Apple Watch is designed to go hand in hand with iPhone. You use the Watch app on your iPhone to set up Apple Watch, and then customize your wearable by downloading apps, switching watch faces, and selecting from the best Apple Watch complications.

The latest operating system for Apple Watch, watchOS 10, requires an iPhone 10XS or later running iOS 17 or later and an Apple Watch Series 4 and newer to complete the setup process.

You can, however, do a lot with your Apple Watch even when you don't have your iPhone with you. Take a look!

What Can Apple Watch Do Without an iPhone?

To use your Apple Watch without having to bring along your iPhone, you need a watch model with the GPS + Cellular connectivity option. Then, you can accept phone calls, receive text messages, and stream music on your watch without using your iPhone.

These activities can drain the watch's battery faster and aren't recommended for all-day use.

But an Apple Watch can also do a lot without being connected to your iPhone, even without a cellular connection:

• Track your steps.
• Measure your heartbeat.
• Analyze your sleep.
• Give you calorie burn estimates for some activities.
• Monitor your heart with an electrical heart sensor and ECG app (Apple Watch Series 3 and later).
• Store and play music.
• Use Apple Pay.
• Set an alarm or timer.
• Use the watch as a stopwatch.
• Connect to Wi-Fi without the iPhone.

Many third-party (that is, non-Apple) apps will work without the iPhone, but some still require an iPhone to do the heavy lifting.

Will Apple Watch Ever Work With iPadOS?

Apple Watch is designed as a companion to the iPhone. The Watch app isn't available for iPadOS, so an iPhone is the primary device for setting up any Apple Watch.

An iPad isn't quite as portable as an iPhone, but in the future, Apple Watch could work as well with the iPad as it does with the iPhone. However, that won't happen until Apple Watch with GPS + Cellular connectivity can achieve consistent all-day performance while using a cellular network.

Only then will Apple Watch be independent of the iPhone while still handling phone calls, text messaging, and all the other functionality for which an iPhone is currently required.