Apple has posted a new support note advising owners of the Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE that they can get a free repair if their device won’t charge after entering Power Reserve mode.
The issue affects some Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE devices running watchOS 7.2 or 7.3, which was released on January 26.
Apple has now released watchOS 7.3.1 to prevent the charging issue from occurring to other Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE devices that have so far not been affected.
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“A very small number of customers with Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE models running watchOS 7.2 or 7.3 have experienced an issue with their watch not charging after it enters Power Reserve,” Apple says in a new support note.
“Apple has released watchOS 7.3.1, which prevents this issue from happening to other Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE devices,” it adds in a footnote.
Apple Watch owners can check if their device is affected by this issue by placing the watch on the charger and then waiting at least 30 minutes, according to Apple.
“If your Apple Watch still won’t charge, contact Apple Support to set up a mail-in repair free of charge. Your watch will be examined before service to verify that it’s eligible for free repair.”
Apple Watch owners can find out how to see what Watch model they have via the Apple Watch app on an iPhone. Users need to open the Watch app on the iPhone, or the Settings app on the Apple Watch. Then tap General > About, and the version number should be visible next to the Model.
