Why My Watch Stopped Working & How To Fix It?

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Has your Apple, Fitbit, Samsung, Citizen, or any other watch stopped working all of a sudden? Do you want to know why your watch stopped working?

In this article, I will tell you about the possible reasons why your watch or smartwatch is not working. Not only this but I will also share how you can fix it.

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Why My Watch Stopped Working?

Mechanical Watch

The possible reasons why your watch has stopped working are:

  • Discharged battery
  • Water damage
  • End of its life
  • Magnetism
  • Physical damage

Let me tell you about these reasons in detail.

1) Discharged Battery

A watch needs the power to run whether it is a quartz or mechanical watch. In quartz watches, the power is given by a cell (battery) and in mechanical watches, this power is given by a mainspring. In both cases, if the power is not getting supplied to the watch movement then the watch will stop working. So the first and foremost reason behind your watch not working is its discharged battery.

2) Damaged By Water

Watches come with water-resistant ratings and they can survive only up to a certain level of water contact. This means that they are not waterproof. If you take a lower water-resistant watch to swim, snorkel, or dive then the water can definitely damage it.

Another thing that you need to note here is that the water-resistant of the watch keeps decreasing with time. If it keeps coming in contact with the water again and again then its water resistance will decrease. So if you own a really old water-resistant watch then it can get damaged if it comes into contact with water.

Therefore if you have recently taken your watch to a water sports activity then chances are that water has found its way in.

3) End Of Life

There are watches in the market that last through generations and are inherited by the younger generations. However, everything comes with an expiry date and they die with time. If you own a vintage watch that you have inherited from your forefathers then chances are that the watch has served its life.

There are also watches available in the market that does not last more than six months or a year. Yes, you heard it right, these are normally very cheap watches. If you own a watch like this then chances are that it is at the end of its life and that is why it stopped working.

4) Magnetism

All electric appliances in your household form a magnetic field around them. Since the parts of a watch are made of metals so this magnetic field can hamper its working.

If your watch has stopped working then chances are very high that it has come in contact with a magnetic field. This happens when you put your watch near an appliance like a refrigerator, microwave, etc. Now that you know this, you can buy an antimagnetic watch next time.

5) Physical Damage

Another reason can be the physical damage to the watch. The watch consists of various tiny parts, some of which are really fragile. If you have dropped your watch recently or bumped into something then the possibility of damaging a watch part is very high. And even if the tiniest watch part gets damaged then the whole working of the watch can stop.

Why Does My Mechanical Watch Keep Stopping?

Your mechanical watch keeps stopping because it probably runs out of charge and needs winding.

Other than all the reasons that we just listed above, the main reason behind the mechanical watch stopping is the need for winding. Mechanical watches need winding to keep running. If you own an automatic mechanical watch then it gets winded automatically when you wear it and you don’t need to do it manually.

However, if you will not wear your watch daily then you will find it not working after a few days, depending on its power reserve. So if you want to keep your automatic mechanical watch running then you should wear it daily. Mechanical watches on the other hand need manual winding. And you need to be careful while winding a mechanical watch because it can be bad to wind a watch backward.

Why Is My Quartz Watch Not Running?

Your Quartz watch is not running because it probably needs cell replacement.

If everything is fine with your Quartz watch then the main reason behind it not working is its battery. These types of watches need battery replacement after around 2 years. If it has been more than 2 years since you got your watch battery replaced then it is time to do it again. And since Walmart does not replace watch batteries so you will have to take your quartz watch to a repair center.

Needless to say, all the reasons that we discussed earlier can also be applicable.

Why My Smartwatch Is Not Working?

Smartwatch Not Working

Your smartwatch may not be working because of the following reasons:

  • The battery has discharged or needs replacement
  • Screen is damaged
  • Stuck on a black screen

Let us discuss these reasons in detail.

1) Battery

The first and foremost reason behind a smartwatch not working is its battery. It is not working because:

  • Its battery is discharged and needs charging
  • Its battery needs a replacement
  • The watch’s battery is not charging because your watch port or charger is not working

If no power is getting supplied to your smartwatch battery then it will not work.

2) Damaged Screen

It is possible that your smartwatch is working fine but its screen is not working. If the screen of your smartwatch will not work then you will not be able to see anything, right? And if you don’t see anything then you will think that your watch is not working. Therefore the main culprit could be the screen of your smartwatch.

3) Stuck On Black Screen

Your smartwatch will not work if it gets stuck. This can be because of a crash, it happens with electronic devices all the time. Maybe the smartwatch operating system got crashed and your watch is not responding. A simple reset and turning off your smartwatch can fix this problem.

How To Fix A Watch That Has Stopped Working?

How To Fix A Watch That Stopped Working

Now let me tell you how you can fix if your smartwatch or watch has stopped working.

1) Battery Issue

If your watch has battery issues then you have to:

  • Replace the battery if it is a quartz watch
  • Wind your watch if it is a mechanical watch
  • Charge or replace the battery if it is a smartwatch

You can replace the battery of your watch at home if you have the right tools. Or you can take your watch to a watch repair center.

2) Water Damage

If your watch or smartwatch is damaged by water then you cannot do anything at home, you will have to take it to a watchmaker.

The chances of saving a smartwatch from water damage are close to none and only a repair shop will be able to help your out. In the case of a watch, there are chances of saving it but again you will need the help of a horologist.

3) End Of Life

If it’s the end of the life of your watch or smartwatch then you can’t really do anything. Just move on and buy a new watch for yourself.

4) Magnetism

If your watch is affected by magnetism then you just have to demagnetize your watch and you will be good to go. You can buy a watch demagnetizer or can take your watch to a watchmaker. It only takes a few minutes to demagnetize a watch, provided you have the right tools.

5) Physical Damage

In case you dropped your watch or smartwatch then it could suffer physical damage. You cannot really fix its damage at home and you should take your watch to a repair center to get it fixed.

FAQs

Why Do My Watches Keep Stopping?

If your watches keep stopping then the reason behind it could be magnetism. Stop putting your watch near electric appliances like TV or refrigerators.

Why Did My Watch Stop Suddenly?

The reasons behind your watch stopping suddenly can be: 1) Discharged battery 2) Water damage 3) Physical damage 4) Magnetism 5) End of life

Why Do Watches Stop On Some People?

If you don’t know then let me tell you, human bodies generate a tiny amount of electricity. In some people, this electricity is generated in higher amounts. And an electric current forms a magnetic field around it, if the watch comes in contact with this magnetic field then it stops working.

Can Magnetism Cause A Watch To Stop?

Yes, a watch can stop if it comes into contact with a magnetic field, depending on the intensity of the magnetic field.

What Causes A Quartz Watch To Stop?

The most possible reason behind a Quartz watch not working is the need for battery replacement.

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.

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