so many forums and can't find a fix. Help please

Hi

The full range of features is available when Apple Watch and iPhone are connected 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

If your Apple Watch does not connect to your Wi-Fi network in the absence of a Bluetooth connection with your iPhone, then follow these steps:

If you have not yet done so, update your iPhone and Apple Watch to the latest software, starting with your iPhone:

• Update the iOS software on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
• Update the software on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Check that your home Wi-Fi network is compatible:

• Apple Watch can only connect to 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz networks. It cannot connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi.
• Apple's recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points are detailed here:

• Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points - Apple Support

Make a note of your Wi-Fi network name, the type of encryption that it uses and your Wi-Fi password.

With your iPhone connected to the Wi-Fi network and with your Apple Watch close by and connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth:

• On your iPhone, go to: Settings > Wi-Fi.
• Tap on the "i" icon at the right hand side of your current Wi-Fi connection's entry.
• On the next screen, tap on Forget This Network - allow a few moments.
• Then, with a short pause in between, disable and re-enable Wi-Fi using the toggle at the top of the Wi-Fi screen.

Reconnect your iPhone to your Wi-Fi network:

• Ensure that you connect only to a 2.4GHz network.
• If you have a hidden network (ie the network name / SSID is not broadcast), choose to add the network via "Other", then enter the network name, encryption type and password.

After your iPhone has reconnected, allow a short time for the information to be shared to your watch.

Re-test your watch's ability to connect to the network by turning off Bluetooth on your iPhone and opening Control Centre on your watch (swipe up on the display when viewing the time on your watch):

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

More information:

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

If the steps in my previous reply "did not" help, then I suggest contacting Apple Support (remote diagnostics and/or mail-in service may be available, if required), making a Genius Bar reservation or visiting an Apple Authorised Service Provider for assistance:

• Contact - Official Apple Support
• Apple Support (@AppleSupport) | Twitter
• Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
• https://locate.apple.com/

Apple edited my post and took out the link. Here are the steps you need to follow to get WiFi on the nonLTE Apple watches:

• Turn off your Apple Watch.
• Forget the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks on your iPhone. (Settings > Wi-Fi).
• Turn off Bluetooth on the iPhone (Settings > Bluetooth).
• Connect to the 2.4GHz network on your iPhone, and then re-enable Bluetooth.

Now, turn on the Apple Watch.

Worked like a charm for me.

I have the same problem and the instructions did not fix my problem. I have an iPhone 7 with iOS 11 installed and an Apple Watch 2 with watchOS 4 installed. Additionally, this feature stopped working when my iPhone 7 was on 10.3.3 and the watch was on OS 3.

As an aside, I'm heading to another forum to discus the fact my mid 2014 MacBook Pro repeatedly drops the connection with my AirPods.

Bluetooth issues seem to be a commonality on my Apple devices. What am I doing wrong ?????????

H E L P !!!!!

I'm sorry, but there is something much bigger going on here and it is not with my watch.

I upgraded to iOS 11.0.1 on my iPhone 7 tonight. As the phone was installing 11.0.1 and rebooting, my watch connected to wifi and was able to make calls, etc. The wifi symbol was clearly present during the iPhone upgrade and reboot. All wifi services were working properly on the watch. I mistakenly thought the problem was fixed. Once the upgrade finished I tested the the functionality by shutting down the iPhone. Once again the watch did not connect to wifi.

I then tested wifi calling on my iPad Pro as well as my iPad Air2. Wifi calling had been reset - turned off. I turned wifi calling back on (both devices) and they seem to be working normally with the iPhone shut down. That is to say they call actual phone numbers over wifi, not with the iPhone. I can also use Siri to call a phone number.

I tested wifi calling on my 2014 MacBook Pro running High Sierra. Wifi calling (FaceTime) had been reset - turned off. I enabled wifi calling. Two problems surfaced. First, when asking Siri to place a call Siri repeated the phone number and then repeated the phone number a second time. Siri said "Calling xxx-xxx-xxxx, xxx-xxx-xxxx." With the iPhone shut down the call does not go through wifi as it should. With the iPhone powered up Siri still repeats the number twice and the call still does not go through. With the iPhone powered up and clicking on a phone number in Contacts the call finally goes through.

I know this story is a bit convoluted, however, the bottom line is wifi on my devices is an absolute mess as a result of the software upgrades. The devices were functioning properly before the upgrades. Now they are not.

Thanks for listening.

OK I too am reading a whole bunch of info and seems that people are just not being straight forward here specially ones on apples side. Its simple CAN the watch connect to previously connected wifi SSID which the phone is in airplane mode or not?? There is no reason that once the watch has all the info that it would need the phone to still connect. Stop referring us to documents which are written by apple and so on because they dont explain clearly and are very coy.

I had the same problem. *****

It seems like they key things to remember are:

-it takes a few min for WiFi info to be transmitted from iPhone to Apple Watch. Hence why you have to wait after turning the watch back on

-Bluetooth is what links your watch to your phone. Once you turn Bluetooth all the way off, it should force the Apple Watch to search for WiFi. Again, this may take a few min. After I followed the steps, I turned off Bluetooth to test, it took 8 seconds for the watch to realize it lost connection, and then about 8 more to make the WiFi connection

Good luck!

<Link Edited by Host>

I've been having the same issue on Apple Watch Series 0 OS 4.2.2 with iOS 11.2.5.

I reset everything, forgot networks, nothing would work. It turned out the iCloud keychain wasn't sync'ing between devices. Unfortunately you can't delete keys from keychain on iOS. I'm not sure if turning it off in settings and then turning it back on would work, but I have a Mac. I opened Keychain Access on OSX and deleted all "Airport Network Password" entries out of the iCloud keychain. "Forgot Network" on all devices, then reconnected. As soon as i did so the keychain started sync'ing and my watch began to work on WiFi when Bluetooth was off.

Apple support was not familiar with the bug nor could they figure out the issue. For reference, Series 0,1,2 watches DO NOT have a WiFi button in Control Center. They just get a little blue WiFi symbol in the upper left corner of Control Center after not being able to reach the iPhone via bluetooth.

Just my experience. May want to try this. Worked for me!

This worked like a charm! Thanks!