Apple Watch: How to properly clean your Apple Watch

Cleaning your Apple Watch

Learn how to clean your Apple Watch and band. Get helpful tips on avoiding skin irritation, especially if you have allergies or skin sensitivities.

Clean and dry your Apple Watch

Keep your Apple Watch clean and dry. Soaps, cleaning products, abrasive materials,1 compressed air, ultrasonic cleaning, and external heat sources can cause damage and shouldn’t be used with your Apple Watch.

To clean your Apple Watch, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.

2. Wipe your Apple Watch clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water.

3. Dry your Apple Watch with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth.

Clean and dry the Digital Crown

If the Digital Crown gets stuck or won’t move, check for debris and wipe down your Apple Watch. If you find substances like dust or lotion around the Digital Crown, follow these steps to clean it, and repeat as needed:

1. Turn off your Apple Watch and remove it from the charger.

2. If you have a leather band, remove it from your Apple Watch.

3. Hold the Digital Crown under lightly running, warm, fresh water from a faucet for 10 to 15 seconds. Soaps and other cleaning products shouldn’t be used.

4. Continuously turn and press the Digital Crown as water runs over the small gap between the crown and the housing.

5. Dry your Apple Watch with a non-abrasive, lint-free cleaning cloth.

Clean and dry your band

Remove the band from your Apple Watch before cleaning. This cleaning information applies to Apple-branded bands only. For all other bands, follow the care information provided with the band.

For leather bands:

1. Wipe the leather portions of the bands clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water.

2. Don’t soak leather bands in water. The leather bands aren’t water resistant.

3. Let the band air dry thoroughly before you attach it to your Apple Watch. Don’t store leather bands in direct sunlight, at high temperatures, or in high humidity.

For all other bands, buckles, and closures:

1. Wipe the band clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water.

2. Dry the band with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth before you attach it to your Apple Watch.