Can you answer calls on Apple Watch Series 3 without cellular

The Apple Watch does not activate the cellular service unless it is disconnected from the phone. This is because the cellular service takes more than acceptable battery power.

Therefore, there is no way to receive a call directly to the watch when the watch believes it's connected to the phone, because the watch is disconnected from the cellular network.

For outgoing calls, there does not appear to be a way to disconnect from the phone, from the watch, without also disabling cellular service (as Airplane mode does).


If your watch can't maintain a connection with your phone on Bluetooth it should hop onto your Wi-Fi network. Do you ever see the Wi-Fi indicator in control center if you're in your house but far from your phone?

When Apple unveiled the Apple Watch Series 3, they showed off how you could now make a phone call right from your wrist. The demo featured one Apple employee out in the ocean having a conversation with Apple's Jeff Williams while he was presenting from the stage. It was truly a breakthrough in cellular technology and made it possible to stay connected whether you had your iPhone with you or not.

However, some cellular Apple Watch users have reported that, when they are without their best iPhone, they can't make or receive calls on the Apple Watch. Sometimes the call will even come through but answering it will fail. Others have reported that, when trying to call someone else, it will take them straight to voicemail every time.

If you have had an issue where you can't make or receive calls on your best Apple Watch, like the Apple Watch Ultra, the best thing you can do (which has also been recommended by Apple Support) is to reset your Apple Watch. I personally had this issue and this solution worked perfectly. Here's how to do it.

How to reset your Apple Watch

  1. Open Settings on your Apple Watch.
  2. Tap on General.
  3. Scroll down to the bottom and tap Reset.

Can you answer calls on Apple Watch Series 3 without cellular

(Image credit: iMore)
  1. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
  2. Enter your passcode for your Apple Watch (if enabled).
  3. Scroll down and tap either Erase All or Erase All and Keep Plan.

(Image credit: iMore)

Once the reset has taken place, you will need to set up your Apple Watch again with your iPhone. If you need a refresher on how to do that, check out our beginner's guide on how to set up and start using your new Apple Watch.

Make and take calls from your wrist

One of the coolest features of the Apple Watch is just the ability to make and take calls, right on your wrist! It's truly futuristic tech that we dreamed of when we were kids, and now it's a reality, thanks to Apple.

But sometimes technology just doesn't work perfectly, and that's okay. Thankfully, there are ways to fix it, so if you're having problems making calls from your Apple Watch, just follow the steps above. Resetting usually fixes any ailments to your tech, so give it a go! If that doesn't work though, you may need to take it in to Apple Support.

With the new third-generation Apple Watch, users won’t have to be near their phones to make calls, stream music from Apple Music, and find directions, thanks to the wearable’s new LTE connectivity.


The Apple Watch could previously only load data over a Bluetooth connection with an iPhone, and limited data (Siri, iMessages, and smart home control) over Wi-Fi.

Now, the Apple Watch Series 3 will be able to download data on its own, without being tethered to an iPhone or a Wi-Fi network — that is, if you sign up for an additional data plan with a cell provider (for now, AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile are the first US carriers at launch). The number on your watch will be the same number as your iPhone, and third party apps like WeChat will work as well.

The display itself acts as the antenna — and there’s an embedded electronic SIM card in the device’s hardware. The watch’s form factor is largely the same, which means bands bought for previous Apple Watches will be compatible with the new device. Only the side dial (called the “digital crown”), which now has a red accent, looks different.

There’s an option to turn cellular connectivity on and off, as well as add cellular-related information (or “complications”), like connection strength and ability to make/receive calls, to your watch face.

Can you answer calls on Apple Watch Series 3 without cellular

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Apple

However, according to Apple's specs, LTE connectivity reduces battery life significantly.

Talk time is three hours connected to the iPhone, and just one hour over LTE. With the GPS and heart rate sensor on during an outdoor workout, the battery life is five hours without LTE, and four hours with LTE. The company's 18 hours all-day battery life claim includes four hours of LTE connection and 14 hours of Bluetooth connection to the iPhone.

Like Series 2, the watch features built-in GPS and waterproofness up to 50 meters deep, as well as an OLED Retina display.

WatchOS 4 is the new software shipping with the Apple Watch Series 3, though the update will also be available to older versions of the Apple Watch on September 19.

It includes new watch faces, including a Siri-based version that proactively displays information it thinks you need (eg. traffic info, reminders, and airline tickets from Apple Wallet). The Workout app has a new high intensity interval training (HIIT) mode, enhanced pool swim tracking, and the ability to exchange information with certain gym equipment. When you start a new workout in watchOS 4, the watch will also turn on Do Not Disturb simultaneously, so it doesn’t buzz during your workout class.

There’s better Apple Music integration, too (personalized playlists like New Music Mix are auto-synced). Person-to-person Apple Pay (launching with iOS 11 for phones and tablets) is also available on the watch.

You can preorder the watch on Sept. 15, which starts at $329 for the non-cellular version and $399 for cellular in a variety of colors and finishes. Both ship Sept. 22.

Apple made progress towards a more independent smartwatch with last year’s fitness-focused and newly swim-proof Apple Watch Series 2, which added GPS, so runners, cyclists, and swimmers could track their routes. But the ability to connect to an LTE network may finally fulfill the smartwatch’s original promise: to be a computer on your wrist. The original Apple Watch was too reliant on the iPhone to add any additional benefit for many users. The second-generation watch was more palatable for those interested in health and fitness, but it still wasn’t the device for those who’d rather wear their phones than carry it.

Can you answer calls on Apple Watch Series 3 without cellular

Tap to play GIFTap to play GIF

Apple

The Apple Watch Series 3’s ability to temporarily replace your phone will be contingent, however, on how the data connection impacts the watch’s battery life. Features like LTE data, built-in GPS, near-field communication for mobile payments, and heart rate sensing are notoriously energy draining. Using GPS on the Apple Watch Series 2, for example, reduces the battery from about 18 to 5 hours.

To compensate for power drain, many smartwatch-makers that have already implemented LTE data, including Samsung for the Gear S3 and LG for the Watch Sport, have simply increased the size of the battery, making the wearables incredibly bulky. Apple, on the other hand, has not increased the size of the watch, which also compromises the watch's battery life.

Only real-world testing will tell if the Apple Watch can meet these battery specs. If you were looking forward to a wearable-only future, stay tuned for our full Apple Watch Series 3 review.

Can you use Apple Watch 3 without cellular?

Yes, you can. If you only have the GPS version of the Apple Watch, your iPhone being present is required to be able to make and receive phones calls, since the iPhone is how you would do that.

Can Series 3 Apple Watch answer calls?

Answer on your Apple Watch: Tap the Answer button to talk using the built-in microphone and speaker or a Bluetooth device paired with your Apple Watch. , then tap an option. If you tap Answer on iPhone, the call is placed on hold and the caller hears a repeated sound until you answer on your paired iPhone.

Can you still get texts and calls on Apple Watch without cellular?

With a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, your Apple Watch can do the following things, even if your iPhone isn't with you. Make and answer phone calls. Send and receive messages. Use Siri to get directions, send iMessages, and more.

Can Apple Watch Series 3 make calls and text?

Whether users are out for a run, at the pool or just trying to be more active throughout their day, Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular allows them to stay connected, make calls, receive texts and more, even without iPhone nearby.