Is your Apple Watch getting toasty and rapidly losing power? A recent software update may be to blame.
Earlier this week, Apple released WatchOS 10.1 with a highly-anticipated feature that lets you control newer models by tapping your index finger and thumb together.
However, users quickly started noticing that the update was causing the Apple Watch to overheat and instantly lose battery life.
The issue appears to be model-agnostic, based on posts shared by concerned Apple Watch owners on Twitter and Reddit. Although software updates typically cause battery drainage, some users claim the drop is more drastic this time around.
One person said that after downloading the latest update their Apple Watch SE 2 lost almost half its power within an hour. Another user said their Apple Watch Series 7 lost 90 percent of its battery life in just two hours.
Newer models that pack more juice appear to be withstanding the issue better than their older counterparts. An Apple Watch Ultra 2 owner said their device dropped by 10 percent in 90 minutes, whereas it previously took 8 hours to lose 15 percent.
@AppleSupport watchOS 10.1 has a battery bug. My brand new S9 went from 100% to dead in 3 hours. Multiple people with the same problem. pic.twitter.com/MadJJYFl44
— TFF (@TSHARE18) October 26, 2023
To make matters worse, some users have even noticed their battery power going down while on charge.
On X (formerly Twitter), Apple customer support is directing affected users to the Apple Watch battery info page on the Apple website. But, that doesn’t mention anything about issues stemming from updates. As we previously reported, Apple may have stopped using a human customer support agent on X, so the reply could just be a generic automated response from a bot.
The Standard has reached out to Apple for comment.
A possible fix
Some users have suggested deleting some third-party apps that may be putting extra strain on your Apple Watch battery. That was partly why some iPhone 15s were overheating, according to Apple, before the issue was addressed in an iOS 17 update earlier this month.
But unlike on the iPhone, you can’t check which apps are guzzling up your juice on the Apple Watch. Still, you may be able to make an educated guess based on the apps you’re running or frequently use.
Once you’ve identified and removed the problem software, you should restart the Apple Watch by holding down the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously for at least ten seconds.
