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Apple will offer free Watch repairs if software update doesn't fix charging woes
It only affects 'a small number' of Apple Watch Series 5 and SE devices.
Apple has released a new watchOS update today that aims to avoid an issue that causes the Watch Series 5 and SE to stop charging. But if you’re unfortunate enough to already be experiencing this problem, then you could be eligible for a free repair.
According to an Apple support document, a small number of customers have encountered a situation where the aforementioned watches refuse to charge after entering Power Reserve mode (otherwise known as a low-power mode). The latest watchOS 7.3.1 is said to prevent this from happening.
However if you’re already affected and the update doesn’t fix it, then Apple suggests you place your watch on your charger and wait for at least 30 minutes. If it still won’t charge, then Apple recommends contacting Apple Support so that it can arrange a mail-in repair for you, absolutely free of charge. Do note however that Apple will still have to examine your watch to see if it’s eligible for the free repair.
