You can pair your Android phone with an Apple Watch, but there’s a catch

Apple has been trying to make the Apple Watch work with Android for about three years, according to the company’s own remarks in early 2024. Apple made the revelation in response to a Justice Department lawsuit against Apple that used the Apple Watch’s iPhone-only compatibility as an argument to support its argument that Apple is a monopoly. As of 2026, the Apple Watch continues to be one of the best smartwatches available to buyers, with Apple refining the experience every year. But it doesn’t get any easier to make Apple Watch work with Android devices. There are workarounds that allow someone to use an Apple Watch and an Android phone, but there’s one big problem: Many of the advanced features offered by the Apple Watch won’t work properly. The wearable would offer users a more limited experience.

Instead of enjoying all the health and fitness features that the Apple Watch can offer when paired with an iPhone, Android users will be limited to making calls from the cell phone, sending text messages, using location tracking, accessing safety features like fall detection, and tracking workouts. However, the Apple Watch won’t actually sync with the Android device and relay notifications. Additionally, many of the more advanced health features offered by the Apple Watch won’t work.

It’s important to note that even if you’re using an Apple Watch with an Android phone, you’ll still need to set up the wearable on an iPhone and you’ll need an Apple account for the process. Additionally, you’ll need to purchase a cellular version of the Apple Watch of your choice, which is more expensive than the GPS models. There are two ways to use the Apple Watch with an Android phone, as you’ll see below.

Apple lets iPhone users set up Apple Watch models for family members who don’t have an iPhone. This feature can be used to give a child access to an internet-connected device that can be used for calls and messages, as well as to track the user’s location. Apple has a support document that explains in detail the steps required to activate an Apple Watch for a family member. The process requires a cellular Apple Watch Series 4 or later that is running watchOS 7 or later. An iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14 or later is required to set up the wearable. The Apple Watch and iPhone will need separate Apple accounts because the Apple Watch user will be added to the iPhone user’s family.

Configuration involves choosing which features will be available on the Apple Watch. Apple mentions several features that will work on the smartwatch: “Location services for the Find My app, Siri, Apple Cash Family, messages in iCloud, health data, emergency contacts, medical ID, activity, daylight time, workout route tracking, and photos.” Apple explains that the Apple Watch user will have access to some health and fitness features, including high and low heart rate notifications, heart rate variability readings, and fall detection.

The support document also mentions the various Apple Watch features that won’t work on the Apple Watch without an iPhone: “Medication, respiratory rate, irregular heartbeat notifications, ECG, atrial fibrillation history, cycle tracking, sleep, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, walking stability, audiobooks, news, shortcuts, double tap gesture, and international roaming.” This suggests that these features would also not be available when using this workaround to use the Apple Watch with an Android phone.

The previous method is not designed to set up the Apple Watch for yourself, unless you create a second Apple account for the wearable. But there is another way to make Apple Watch work with an Android phone. You still need an iPhone and an Apple Watch with cellular connectivity for this scenario. According to Android Police, the process involves setting up the Apple Watch with your iPhone. Both devices must use your Apple account during setup.

Once the Apple Watch is set up, you need to turn off the smartwatch and the iPhone. After that, you need to transfer your physical SIM card or eSIM to your Android phone and let the Android phone connect to the cellular network. Then turn on the Apple Watch. Android Police notes that the iPhone may need to be in Airplane mode for this process to work. But even this tutorial points out that Android users would be better served by an Android smartwatch. Indeed, using the Apple Watch with an Android phone would considerably reduce the usefulness of the wearable. The Apple Watch would still receive calls and texts, but many of the advanced health features buyers can expect won’t work.