standalone Apple watch use in 2025? (no iPhone)

[MiniApple]

Can any of the cellular Apple watches be finally used standalone or in combination with only an iPad or is the iPhone still mandatory in 2025?

All I would need my watch to do, would be:

• 2-3 short cellular calls a month
• capability to make emergency calls if needed (think 911 numbers and such)
• receive text messages for packages and deliveries as well the odd 2FA Code (that offer no alternate option yet).
• NFC contactless payment (Apple Pay for example)

If not an Apple watch, any other recommendations?

My private mobile device has an unlimited data plan and cellular capability and is always with me, so I was wondering if I can ditch the phone.

 

[jz0309]

Can any of the cellular Apple watches be finally used standalone or in combination with only an iPad or is the iPhone still mandatory in 2025?

All I would need my watch to do, would be:

• 2-3 short cellular calls a month
• capability to make emergency calls if needed (think 911 numbers and such)
• receive text messages for packages and deliveries as well the odd 2FA Code (that offer no alternate option yet).
• NFC contactless payment (Apple Pay for example)

If not an Apple watch, any other recommendations?

My private mobile device has an unlimited data plan and cellular capability and is always with me, so I was wondering if I can ditch the phone.

no, it's an iPhone companion device and requires being paired to an iPhone.

 

[Komodo Rogue]

I want to give OP a hug

 

[calliex]

I pretty sure with the cellular Apple Watch you can totally dump the phone. I have ultra II but I use I through the. phone because I do not see my self making calls with the watch that often, but ATT want to charge me $10 a month for the privilege.

 

[MarkX]

I pretty sure with the cellular Apple Watch you can totally dump the phone. I have ultra II but I use I through the. phone because I do not see my self making calls with the watch that often, but ATT want to charge me $10 a month for the privilege.

You still need an iPhone!

You can't set up an apple watch without it.

 

[Howard2k]

If you have a friend with an iPhone you could consider Family Setup.

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support (CA)

Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

That's not a 2025 thing, I think it's a 2020 thing.

 

[Richard8655]

Too bad pairing with an iPad was never an option. I infrequently use a mobile phone but always iPad. Some have ditched their iPhones altogether in favor of cellular iPads with VOIP apps for calling.

 

[doogm]

If you have a friend with an iPhone you could consider Family Setup.

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support (CA)

Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

That's not a 2025 thing, I think it's a 2020 thing.

Two potential issues with that: first, you create a family sharing group with you added to the friend's family. So this seems more useful for a family member than a friend.

Second, while it supports all that the OP asked about, it is limited:

The following features and apps are not available: Medications, respiratory rate, irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, AFib History, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Wrist Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Walking Steadiness, Audiobooks, Remote, News, Shortcuts, and the double tap gesture.

 

[Howard2k]

Two potential issues with that: first, you create a family sharing group with you added to the friend's family. So this seems more useful for a family member than a friend.

Second, while it supports all that the OP asked about, it is limited:

Right. The Watch isn't designed for standalone use, but that's an option that gets some of the way.

 

[weather34]

you only require the apple watch with cellular to be paired in the initial setup and initiate the cellular with your service provider after that free to roam around without iphone nearby. i use my ultra2 as a standalone cellular device 90% of the time there are many days when i do not have my iphone with me so in theory yes but requires an iphone for initial setup . downside typing sms etc can be tedious if you have fat fingers like me . that said no its not truly independent

 

[Xand&Roby]

Apple would erase the watch rather than make it independent of the iPhone, which is the only product that sells like bread.

That of an independent Apple Watch was a claim of Ive, the one that on this site was denied, so they won't do it even if you immolate yourself in the public square.

Make peace with us.

 

[ignatius345]

You still need an iPhone!

You can't set up an apple watch without it.

Right, but I think a better question would be: do you need an iPhone with an active plan to make it work? My hunch is you could, if you have an old iPhone around, use it on wifi to set up the AW, and change settings that are hard to do on the watch itself. People mention texting, but at this point you can do much of that quite well with a Mac, if you have one. Not SMS, but iMessage and of course any other messaging alternatives like Whatapp, Signal, Messenger, Google Voice, etc etc.

 

[Richard8655]

Right, but I think a better question would be: do you need an iPhone with an active plan to make it work? My hunch is you could, if you have an old iPhone around, use it on wifi to set up the AW, and change settings that are hard to do on the watch itself. People mention texting, but at this point you can do much of that quite well with a Mac, if you have one. Not SMS, but iMessage and of course any other messaging alternatives like Whatapp, Signal, Messenger, Google Voice, etc etc.

Just to add, not just any old iPhone. But one that meets compatibility for model, IOS, and Watch OS.

Apple Watch and iPhone compatibility - Apple Support

Find out which versions of iPhone, iOS, and watchOS work with your Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

 

[chadamorrill]

Yeah I found this out the hard way with my 12-year-old's first device. I didn't want to get him a phone, but the family setup was limiting, and didn't quite work how I'd envisioned it.

So currently, I've got an iPhone 11 set up for him with his AW7 Ti. The phone sits on my desk charged all day, and he goes to school and activities with his watch only. More expensive because he's gotta have a phone plan and the watch plan, but it does allow him the freedom to use his watch anywhere. I've not disconnected cellular on it to test that. I imagine iMessage would work, but probably not phone calls or texts to his number? Just a guess.

 

[ignatius345]

Yeah I found this out the hard way with my 12-year-old's first device. I didn't want to get him a phone, but the family setup was limiting, and didn't quite work how I'd envisioned it.

So currently, I've got an iPhone 11 set up for him with his AW7 Ti. The phone sits on my desk charged all day, and he goes to school and activities with his watch only. More expensive because he's gotta have a phone plan and the watch plan, but it does allow him the freedom to use his watch anywhere. I've not disconnected cellular on it to test that. I imagine iMessage would work, but probably not phone calls or texts to his number? Just a guess.

Would he be able to use iMessage or anything else tied to the AW from a Mac?

My 6 year-old is still WAY too young for any of this, but if/when we want her to be reachable when she's older, I do like the idea of an Apple Watch. She's got a child account on her iPad now, and can do iMessage and FaceTime (to approved contacts in our family) there. Am I wrong to think she would theoretically be able to use an AW someday with the same account?

 

[doogm]

Right, but I think a better question would be: do you need an iPhone with an active plan to make it work? My hunch is you could, if you have an old iPhone around, use it on wifi to set up the AW, and change settings that are hard to do on the watch itself. People mention texting, but at this point you can do much of that quite well with a Mac, if you have one. Not SMS, but iMessage and of course any other messaging alternatives like Whatapp, Signal, Messenger, Google Voice, etc etc.

This support article lists the limitations. https://support.apple.com/en-us/108300

Note the small script:

To receive SMS, MMS, or push notifications from third-party apps on your cellular Apple Watch, your paired iPhone must be powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, but it doesn't need to be nearby. You also need to be signed in to iMessage on your iPhone to use Messages on your watch.

 

[chadamorrill]

Would he be able to use iMessage or anything else tied to the AW from a Mac?

My 6 year-old is still WAY too young for any of this, but if/when we want her to be reachable when she's older, I do like the idea of an Apple Watch. She's got a child account on her iPad now, and can do iMessage and FaceTime (to approved contacts in our family) there. Am I wrong to think she would theoretically be able to use an AW someday with the same account?

Most definitely. I just assigned his AppleID the phone number once we got it, so he can receive to the email address or to the phone number. He started with iPod Touch, then iPad, now phone/watch, and it's been the same appleID ever since we started.

 

[Ctrlos]

Can any of the cellular Apple watches be finally used standalone or in combination with only an iPad or is the iPhone still mandatory in 2025?

All I would need my watch to do, would be:

• 2-3 short cellular calls a month
• capability to make emergency calls if needed (think 911 numbers and such)
• receive text messages for packages and deliveries as well the odd 2FA Code (that offer no alternate option yet).
• NFC contactless payment (Apple Pay for example)

If not an Apple watch, any other recommendations?

My private mobile device has an unlimited data plan and cellular capability and is always with me, so I was wondering if I can ditch the phone.

An iPhone is mandatory during setup and you need a plan with them both. Once you’ve done setup you can leave the iPhone in a drawer, however.

Not sure how it works elsewhere but here in the UK an Apple Watch plan has unlimited data separate from the iPhone allowance, so you can get the cheapest deal possible.

 

[Richard8655]

An iPhone is mandatory during setup and you need a plan with them both. Once you’ve done setup you can leave the iPhone in a drawer, however.

Not sure how it works elsewhere but here in the UK an Apple Watch plan has unlimited data separate from the iPhone allowance, so you can get the cheapest deal possible.

Are you sure about this? I see nothing in the setup guide about initially needing an existing plan on the iPhone. I'm pretty sure, though, a non-cellular AW does not require the iPhone to have a plan.

Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn how to use your iPhone to set up your new Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Right. The Watch isn't designed for standalone use, but that's an option that gets some of the way.

Yes, the watch is designed for standalone use. It only requires an iPhone for set up.

 

[Ctrlos]

Are you sure about this? I see nothing in the setup guide about initially needing an existing plan on the iPhone. I'm pretty sure, though, a non-cellular AW does not require the iPhone to have a plan.

Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn how to use your iPhone to set up your new Apple Watch.

support.apple.com

Oh yeah a non 5g version doesn’t require a plan at all. But I assume you’d need both if you were planning on replacing a phone?

 

[Dallas-Star-202504]

lte verison?

 

[chadamorrill]

Yes LTE, but the carrier pushed me to a cell phone plan paired with a watch plan, because they didn't have a stand-alone watch plan (TMo). That could be a difference also.