Every smartwatch turns on (from a shutdown) like smartphones i.e. press and hold the power button.
A smartwatch like the Galaxy Gear 3 among others can turn on by swiping it swiped from bottom to top (when on sleep mode). We also have others that will unlock using motion and voice commands.
How to Fix a Smartwatch that Won’t Turn On
There are several reasons why the smartwatch you have is refusing to power on. Some of the major reasons why the smartwatch won’t turn on include it being frozen, there’s a power button/key issue, or the battery is too low/empty.
Here are a number of reasons why your smartwatch isn’t turning on and possibly effective solutions to turn it on.
1. Force Restart the Smartwatch
If the smartwatch is not powering on then try restarting it. Force restarting the smartwatch is the easiest approach and in most cases, it works.
What a force restart does, is reset the memory of the smartwatch by closing all the tasks including the problematic ones.
When you perform a force restart on your Apple, Fossil, Justice, Fitbit, iTouch smartwatch, etc. all power is cut off from the hardware and battery.
So, how do you Force restart a smartwatch? Force restarting a smartwatch is as easy as long pressing the power key/button for 10 to 20 seconds or until the watch powers on.
Apple, Justice, iTouch, and all other Wear OS and Android smartwatches force restart the same.
Have a Garmin Watch? Click here to learn how to reset it!
2. Replace the charger or Adapter or Both (They might be Damaged)
Sometimes the reason why your smartwatch might not be getting power from the socket is that either the USB cable or adapter is damaged.
In some other cases, both the adapter and the USB charging cable could be damaged hence the watch doesn’t charge, and that it’s the reason why it won’t turn on.
Identify which accessory between the two is damaged and replace it. Also, consider having a look at the charging port on your watch for corrosion.
Clear any signs of corrosion with drops of a dry cleaner and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
3. Charge the Smartwatch
Another reason why your smartwatch is not turning on is that its battery doesn’t have sufficient charge to wake the watch or the battery is totally empty.
Connect the smartwatch to the charger and ensure the connection is done properly. Then let the watch charge for about 30 minutes or so before turning it on.
Don’t know how your new smartwatch is charged? Click on this link to see how various Smartwatches are charged.
Interestingly, we have an entire article to help you fix a smartwatch that is not turning on. We encourage you to take a look if you have trouble turning on your smartwatch.
How to turn on Smartwatch without Power Button
Apart from smartwatches like iTouch, Galaxy Gear 2, and Gear 3 which turn back on with taps and swipes.
The other way you can turn on smartwatches like Justice, iTouch, and Fossil among others is with the user of a power button. You will always need the power button to turn on your display.
But what if the power button stopped working, can you still turn the smartwatch on? The answer is yes, you can turn on your smartwatch’s display even with the power button damaged. You can turn the watch display by plugging in a charger.
Why is the Power Button on a Smartwatch not working
The power button on your smartwatch is not working as a result of various reasons. The first reason your smartwatch’s power key isn’t operating is that the button is not getting in touch with the powering contacts.
The power-on contacts can come out of place when the watch accidentally falls and hits the ground so hard.
The only way the contacts can be put back in place is by opening up the watch which needs extra care if you want to DIY (we would encourage you to take it to a professional).
The other reason your power button is not turning on your watch is that it is stuck some dirt might cause the problem.
There might also be some dirt between the power contacts which prevents circuit completion when the power button is pressed (if the contacts don’t meet the circuit isn’t complete hence the smartwatch won’t turn on).
Keeping your smartwatch dormant for long might make it lose its efficiency and strength hence not being able to power on the watch.
What to do if Your Watch doesn’t have a Smartwatch Power Button
In case the smartwatch you just purchased has buttons and none of the buttons is a power button then try turning it on by tapping or swiping the display from the bottom to the top.
Also, try pressing the provided button one of them might be responsible for turning the watch on.
Also, Learn – How to juice your smartwatch battery.
How to Test if the Power Button is Working
Finding out if the start button is the cause of the smartwatch not turning on is easy. Plug your charging cable into your laptop or adapter and plug in the smartwatch.
If the display on your smartwatch turns on and shows the charging symbol (battery with a lightning bolt at the center) it means your smartwatch is okay and the power button is the one with the issue causing the watch not to turn in.
Have the button looked at by a professional or you can DIY (if you are a technical electrician or know what you are doing).
The other question you might be having now is whether it is possible to turn the smartwatch on without the power button.
Click here to learn about Apple Watch Carriers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to turn on Fossil Smartwatch
The Fossil power button is located in the middle. With enough charge on your Fossil Smartwatch press the power button. It takes the watch 3 seconds to power on.
Turn off the Fossil smartwatch long press the power button for total shutdown and do a single press to make the display power off.
How to turn on iTouch Smartwatch
The power button on the iTouch smartwatch is located at its top right. To turn the smartwatch on tap and hold the display for about 3 to 5 seconds.
How to turn on Justice Smartwatch
To turn on your Justice Smartwatch press the power key until the display lights with the Justice logo.
It takes the power button about 3 seconds to turn your Justice Smartwatch on. The vice versa will turn your Justice Smartwatch off.
How to turn on Galaxy Smartwatch
To turn on a Galaxy Smartwatch from a shut down long press the power button for about 3 seconds.
There are two ways to power on the Samsung Smartwatch if the display has gone to sleep due to inactivity.
The first way you can do this is by pressing and holding the power button until the display goes live.
The other way you can turn on the Galaxy smartwatch is by swiping the screen upwards (from the bottom going to the top).
This amazing turn-on feature is applicable to Samsung Gear S3 and Samsung Gear 2.