Apple Watch Not Charging Red Lightning Bolt

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Apple Watch Not Charging Red Lightning Bolt 1
Apple Watch Not Charging Red Lightning Bolt

Is your Apple Watch not charging? What does it mean when you see a red lightning bolt on your Apple Watch? 

In this Apple Watch battery troubleshooting guide, we will answer those questions – and more. Read on to learn how to fix an Apple Watch that refuses to charge. 

Understanding the Red Lightning Bolt on Apple Watch

What does the red lightning bolt on your Apple Watch mean? Generally, if a red lightning bolt appears, it means that your watch needs to be charged because your battery is low. 

When you plug your watch into a power source, the red lightning bolt will be surrounded by a circle (you may also see a green or yellow bolt) If, when you plug your watch in to charge, the red lightning bolt stays the same and does not get surrounded by a ring, it means that there is a problem and your watch is not charging. 

Basic Checks Before Troubleshooting

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Basic Checks Before Troubleshooting

Let’s start with some basic checks to do if you are experiencing Apple Watch charging issues. Here are some things to check if your Apple Watch charger is not working: 

  • Make sure the charger is plugged into a working power outlet, and that the cable is inserted all the way into the watch and adapter and that the adapter is inserted all the way into the outlet. 
  • Try with a different cable to see if the cable is damaged. 
  • Try a different power outlet to check if the power outlet is the issue. 
  • Make sure you have electricity in your house. 
  • Make sure you are using the cable that came with your Apple Watch and not a third-party cable. 
  • Check if you see a charging cable icon appearing on the screen. If you do, charge your watch for 30 minutes. It means the battery is completely dead. 
  • Make sure that any plastic wrap or stickers that came on the charger are removed. They can prevent a magnetic wireless charger from working properly. 

How to Fix an Apple Watch Stuck on a Red Lightning Bolt

If your Apple Watch still won’t charge, here are some additional steps to take to fix the issue: 

  • Clean the back of your Apple Watch and the magnetic charger. 
  • Reposition the back of the Apple Watch on the magnetic charger until you see a green or yellow lightning bolt. If you have a larger Apple Watch model, you may need to lay it flat on the charger or adjust the angle until the magnets align. 
  • Force restart your Apple Watch by pressing both the side button and digital crown at the same time until the Apple logo appears (around 10 seconds). 
  • Make sure you are not using a WPT-compliant charger from China or Indonesia with an incompatible Apple Watch. If you do, you will get a warning message about using a country-specific charger. 
  • Update your watchOS software, if you can. 

Troubleshooting When Apple Watch Still Won’t Charge

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Troubleshooting When Apple Watch Still Won’t Charge

If the issue still persists, consider resetting your Apple Watch. Open the Watch app on your phone (make sure that you have your watch nearby) and follow these steps: 

  1. Go to the My Watch tab. 
  2. Click on All Watches and click on the info button (that looks like the letter i) next to your watch. 
  3. Click on Unpair Apple Watch. 
  4. Click on Unpair [Watch Name]. 
  5. Choose to keep your cellular plan, if asked. 
  6. Enter your Apple Watch password. 
  7. Click on Unpair. 

Don’t worry! Your iPhone will create a backup of your Apple Watch, so you can back it up after the reset. 

Another option is to reset your Apple Watch from your watch’s settings by navigating to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. 

When to Contact Apple Support

If the watch doesn’t turn on even after you tried everything listed above, including trying different cables, cleaning the Apple Watch and adjusting its position on the magnetic charger, and updating and resetting your Apple Watch, it’s time to contact Apple Support. 

There are a few ways to get support from Apple. You can make an appointment at a Genius Bar or an authorized Apple service provider. You may also be able to mail in your watch for technical repairs. You can contact Apple support and learn how to request a repair service here

Conclusion

If you see a red lightning bolt, it means your watch’s battery is dangerously low, and you need to charge it. When you plug it in, the red bolt will be encircled by a ring (a green or yellow bolt may also appear if you are using a magnetic charger). If it doesn’t charge, make sure to follow the troubleshooting tips mentioned in this article. 

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Benjamin Levin

Ben is a gamer addict and hardware enthusiast who loves taking apart and building PCs. He has over half a decade of writing experience and is HubSpot certified in content marketing and SEO. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's in computer science with various certifications in the information technology field, particularly relating to hardware. He's excited to share his passion for PC hardware with you and help you create your gaming setup, whether it's your first rig or 100th. Ben has traversed the globe and speaks several languages. His passions include traveling, martial arts, going to the gym, buying random PC stuff he doesn't need, and rewatching Street Fighter and Dragon's Dogma.

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