Wouldn’t it be great to have a watch that could make calls and send text messages? Your Apple Watch cellular plan lets you do all that and even more. When you activate cellular on your Apple Watch, it can connect to any wireless or cellular network available. You don’t have to have your phone nearby.
How To Activate Cellular On Your Apple Watch
If you buy a new Apple Watch, you get the option to start the cellular feature when you first set up the device. The steps are pretty simple. You only have to follow the instructions on the screen. You can also choose to set it up later.
If you choose to set up cellular on your Apple Watch at a later time, you can follow the steps below.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap the My Watch tab, then tap the Cellular option.
- Tap Set Up Cellular.
- Follow the activation instructions for your carrier.
You will need an eligible cellular service plan and an Apple-supported network carrier to use the cellular feature on your Apple Watch. Check with your cellular network provider if they provide Apple Watch plans.
Family Sharing With Apple Watch
Family sharing is a popular feature on most iOS devices. It allows you to share Apple services with other members of your family. You can also share your Apple Watch cellular plan with the entire family.
How Many Watches
If you have a family of five, then all of them can have their own Apple Watch. Apple allows up to five people to share services, including the cellular feature. You can activate your cellular plan for all members of your household, even when they don’t have an iPhone.
It is good to note that not all cellular networks support managed Apple watches. You may need to contact your service provider if they offer it. Also, not all models are capable of this feature. Some may need an iPhone at hand.
System Requirements
You will need the latest model to use family sharing on your Apple Watch. Apple Watches in Series 4 are the oldest models that you can use. You will also need WatchOS 7 or later on the device.
To set up cellular on the Apple Watch, you must have Family Sharing set up on your iPhone. You must have the role of an organizer to set up family sharing. You will initiate the setup on your mobile device.
How To Set Up Family Sharing
The family sharing feature on iOS is a handy feature for families with growing children. It helps parents control their kid’s actions online and manage their mobile screen time. Up to six members can use this iOS feature.
Create Family Groups
You can start by creating a family group on your Apple device. You can use your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac. Then, you will have to invite your family members to join your group.
Follow the steps below to start a family group using your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch.
- Go to Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Family Sharing, then tap Set Up Your Family.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
If you use your Mac, follow these steps:
- Click the Apple icon to open the Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences, then click Family Sharing.
- Confirm the Apple ID that you want to use.
- Select Share My Purchases.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Invite Family Members
Having created your family group, you may now begin inviting your family members to join. You will need your folk’s Apple ID to send them an invitation. They will have to accept your invitation to join the group.
Here’s how to send family sharing invitations on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
- Go to Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Family Sharing, then tap Add Member.
- Enter your family member’s name or email address.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
You can choose to send via Messages or in person. They will receive the invitation in their email or through a text message. You can see if they already accepted your invitation on your device. If they are close by, you can have them enter their Apple ID password on your device.
Join A Family Group
You can check the status of the invitation you sent to a family under his name. If someone invites you to join a family group, you will get a text message or receive it in your email. If you missed the notification, then you can accept the invitation from your device settings.
Here’s how you can accept your family group invitation using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
- Go to Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Invitations and follow the onscreen instructions.
If you’re on a Mac, follow these steps:
- Open the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Click on Family Sharing. That will be iCloud and Manage Family on Mojave or earlier versions.
You may have to confirm your account information to accept an invitation to join a family group. It may also ask you to opt-in to any feature or services for your family setup. You can only have one family group at a time and make a switch once a year. If you can’t accept an invitation, see if someone else in your family group uses your Apple ID.
Setting Up Cellular For Your Family
First things first, make sure your cellular carrier supports managed Apple Watches. The device model must also be compatible with such a feature. You get the option to add the new watch to your plan upon initial setup of the device.
If you have an old watch to set up, you can follow the steps below:
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap All Watches and select your family member’s Apple Watch.
- Tap Cellular, then Set Up Cellular.
- Follow the instructions on the screen for your carrier.
Adding a family member to your Apple Watch cellular plan is effortless with Family Sharing. You can get their Apple Watch in no time. Just a few simple steps and you will be making calls and sending text messages with this handy timepiece.