How Long Do Apple Watches Last?

In full transparency, being an Amazon Associate we may collect a small commission (at no cost to you!) when you click on some of the links in this post and make a purchase. These funds allow us to maintain the site and continue to write great articles for you.

Hemant and his team mentions and reviews only those products that they find good enough after using & researching them for several weeks. By doing this we make sure that you get a well rounded review and recommendations to make the best decision for yourself.

Are you planning to buy an Apple watch and are wondering how long will it last? Do you want to know how long the battery of an Apple Watch will last?

If yes, then this article will be of great help to you. In this article, I will tell you the average life expectancy of an Apple watch and its battery, be it Apple Watch Series 7, 6, 5, SE, etc. Not only this but I will also tell you how you can make your Apple watch and its battery last longer.

So keep reading!

Quick Navigation

How Long Do Apple Watches Last?

How Long Do Apple Watches Last

Smartwatch has kind of become a necessity these days for all the health-conscious people out there. And when it comes to smartwatches, then one brand has the biggest market share as of now and that is Apple.

But Apple smartwatches come at a cost and I know not many people can afford them. If you too are stretching your budget to buy one then I am sure you must want to know how long will it last.

However, this question can have two interpretations:

1) You want to know the life expectancy of an Apple watch
2) Or you want to know how long will an Apple watch last on a full charge

So let us look at these two questions one by one.

What Is The Life Expectancy Of An Apple Watch?

Let us first look at the average life expectancy of an Apple watch. The life expectancy of an Apple watch, like any other smart gadget, depends mainly on three things:

1) Battery Of The Watch

The battery of an Apple watch or be it any gadget, keeps degrading over time. And there will come a time when it will not give you a battery life of even a minute. And without a proper battery life, your watch may not give you the desired performance.

The battery of Apple watches generally lasts for around 3-4 years. After that, you will need to get it replaced.

2) Operating System Of The Watch

We are consuming data at a pace that is never seen before. Due to this, the smartwatch operating system, software, and apps are getting heavier in size. If you keep upgrading the apps and operating system then there will come a time that your watch’s hardware will not be able to handle such apps and software.

So after around 3-4 years, the hardware of the Apple watch will be inefficient in processing the new-age software and you will start feeling the need of replacing your Apple watch.

3) Build Quality Of The Watch

The watch will last longer if it does not get broken, right? Apple watches do not come with tough build quality like tactical smartwatches but they will last through the urban jungle easily. In fact, Apple claims that its latest Apple Watch Series 7 comes with its most crack-resistant display yet. Other than this, Apple smartwatch cases are made up of Aluminium.

Furthermore, Apple Watches support interchangeable bands so you can swap the original band with a new one when its condition deteriorates. There are plenty of 3rd party bands available but I would recommend you to check these comfortable Apple Watch bands.

Therefore an Apple watch will probably last as long as you want if you do not try to break it yourself.

Keeping all the above three factors in mind, you can expect an average life expectancy of an Apple watch to be around 3 years. And this goes for all the Apple watches, be it Watch Series 7, 6, 5, or SE. However, you can make them last even longer. To know how to do it, keep reading the article.

How Long Do Apple Watches Battery Last?

Now let’s see how long will you be able to use an Apple watch before charging it again.

According to this article by Apple, their goal is to achieve a battery life of 18 hours for its watches like Apple Watch Series 7, SE, and 3. I think 18 hours of battery life is way too less and there are many smartwatches with good battery life available on the market.

For its latest Watch Series 7, the 18 hours of battery life include:

  • 90 notifications
  • 60-minute workout with continuous music playback through a Bluetooth device
  • 90-time checks
  • Connected to a smartphone all the time
  • 4 hours of LTE connection

Therefore you can expect a battery life of not more than a day from Apple watches on a single charge. And you will have to charge it before you start wearing it again the next day.

How To Make An Apple Watch Last Longer?

Increase Life

As discussed earlier, the Apple watches life depends on 3 factors, so let us now see how you can make your Apple smartwatch last longer.

1) Charge The Watch As Late As Possible

Every battery in the world has a limited amount of charge cycles, these charge cycles determine the battery’s life. The sooner these charge cycles get completed, the sooner the battery will die. So to make your Apple watch last longer, try to charge your watch as late as possible. The less frequently you will charge the watch, the less the charge cycles will get completed and the longer the battery will last.

2) Do Not Update Your Watch And Cell Phone

To make your Apple watch last longer, you should not update your watch as well as your cell phone that you connect your watch with after a year. Operating systems are getting heavier day by day, but the watch’s hardware is not getting updated right? So the newer updates will require new powerful hardware to run smoothly. And if you update your Apple watch then you will not get the desired performance, because your hardware will simply not be able to handle heavy updates.

Not only on your watch, but you should not install updates on your cell phone too. Because if you update your smartphone then it might happen that your cell phone’s software wouldn’t connect with the outdated software of your smartwatch.

3) Use Protective Case

Use a protective case to protect your Apple watch from getting damaged. If it stays in a single piece then it will keep running.

How To Make An Apple Watch Battery Last Longer?

Apple Watch Series 7 Battery Life

Let us now see how you can extract more battery life from each charge of your Apple watch. There are actually many ways to increase the battery life of an Apple watch. But we will discuss only important ones because if we will try to over-optimize the battery then the smartwatch will not be more than a traditional digital watch.

1) Turn Off The Always On Display

The first thing that you should do to increase the battery life of your Apple watch is to turn off the always-on display. Always-on display in smartwatches eats up a lot of battery.

2) Reduce The Frequency Of Heart Rate Monitor

Apple watches are one of the best smartwatches with heart rate monitor, but a 24/7 heart rate monitor also eats up a lot of battery. If you do not suffer from any heart disease then you should decrease the frequency of the heart rate monitoring.

3) Decrease The Brightness

Decrease the brightness of the display and use watch faces that are not as bright.

Should You Replace Battery In Apple Watch?

Yes, you should replace the battery in your Apple smartwatch if you do not want to buy a new one. As discussed above, the battery of Apple watches lasts for around 3 years on average. And if you replace the watch battery after 3 years then your Apple watch can last an additional 2-3 years.

Replacing the battery of your Apple Watch will cost you somewhere around $80-$100, which is way less than what you will be paying for a new watch.

You might also like:

FAQs

How Many Years Does The Apple Watch Last?

An Apple Watch can last for around 3 years.

Can An Apple Watch Last 5 Years?

Yes, an Apple Watch can last for 5 years, provided you take good care of it.

What Drains Apple Watch Battery The Most?

Always-on display, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, and high brightness level are some of the things that drain the battery of an Apple Watch.

Do Apple Watches Have Replaceable Batteries?

Yes, Apple watches have replaceable batteries.

Hemant Mendiratta

Hemant's love for watches started when his grandfather gifted him his Rolex watch when he turned 18! Being a teenager it was a big deal for him. Later when he got his first job he bought Fossil Palm Pilot back in 2003 which was a smartwatch. Since then smartwatches have come a long way and so is Hemant's love for them. His experience with watches inspired him to start Wearholic and share his knowledge of wearables including watches, smartwatches, smart glasses, & smart clothing.

Leave a Comment