Does AppleCare Cover a Lost Watch?

Since it broke into the market in April of 2015, the Apple Watch has been making waves as one of the most inclusive – albeit rather expensive – smartwatches you can buy. 

And, for the money, it really does a lot. 

From sending and receiving SMS text messages to tracking your caloric intake, the Apple Watch functions as an extension of your iPhone and as a fashion accessory.

So, when you cannot find it, you go into a panic.

You spent hundreds of dollars on the watch, and it has since become a constant part of your wardrobe and, overall, your lifestyle. 

You look, and look, and look, but it is just nowhere to be found. 

You worry that someone has taken it without your knowledge and that you will never see it again.

Have you just wasted a ton of money? Or will AppleCare cover a replacement of your lost Apple Watch?

Does AppleCare Cover a Lost Watch?

One of the things that AppleCare and AppleCare+ will not cover is a lost or stolen Apple Watch. You will not get any sort of replacement covered by Apple. Instead, Apple encourages you to try to find the device on your own, report the watch as stolen to local law enforcement, and to put your Apple Watch into Lost Mode.

The terms of AppleCare – and the extended warranty known as AppleCare+ – might not be of much use in certain situations. 

While some things are covered under these limited warranties, there are other things that they do not cover. 

And much of what is covered is still subjected to certain fees and applicable sales taxes.

So, can AppleCare help you cover your lost (or stolen) Apple Watch? 

Let’s dive right in and discuss what AppleCare does and does not cover and what you can do about a lost Apple Watch.

Why won’t AppleCare or AppleCare+ cover a lost or stolen Apple Watch?

AppleCare will not cover a lost or stolen Apple Watch. Neither will AppleCare+. 

It is true that, on the iPhone, you can get a version of AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss on it, but this does not ring true on the Apple Watch. 

Only accidental damage and defects are covered under these plans as far as the Apple Watch goes. 

It is hard to say why this is the case, but perhaps Apple thinks that you are less liable to misplace your Apple Watch or have it get stolen than you are with your iPhone.

How can I locate the Apple Watch on my own?

You will need to use the Find My app in order to locate the Apple Watch on your own.

If you have not downloaded it yet, you should do so now.

If you already have it on your paired iPhone, it will already be enabled on your Apple Watch. 

If your Apple Watch gets lost or stolen, you can go into the Find My app on your iPhone and try to locate it on a map.

Also, due to Activation Lock, anyone who has stolen your device would have to know your Apple ID and password before they could erase your Apple Watch info and add the watch to their iPhone instead.

How to Use the Find My App

Using the Find My app for your Apple Watch that has GPS and cellular can use GPS and a trusted WIFI or cellular connection to show you approximately where the Apple Watch is currently located. 

If your Apple Watch just has GPS, then GPS and a trusted WIFI network can be used. 

However, if you own the Apple Watch Series 1, then know that, since it does not have GPS, it will go off of the location of your paired iPhone or its Wi-Fi connection.

You can sign into iCloud.com or use the Find My app to see where on a map your watch is located. 

If it is near enough to you, you can tap Play Sound to help you locate it.

Your watch will ring until you hit ‘Dismiss’. 

You might not see your watch on the map if it is not connected to Wi-Fi, cellular, or your paired iPhone.

Here is how you can see it on your computer:

1. Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Open Find iPhone.
3. Click All Devices, then on your Apple Watch.

Here is how to find it on your iPhone:

1. Open the Find My app.
2. Select the Devices tab.
3. Choose your Apple Watch to see where it is located on the map.

How to Put the Apple Watch in Lost Mode

You can put your missing Apple Watch into Lost Mode if you go into iCloud.com or use your paired iPhone.

After you put it into Lost Mode, you can send a custom message to your Apple Watch along with your phone number.

 That way, if some good soul does indeed find your Apple Watch, they can know who to contact and how.

To do this from your iPhone:

1. Open the Find My, then tap your Apple Watch.
2. Tap Activate in the Mark As Lost section.
3. Tap Continue.
4. Enter the phone number where you can be contacted, then tap on Next.
5. Enter the message that you want to pop up on the Apple Watch’s screen.
6. Tap on Activate.
7. Find My will send you an email to confirm that you put your Apple Watch in Lost Mode, so be sure to check your inbox.

How to Turn Off or Cancel Lost Mode

If you no longer need to gave your Apple Watch in Lost Mode (fingers crossed that you found it or had someone return it to you), you can do so.

To do this from your computer:

1. Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID and password.
2. Click on Find iPhone.
3. Click on All Devices, then on your Apple Watch.
4. Click on Lost Mode > Stop Lost Mode > Stop Lost Mode again to confirm.

To do so from your iPhone:

1. Open the Find My app.
2. Tap on your missing Apple Watch.
3. Tap on Activated in the Mark As Lost section.
4. Tap on Turn Off Mark As Lost, then tap Turn Off to confirm.

What To Do If You Don’t See Your Apple Watch On the Map

If you don’t see your Apple Watch on the map, you need to start by putting your watch into Lost Mode. 

A passcode will be required before anyone else can turn off the Find My app, erase your watch, or pair it to their iPhone.

You’ll then want to change your Apple ID password so that no one can get into your account. 

You will also want to report your device as lost or stolen to local law enforcement and let them handle things from there.

Closing Thoughts

Unfortunately, AppleCare and AppleCare+ won’t cover you in the event of a lost or stolen Apple Watch.

There seems to be this assumption your iPhone will get lost or stolen more readily than your Apple Watch. 

This is a huge disappointment for watch owners, sure, but there are still a few measures that you can take to track down and retrieve your Apple Watch.