Samsung Galaxy Watch not charging on its charger: fixes for Watch4 to Watch7 and Ultra

When a Galaxy Watch will not charge or charges very slowly, the cause is usually the wrong charger, a weak adaptor, sweat on the back or something blocking the signal. These checks follow Samsung's own advice and take about 20 minutes.

Take off any case or metal strap, wipe the back of the watch and the charger dry, and place the watch centred on the charger made for your model. Plug the charger into a Samsung wall adaptor with Power Delivery of 5V/2A or more, not a laptop or power bank. If it still will not charge, let it cool, force restart it and run the wireless charging test in Samsung Members.

• 1. Place the watch centred on the charger: Put the back of the watch flat against the middle of the charger so the two touch fully. On a flat pad or stand, lay the watch screen up. If the charger light flashes red or the watch shows an error, lift it off and place it back in the centre. Keep the charger on a flat surface, not a soft bed or cushion.
• 2. Remove cases and metal straps: According to Samsung, a bulky case, a metal strap or a non-official cover can get in the way of wireless charging, so take them off first. Some metal bands can also cause slow charging or extra heat, so remove the strap if you notice either.
• 3. Wipe off sweat and dust: Sweat, dust and moisture on the back of the watch or the charger surface can stop charging, and this is very common after a sweaty walk or a monsoon commute. Wipe both with a soft, dry cloth. The charger is not waterproof, so never put a wet watch on it or rinse the charger.
• 4. Use the charger made for your model: Samsung recommends its own dedicated wireless charger, as other brands may cause problems. Watch5 and Watch6: EP-OR900. Watch7, Watch Ultra, Watch8 and Watch9: EP-OL300. Watch Ultra2: EP-OL715. An older charger that worked on a previous watch may not charge a newer one properly.
• 5. Plug into a proper wall adaptor: Samsung asks for a wall adaptor that supports Power Delivery (PD) at 5V/2A or higher. Laptop USB ports, multi-port hubs, power banks and older AFC or QC adaptors may not give enough power, so the watch charges slowly or not at all. Try a Samsung PD adaptor plugged straight into a wall socket.
• 6. Let a hot watch cool down: A watch that turns warm on the charger needs a break. Lift it off, shut any apps that are open, and put it back only once it feels cool again. Charge it indoors, away from direct sun or a hot window sill. Using the watch while it charges can also slow charging.
• 7. Force restart the watch: A temporary software glitch can stop charging or make the watch look dead. Hold down the Home key (Power button) and the Back key at the same time. Keep holding for 7 seconds or more, and let go once the display turns black; the watch will then boot up again. This does not erase your data.
• 8. Run the Samsung Members charging test: On your paired Galaxy phone, open Samsung Members, tap Support, then choose your watch under Connected device diagnostics. Tap Wireless charging to start the test. Menu names may differ slightly depending on your phone and app version.
• 9. Charge for a full hour: Leave the watch on the charger for at least an hour without using it. If no charging icon appears, press the Home key once to wake the screen. A fully drained watch may take a while to show any sign of charging.