How to Charge a Smart Watch? A Helpful Charging Guide

Smartwatches and wearable fitness trackers are the most essential and crucial for tech and fitness enthusiasts. These wearable computers are versatile and have advanced features like GPS navigation, health monitoring, mobile payments, and phone calls. You are aware of smartwatches lithium-ion battery life and performance that run out of battery after frequent use.

You might need guidance regarding which charger is compatible and good for your smartwatch. And how long should a smartwatch be charged? What should you do if your smartwatch charger is lost or broken? Are there any alternative methods to charge your smartwatch?

Here, this article will provide complete details about multiple ways of charging your smartwatch and multiple ways to charge different brands of smartwatches like Fitbit, Apple, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin, etc.

Is Your Smartwatch’s Battery Life a Constant Struggle?

Is your smartwatch running out of battery, and you are facing challenges in charging it? To stay connected the whole day, you must recharge your smartwatch in several convenient and innovative ways. Before discussing the exciting ways of charging, I want to tell you the tips for charging.

Helpful Tips for Charging a Smartwatch

If you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and tips, then you can find which charger is compatible with your smartwatch and which method is suitable. Let’s discuss which tips you must keep in mind while charging your smartwatch to enhance Li-ion battery charging speed and prolong lifespan:

1. Compatible charger

Using the compatible and proper charger while charging your smartwatch can maintain your battery lifespan and efficiency. Because using rapid, discounted, and wrong chargers will shorten the battery lifespan and damage your watch.

2. Optimum temperature

If you want to charge your smartwatch properly and efficiently, then charging at optimum and moderate temperatures is mandatory. Charging in extremely hot or below-freezing points can damage and affect the battery’s lifespan.

3. Dirt and corrosion-free Smartwatch

Before charging, you must ensure that your charging tool, ports and contacts are free of dust, debris or dirt. A single drop of moisture can cause rust to electromagnetic pins or contacts that can prevent charging and data transfer. Before charging, wipe the watch with a cloth piece to dry it fully.

4. Properly Placed Smartwatch

Place your smartwatch in a flat and well-ventilated area before charging. It also helps to enhance the charging speed of the watch.

5. Powered off the Smartwatch

You must make sure that your smartwatch is powered off before charging. If your powered-on watch remains connected to the charger when fully charged, it will create stress on the battery and shorten its lifespan.

6. Avoid complete discharging

The devices are designed to be booted down while they are powered off. Your device will not have gone through a power cycle when discharged completely. That’s why it’s better to avoid the complete discharging of your smartwatch. Also, please don’t operate your watch when its charging is very low (2.5% or below).

If you follow the above tips, you will enjoy your smartwatch’s smooth and interruption-free running.

How to Charge a Smartwatch With its Original Charger?

Would you notice the gold pins on the smartwatch’s body by removing the smart bracelet’s straps? These gold pins are specifically designed to charge a Smartwatch. Let’s discuss how to connect these pins to the charger:

1. First, remove the strap on the opposite side of the circular button, and you will see two gold pins or contacts for charging.
2. Then, connect these pins to an adapter or charger.
3. You must ensure the proper connection between the pins and the adapter.
4. Connect the wall outlet or adapter to a power socket and switch on the button.
5. Your watch will begin to charge, and you can see the battery icon on the top right side.
6. It would be best to disconnect your smartwatch when it is fully charged.
7. FitPro is the best example of such a charging method.

7 Different Ways to Charge Smartwatch Without a Charger

If you don’t have the original charger or it’s lost, you can use alternatives to charge your smartwatch. Let’s uncover the exciting alternatives for the uninterrupted functioning of your smartwatch:

1. Charging via Magnetic charger or USB cable

You know your smartwatch packaging includes a magnetic charging cable having magnetic connector or pins, clamp style connector or cradle/dock. So you can use that to charge your watch.

Series 36, t500, and Oho Pro smartwatches are best to charge with this method. Let’s discuss how to connect your watch to a magnetic charger:

1. First, you must connect the gold pins on the charging cable with circular gold grooves in the case back.
2. These charging contacts are magnetized and connect automatically. If they are connected properly, the watch rings once.
3. The other end of the magnetic charger is USB type-A and must be connected to a power source or USB-compatible port on a laptop, computer or wall adapter.
4. Once you plug in the charger, the charging status appearing on the screen will indicate that it is charging.
5. If your wearable computer is fully drained, the charging indication may be delayed for a few minutes.
6. If you don’t have a laptop or computer, use a certified USB wall adapter or charger that must not exceed 5 volts and 1-ampere output voltage. You cannot use a fast charger.
7. You must press the middle button once to activate charging and wait until your smartwatch is fully charged.

Pro Tip: Using a magnetic charger and avoiding a USB hub, Y-cable or splitter is highly recommended. It’s because wearable watches are compatible with any USB cable.

2. Charging via USB charger

Another way to charge your smartwatch is through any USB charger. You can use this method of charging specifically for a 4-pin smartwatch. Here are the step-by-step instructions to charge your watch with a USB charger.

1. First, take your USB charger and the Smartwatch.
2. Then, connect the smartwatch to the USB plug.
3. Plug the USB charger into the power socket and turn on the switch.
4. Now you can see the indication that your smartwatch started charging, like a lightning bolt or battery icon.

3. Charging via the Power Share feature on smartphones

If your smartwatch and smartphone can charge wirelessly, you can charge your smartwatch via the phone’s power share feature. Let’s discuss how to:

1. First, you must check if your smartphone has a power share feature.
2. Then make sure your phone has at least 30% battery before wirelessly charging a Smartwatch.
3. For this, you swipe down the notification panel on your smartphone. Then it would help if you tapped on “wireless power share”.
4. If you don’t find Power Share, you must click on the gear icon after scrolling so that you will have access to all the settings of your mobile. You can find this feature and add it to the quick home screen.
5. Once you click the power share option, you will see a message that your phone is ready to charge.
6. Now, place the back of your smartphone with the contact on your smartwatch.
7. After a few minutes, you will see that the smartwatch starts charging. Then, leave both devices undisturbed for 1 to 2 hours.
8. Disconnect the watch when it is fully charged by it from your phone.
9. After removing the watch, you will see the power share screen. So tap” cancel” to turn off the power share screen.

4. Charging via Solar Energy

Use solar energy if you are looking for a more advanced and inexpensive way of charging the smartwatch. Garmin Solar Instinct is the best example of solar charging.

1. You may notice the solar panels on top of the screen of some smartwatches.
2. These Panels are specified to charge directly from sunlight.
3. It’s the best and cheapest charging method that doesn’t need any other power source.
4. You must expose or point your smartwatch towards the Sun directly.
5. Your watch will start harnessing solar energy and begin to charge automatically.

5. Charging via Car Charger

You can use this method if you want to charge your smartwatch while travelling in a car. Let’s discuss how to charge your smartwatch with a car charger.

1. Connect your smartwatch with a car cigarette lighter plug-in using a special cable.
2. The smartwatch will begin to charge while you are driving or travelling.

6. Charging via Power Bank

Another method of charging the smartwatch if you don’t get its original charger is through the power bank. It is also the best portable charger for your smartwatch. Let’s discuss how to charge via Power Bank:

1. First, connect the smartwatch with a power bank via a cable.
2. You can simultaneously connect multiple devices like phones and smartwatches to a power bank.
3. It’s slow charging but portable and has a large capacity.
4. Before using the power bank, you must ensure that the power bank is fully charged and compatible to transfer voltage to your watch.

7. Charging via Wireless Magnetic Charger

Our last method of charging the smartwatch is using a Wireless Magnetic Charger. It’s a fast but expensive way of charging the smartwatch. Here are the steps to charge your watch via Wireless Magnetic Charger.

1. First, you must have a wireless charger or charging pad and a smartwatch with wireless charging features.
2. Then, connect the magnetic charger to a compatible power socket.
3. Now, place the smartwatch in the centre of the wireless charging or charging pad.
4. After a few minutes, you will see the charging indication like a lightning bolt, the watch’s snap and the moving battery icon.
5. These wireless chargers have electromagnetic contacts for charging a Smartwatch.

Charging Your Smartwatch: Magnetic or OTG – Which is Right for You?

Many leading smartwatch brands, such as Apple, Samsung Galaxy, and Amazfit, offer the convenience of magnetic charging. You can also try an alternative charging method by using an OTG cable to connect your phone to other devices for data transfer, such as printers or cameras.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to connect your smartwatch using an OTG cable:

1. Begin by connecting both the OTG cable and a data cable.
2. Plug the free end of the OTG cable into your smartphone.
3. Attach your smartwatch to the free end of the data cable.
4. Your smartwatch will automatically initiate the charging process using this setup.

This method offers a versatile option to charge your smartwatch, especially if you’re on the go or require an alternate charging solution.

Conclusion

Like any other device, a smartwatch requires charging to function. Knowing how to charge your smartwatch is essential for a smooth experience. We have shared tested and proven methods of charging your smartwatch.

Do you want any help regarding your Fitbit smartwatch? We are here for you. How does it track steps, sleep, and heart rate, and how much does it cost? So, charge up, stay connected, and maximize your smartwatch experience.

Frequently Asked Questions