To put your Apple Watch in airplane mode, open Control Center and tap the airplane button. In watchOS 10 and later, press the side button to open Control Center; on older versions, swipe up from the bottom of the watch face. You can also turn it on in the watch’s Settings app > Airplane Mode. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth may stay on, depending on your settings, so the watch can still connect to your iPhone and headphones.
With Mirror iPhone turned on, the watch follows along when you turn on Airplane Mode on your iPhone.
Quick Answer
Press the side button > tap the airplane icon. Tap it again to turn airplane mode off.
Turn On Airplane Mode on the Watch
- Press the side button (watchOS 10 and later) to open Control Center. On watchOS 9 and earlier, swipe up from the watch face.
- Tap the airplane button. It turns orange, and an airplane icon appears at the top of the screen.
- To turn it off, open Control Center again and tap the button.
Or open Settings on the watch, tap Airplane Mode, and turn it on.
Sync It With Your iPhone
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap My Watch.
- Tap General > Airplane Mode.
- Turn on Mirror iPhone. Now turning on airplane mode on the iPhone also turns it on for the watch (when they’re near each other).
What Airplane Mode Turns Off
| Feature | In airplane mode |
|---|---|
| Cellular (on cellular models) | Off |
| Wi-Fi | Off by default; can be turned back on, and the watch may remember your choice |
| Bluetooth | Usually stays on so headphones and your iPhone connection keep working, depending on settings |
| Workouts, heart rate, timers, alarms | Keep working |
Troubleshooting
- Side button opens something else: On older watchOS, the side button opens the Dock; swipe up for Control Center.
- Airplane button missing: Tap Edit at the bottom of Control Center to add it back.
- Watch still vibrates for notifications: Bluetooth may be on and connected to your iPhone. Turn on Do Not Disturb or a Focus as well.
- Same on your iPhone? See data roaming on iPhone for travel settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does airplane mode save battery?
Some, mainly on cellular models. For the biggest savings, use Low Power Mode.
Can I use Apple Pay in airplane mode?
Yes. Apple Pay uses NFC, which works in airplane mode.
Summary
- Press the side button (or swipe up on older watchOS).
- Tap the airplane button.
- Use Mirror iPhone to sync with your phone.
- Tap again to turn it off.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.