How to charge an Apple Watch\, and how long it takes to fully charge

apple watchAbigail Abesamis/Business Insider

    As a piece of tech that's meant to be worn for most of the day, you'll want to keep your Apple Watch charged - especially if you're looking to meet your activity goals for the day and have the satisfaction of closing your colored rings.

    The charging process is straightforward, and while you can choose to charge your Apple Watch every night, I've found that with moderate use (tracking workouts, checking notifications, etc.) I only need to charge my Apple Watch (Series 3) every two to three days.

    Here's how to charge an Apple Watch:

    First, set up your charger.

    apple watch chargerAbigail Abesamis/Business Insider

    1. Place the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable (included with the Apple Watch) concave side facing up.

    The watch can also be charged on the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock ($79). The charging dock employs the same inductive charging connector as the charging cable, and allows you to charge the watch in a flat position or turned on its side. As an added advantage, when charging your watch on the dock it goes into Nightstand mode and can be used as an alarm clock.

    Next, charge your Apple Watch.

    Apple watch chargingAbigail Abesamis/Business Insider

    1. Take the charging circle and touch the concave end to the back of your Apple Watch. A magnet aligns the two parts automatically and holds them together.

    The watch will make a chiming noise that indicates it is charging - unless it's in silent mode. You'll also see a lightning bolt (the charging symbol) in the top left corner. It's typically green, however a red symbol indicates your watch needs power.

    A very low battery is indicated by a red lightning bolt, and you may even need to push the side button to view the watch face at all. More troubleshooting tips can be found on the Apple website.

    Several ways to see how much battery you have left

    apple watch chargingAbigail Abesamis/Business Insider

    How long it takes to charge an Apple Watch

    According to Apple's product testing, Apple Watch Series 3 and 4 take around one and a half hours to charge from zero to 80%, and about two hours to charge from zero to 100%, using the Magnetic Charging Cable - though charge times can vary "with environmental factors."

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