An Apple Watch must be off its charger before it can shut down. Hold its side button until the power controls appear, then use the power icon and Power Off slider.
Use the side button to reach Power Off
Take the watch off its charging puck before starting. Apple says a watch cannot be turned off while charging, so a disabled shutdown control in that situation does not mean the button has failed.
Apple's turn-on and shutdown guide gives the side-button sequence. Keep the watch where the screen and buttons are easy to reach.
Status: Apple Watch shutdown controls checked against Apple's guide on October 29, 2026. The side button and charging restriction apply to this procedure. No watch was operated.
- Press the side button and wait for the sliders while holding it, then release.
- Tap the power control at the screen's upper-right corner.
- Drag Power Off to the right and let the display go dark.
Release the button as soon as the controls appear. Continuing to hold can invoke Emergency SOS; the power menu is the intended stopping point for this action.
Check the button when a different control opens
Pressing the side button briefly brings up Control Center on current watchOS. If that is all that appears, use a hold for the power controls instead of another quick press.
Apple documents the different button actions: holding the Digital Crown can invoke Siri, while the Ultra's Action button operates its assigned function. Neither is the normal shutdown button.
A screen going dark when the wrist drops is ordinary display sleep. The watch wake-duration controls govern that behavior while the watch remains running.
Turn it on again when needed
Apple states that holding the side button until its logo appears turns the watch on. Wait for the watch face before treating the startup as complete.
If it stays dark, follow the Apple Watch charging and startup checks. Repeated button presses will not resolve an empty battery.
Our check is to distinguish a deliberate shutdown from an unexpected blank display: note whether the Power Off slider completed before the screen went dark. That tells support which sequence actually happened.
If the shutdown controls never respond
For a frozen watch that cannot use the normal slider, Apple's restart procedure is a separate recovery action. A forced restart brings the watch back on; it is not a way to leave it powered off.
If the side button or touchscreen remains unresponsive after the appropriate restart, contact Apple Support. Report the model, whether it was charging, and whether holding the side button produced any controls.
The Short Version
Disconnect charging, use the side button to open the power controls, then drag Power Off. A dark sleeping display is different from shutdown, and the Digital Crown or Ultra Action button performs other jobs.
Isaac Smith is the founder and editor of PC Glance, a website that covers computers, laptops, and technology. He is a tech enthusiast and a computer geek who loves to share his insights and help his readers make smart choices when buying tech gadgets or laptops. He is always curious and updated about the latest tech trends.