Whether a US Apple Watch will work in Europe depends on the model of the watch. There are two major models of Apple Watches; GPS-only and cellular Apple Watches. The former can work anywhere worldwide because it does not require a carrier.
Cellular Apple Watches require carriers, so only select models can be supported by European cellular providers.
The models are divided into two radio groups: American and ‘rest of the world’. American Apple Watches only work in the USA, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Therefore, an Apple Watch will work in Europe if it falls under ‘the rest of the world’ radio category.
In essence, a US Apple Watch will work in Europe only if the regional carrier supports it. In most cases, buying the watch in your home region is safer because it is already designed to work with local cellular providers.
Will A US Apple Watch Work in Europe?
As aforementioned, whether a US Apple Watch will work in Europe depends on the model of the watch. If you are using a GPS-only Apple Watch, it will work in because it does not depend on a carrier to operate. However, if you are getting a cellular Apple Watch, you must ensure that the model supports your origin country’s LTE and UMTS bands.
If the local cellular providers do not support the model, then you may have to use the watch as a GPS-only. Note that you would need your iPhone around for that to work.
Also, there is not one cellular Apple Watch model that underpins global cellular service, unlike an iPhone. Therefore, you ought to confirm that a model is supported in your country before making a purchase.
Generally, Apple Watch models with a 3G frequency band 1/8 and those with 4G LTE bands are commonly supported by wireless cellular providers in Europe. So, you may want to pay attention to that detail.
There are GPS+Cellular Apple Watch models that are not locked to a carrier. These contain a built-in eSIM that uses information from your iPhone’s sim card.
Again, you ought to contact the manufacturer to ensure that the device is supported in the country you intend to use it. Some installed Apple Watch software may fail to work properly in Europe.
Are Apple Watches Region Locked?
US Apple Watches are not necessarily region locked. Rather, different models of the watches have different LTE bands. Therefore, the watch will work in the region where the LTE matches the model of the watch.
Before you settle on a watch, it is imperative to establish the region for which it is meant. For instance, a watch may be compatible with the carriers of Spain but not the UK. Thus, it helps when you buy the watch from your own region, as it is often optimized to work in its country of purchase.
Also, cellular models of Apple Watches tend to be locked to particular carriers so that they can only be used in chosen regions. American model phones, for instance, can be used in the USA, Canada, and Mexico regions.
On the other hand, GPS-only Apple Watches allow you to use them anywhere, even if they are region locked.
New to region-locking? You should watch this video for extensive insights:
Do US Apple Watches Support Data Roaming?
Most Apple Watch models do not support data roaming. For instance, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch Series 4 do not support roaming. Even later models such as Apple Series 6 do not support roaming.
This means that these watches can only use iPhone cellular connection or Wi-Fi. Thus, they revert to GPS-only whenever they are away from the iPhone carrier area.
For GPS+Cellular models such as the Apple Watch SE series, the watch is not built to roam outside the United States. Thus, it cannot connect to local carriers in Europe. Unlike iPhones, US versions of Apple Watches do not have enough LTE bands to connect to the network in Europe.
If you want your US cellular Apple phone to work in a European country, say, the UK, you would have to pay for a cellular plan on a carrier that supports the model of the watch. The plan will then allow you to use your smartwatch without necessarily needing to connect it to your iPhone.
Hence, you can leave your house without your phone and still be able to use the watch for various activities.
Are There Apple Care Locations in Europe?
When your Apple Watch gets damaged, you can’t take it to just any store for repair. It is recommended to take your spoiled device to dealers approved by Apple. There are apple stores and authorized providers throughout Europe to repair iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
There are Apple stores in about 32 European countries. The company’s support page enables you to check for the nearest store. Since the stores are quite far in between, there are instances where your device will have to be shipped because there is no store in the locality.
Also, the Apple company offers AppleCare+ to its customers to insure their products. This coverage goes beyond the warranty period, and the device owners have to pay a certain amount periodically to keep it active.
AppleCare+ covers two accident incidents per year for as long as the customer pays the premiums.
In Europe, this service is available UK and Germany, but the company plans to expand to more countries.
Can You Charge A US Apple Watch in Europe?
The standard chargers used in Europe, as specified by the European Union, are the USB type Micro-B and USB type V. Apple chargers in Europe convert electrical energy from 100V to 240V.
An Apple Watch chargers require ~220V, so the chargers are sufficient – you would not even require a power converter in most cases (providing you use the official Apple charger). However, if you will be moving around the countries, it would be wise to carry a power converter as voltage may vary in different regions.
Final Thoughts
It is cheaper to buy an apple watch in the United States than in Europe. Still, ensuring that the model you buy will work in your country is imperative. Otherwise, purchasing the watch in your home country is better because it is already designed to work with regional carriers.
Apple Watches that are bound to work from any location worldwide are GPS-only watches, which are too basic compared to cellular models. If you have bought a US Apple Watch to use in Europe, please share your experience as to how it worked out for you.
