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I just paired up my Apple Watch with my iPhone 7. I noticed that only phone calls work while my iPhone is turned off and data/messages do not work at all. Only way to use data on my watch is while my iPhone is turned on.

Reading the apple web site suggests that both (watch and phone) need to be connected to cellular network in order to use all features of my watch. For example if I leave my phone at home and go to the park with my watch, only way I will be able to send emails and messages from my watch is if my phone that I left at home is turned on.

Can somebody explain me how this works and which preconditions need to be fulfilled for me to use data connections on my watch?

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  • Welcome to Ask Different. Your question is difficult to understand. Can you please edit your question to clearly ndicate the problem you're facing and what you've already done to answer your question yourself?
    – fsb
    Commented Mar 3, 2019 at 3:58
  • Thanks for the edit. Still a bit unsure about what you are asking here. I‘ve added some lines, feel free to change if I misunderstood you.
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Mar 3, 2019 at 9:29
  • If you need clarification, add a comment; don’t edit the post as a response - we’re a Q&A site, not a forum. As for your follow up questions, they’re all addressed in the Apple link I provided.
    – Allan
    Commented Mar 3, 2019 at 15:55
  • Do you have an apple watch with cellular? It will have a red circle or dot on the crown (the rotating control).
    – Ezekiel
    Commented Mar 3, 2019 at 21:31
  • Yes it is apple watch with cell connection
    – Stribor
    Commented Mar 4, 2019 at 1:27

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I noticed that only phone calls work while my iPhone is turned off and data/messages do not work at all.

This is expected behavior. In order to use messaging features not only must your iPhone be be on, but it must be signed into iMessage (meaning connected to Wifi and/or cellular. The phone doesn't not need to be with you, however.

Only way to use data on my watch is while my iPhone is turned on.

Not exactly. If an App requires data, it can use it even if your phone is not connected - the limitation is only for messaging apps (SMS, MMS, iMesage, etc.)

Can somebody explain me how this works and which preconditions need to be fulfilled for me to use data connections on my watch?

To use data on your Apple Watch (Series 3 and 4), you just need to be connected to either a cellular network or a WiFi network.

Apple has an excellent support document How to use your Apple Watch without your iPhone nearby that goes into detail about what's required to use your Apple Watch with cellular.

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  • Actually what I had to do is sign into iMessages on my watch as well as into iMessages on my iPhone. Now when my iPhone is turned off I can still send and receive messages.
    – Stribor
    Commented Mar 31, 2019 at 23:46

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