4 Ways to Fix WhatsApp Not Working on Wear OS

Quick Tips

• Restart your Wear OS smartwatch to see if it fixes the issue.
• If not, update the smartwatch to the latest version of Wear OS from the Settings screen.

Fix 1: Check if Your Smartwatch Is Supported

The official WhatsApp application for Wear OS is only supported on smartwatches running on Wear OS 3 and above. This list includes the big names like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 5, Pixel Watch, Fossil Gen 6, and a few others. If you have an older smartwatch like the OPPO Watch or the Moto 360, you can’t use WhatsApp on it.

Note that you cannot sideload the official WhatsApp Wear OS application on unsupported smartwatches.

Fix 2: Check if Your Watch Is Connected to the Internet

Your Wear OS watch needs active internet if you want to use WhatsApp over it. You can ensure this in three ways:

Method 1: Connect your watch directly to a Wi-Fi network. You can do this by dragging the notification panel and going into settings.

Method 2: Keep your watch connected to your phone via Bluetooth.

Method 3: If your watch supports SIM card connectivity, ensure that you have an active data pack.

Fix 3: Re-Link WhatsApp Wear OS App With Your Phone

If WhatsApp doesn’t work on your Wear OS smartwatch after you successfully install it, unlink it and pair it again with your phone. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Open WhatsApp on your smartwatch.

Step 2: Swipe to the bottom. You will see the Settings option, tap on it.

Step 3: Scroll down and tap on the Logout button. Your watch will ask for confirmation to log out, tap on the green tick.

Step 4: Keep the WhatsApp application open on your smartwatch. Now, you will see a notification on your phone to link a new device. Tap on it.

Step 5: Your watch will now show an 8-digit alphanumeric code. Enter this on your smartphone.

Your WhatsApp account will be re-linked to your Wear OS smartwatch. This will fix any setup-based errors that may have occurred last time and caused WhatsApp to malfunction on your watch.

Fix 4: Clear App Data of WhatsApp in Wear OS

Clearing the WhatsApp app data on your smartwatch can give you a fresh start and get the app working. It is also faster than deleting and re-installing the app on your watch. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your watch. Go to Apps > App info.

Step 2: Now, select WhatsApp from the list of apps. Tap on it. 

Step 3: Scroll down and go to App info. Here, tap on the Clear data option.

Note: Some smartwatches, like the Galaxy Watch series, do not have the option to clear the app data. In such cases, directly uninstall the WhatsApp application on your smartwatch. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Open the app of your watch on your Android device.

Step 2: Now, go to Watch Settings and tap on Apps.

Step 3: Select WhatsApp from the list of apps and tap on Uninstall.

Once done, download WhatsApp again on your Galaxy Watch.

FAQs