Apple Watch Restarts Are Rarely Needed, Engadget Reports

A reboot is not risk-free for a wearable, according to Engadget. Beyond the temporary inability to check the time, users briefly lose Apple Pay, walking directions, digital car and house keys, and a continuous stream of health and fitness data. For users trying to close activity rings, the report said, every minute can matter.

The rationale for periodic restarts on other devices also applies in part to Apple Watch. watchOS runs apps and background processes and maintains system caches, so processes can become stuck or glitch, and a restart can reset them. Caches that are not flushed can grow and take space needed for other functions. Apple specifically suggests restarting the watch when it does not have enough room for an update, Engadget reported. Users can also clear web-related content by going to Settings > General > Website Data > Clear Website Data.

But watchOS is lightweight by design, according to the report. Its apps, even real-time navigation tools such as Apple Maps, are scaled back from iPhone equivalents, and the watch cannot run nearly as much in the background as a Mac or iPad. Engadget said there is no public information about those caps. The reporter's Apple Watch Ultra 2 appeared to push the limit by tracking a workout, listening to Apple Podcasts and following a Live Activity for Instacart, and the device was quick to suspend apps beyond that workload.

In hands-on use, Engadget said it has gone years without manually restarting some Apple Watches and saw no serious performance consequences. The reboots that occur when installing new versions of watchOS appear to be enough to keep the devices running smoothly, the report said. Apple seems to have built watchOS to keep its own house in order, according to Engadget.

Apple has no official guidance on how often users should intentionally restart an Apple Watch, Engadget reported. If users notice bugs, freezes or unexpected slowdowns, a restart should be the first troubleshooting step because it clears the cache and background processes, and there may be little else to do beyond installing available software updates.

A restart is unavoidable if the watch becomes completely unresponsive. Engadget said users can force a reboot by holding the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously until the Apple logo appears. When possible, Apple recommends a software-based shutdown: hold the side button until the slider menu appears, tap the power icon and drag the Power Off slider, then hold the side button again to power on. The watch cannot be restarted while it is charging, according to the report.

Engadget's verdict is that users do not need preventive Apple Watch reboots when the device is running relatively smoothly. Apple's software is engineered to run nonstop across watch models, the report said. For maintenance, users should focus on app and OS updates and keep storage use under control so there is space for updates and large caches.