If you’ve got an Apple Watch Series 5 or SE that doesn’t charge after entering Power Reserve mode, Apple will fix it for free.
In a support document published on Monday, Apple said a very small number of customers with these Apple Watch models had experienced this issue. Like its name indicates, Power Reserve is a mode that helps your watch preserve battery life. When this mode is activated, the Apple Watch only shows the current time and a red lightning bolt. Apple Watches in this mode will stop communicating with their corresponding iPhones and other features will not be available.
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The Apple Watches affected by this issue were running watchOS 7.2 and 7.3, the company said. Apple has released watchOS 7.3.1, which it says will prevent other Apple Watch Series 5 and SE devices from experiencing this issue. Per 9to5Mac’s interpretation, this means the update will not fix the problem for users who are already experiencing it, but it should prevent other users from going through the same thing.
If you think your Apple Watch could be affected by this bug, Apple explains how you can perform a simple test to find out.
“To check if your Apple Watch is affected by this issue, place your watch on the charger that you normally use, then wait at least 30 minutes,” Apple said. “If your Apple Watch still won’t charge, contact Apple Support to set up a mail-in repair free of charge.”
The company will analyse your watch when you send it in to make sure it’s eligible for the free repair.