What is Water Lock on Apple Watch and How to Turn it on

Introduction

Many Apple Watch users believe that Water Lock is a must-have feature to protect their watch from water damage. But is that really true?

The reality is that Water Lock doesn’t make your Apple Watch more water-resistant—it simply disables touch input to prevent accidental taps when wet and ejects water from the speaker when turned off. Your watch’s water resistance is built into its hardware, with or without Water Lock.

So, when should you use it? How does it work? And do you really need to enable it before swimming or showering? This guide will answer all your questions and clear up the biggest misconceptions about Water Lock on the Apple Watch.

What Is Water Lock on Apple Watch?

Water Lock is a feature on the Apple Watch that prevents water from triggering the touchscreen and helps remove water from the speaker after exposure. However, it does NOT improve water resistance—your Apple Watch is already designed to handle water based on its built-in rating.

How Water Lock Works

When enabled, Water Lock does two things:

1. Disables touch input so that water droplets don’t accidentally activate the screen. (This doesn’t prevent you from touching the screen yourself—it specifically stops water from being misinterpreted as a touch.)
2. Ejects water from the speaker using sound vibrations when turned off.

When Does Water Lock Turn On?

There are two ways Water Lock can be activated:

1. Automatically (You Don’t Need to Turn It On Manually)

• When you start a water-based workout in the Workout app (e.g., swimming, surfing).
• On Apple Watch Ultra, when it’s submerged deeper than 10 meters.

2. Manually (You Have to Turn It On Yourself)

• If you’re showering, walking in the rain, or washing your hands, Water Lock won’t turn on automatically.
• To enable it manually, open Control Center and tap the Water Lock (droplet) icon.

What Water Lock Does NOT Do

• ❌ It does NOT make the watch more water-resistant—your Apple Watch already has built-in water resistance.
• ❌ It does NOT protect against deep water pressure—Apple Watch models have specific depth limits.
• ❌ It does NOT turn on automatically just because the watch gets wet—it only activates in workouts or deep dives (Ultra).

Now that you know what Water Lock does and when it turns on, let’s go over how to use it.

How to Enable Water Lock on Apple Watch

You can turn on Water Lock manually at any time or let it activate automatically in certain situations. Here’s how each method works:

1. Turning on Water Lock Manually

If you’re about to enter water but aren’t starting a workout (e.g., taking a shower or walking in heavy rain), you can manually enable Water Lock:

• watchOS 10 or later:
  1. Press the Side Button to open Control Center.
  2. Tap the Water Lock (water droplet) icon.
• watchOS 9 or earlier:
  1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open Control Center.
  2. Tap the Water Lock (water droplet) icon.

Once Water Lock is on, you’ll see a water droplet icon at the top of your watch face, indicating that touch input is disabled.

2. When Water Lock Turns On Automatically

You don’t need to turn on Water Lock manually in these cases:

• Swimming or surfing: If you start a water-based workout in the Workout app, Water Lock turns on automatically.
• Apple Watch Ultra: Water Lock automatically activates when the watch is submerged deeper than 10 meters.

How to Know If Water Lock Is On

• You’ll see the Water Lock icon (a small water droplet) at the top of the screen.
• The screen won’t respond to touch to prevent water droplets from accidentally triggering taps.

Next, let’s look at how to turn off Water Lock and remove water from your speaker.

How to Turn Off Water Lock and Eject Water from Your Apple Watch

Once you’re out of the water, you’ll need to turn off Water Lock to regain touchscreen functionality and eject any water that may be trapped in the speaker.

Steps to Turn Off Water Lock and Remove Water

1. Press and hold the Digital Crown on the side of your Apple Watch.
2. Keep holding until you see the message “Unlocked” on the screen.
3. Your watch will play a series of beeping sounds—these vibrations help push out any water trapped in the speaker.
4. Once the sounds stop, Water Lock is fully disabled, and your screen will respond to touch again.

How Does the Water Ejection Work?

• The beeping tones create vibrations that physically push water out of the speaker grille.
• There’s no fan or mechanical pump inside—just the power of sound waves!
• Some users wish the ejection process lasted longer, but you can repeat the process if needed.

What If My Speaker Still Sounds Muffled?

• If your speaker still sounds distorted, repeat the Water Lock process by enabling it again and then turning it off.
• Shake your Apple Watch gently to remove excess water.
• Let it dry for a few hours if needed—residual moisture usually clears up on its own.

Now that you know how to use Water Lock properly, let’s clear up some common misconceptions about this feature.

Common Misconceptions About Water Lock

There’s a lot of confusion about what Water Lock actually does. Many people believe it protects the Apple Watch from water damage, but that’s not the case. Let’s clear up the biggest myths.

1. “Water Lock Makes My Apple Watch Waterproof”

🚫 False! Your Apple Watch has built-in water resistance, whether Water Lock is on or off.

• Apple Watch Series 2 and later: Water-resistant up to 50 meters (ISO 22810:2010).
• Apple Watch Ultra: Water-resistant up to 100 meters and suitable for recreational diving.

👉 Water Lock doesn’t increase water resistance—it just prevents water from activating the touchscreen and helps eject trapped water afterward.

2. “If I Don’t Enable Water Lock, Water Will Damage My Watch”

🚫 False! Water Lock is not required for water resistance.

• Even if you forget to turn it on, your Apple Watch won’t suddenly break from water exposure.
• The real risk of not using Water Lock? Water droplets can trigger random taps on the screen, which might open apps or change settings.

3. “Water Lock Detects Water and Activates Automatically”

🚫 Not exactly! Water Lock only turns on automatically in these cases:
✅ When you start a swimming, surfing, or diving workout in the Workout app.
✅ On Apple Watch Ultra, when it goes deeper than 10 meters underwater.

👉 In all other cases (like showers, rain, or handwashing), you must turn it on manually.

4. “Water Lock Stops Water from Entering My Watch”

🚫 False! Water Lock doesn’t seal your watch—it just prevents accidental screen taps and helps eject water from the speaker afterward.

If you’re doing activities like diving or high-speed water sports, follow Apple’s water resistance guidelines to avoid damaging your watch.

Now that we’ve debunked these myths, let’s talk about when you should actually use Water Lock.

When Should You Use Water Lock?

Water Lock isn’t necessary every time your Apple Watch gets wet, but it can be helpful in certain situations. Here’s when you should—and shouldn’t—use it.

✅ When You SHOULD Use Water Lock

• Swimming or surfing – Water Lock activates automatically when you start a workout in the Workout app.
• Scuba diving (Apple Watch Ultra) – Water Lock turns on when submerged deeper than 10 meters.
• Showering – If you want to avoid accidental screen interactions from water droplets.
• Heavy rain – Prevents raindrops from triggering the touchscreen.
• Water activities (kayaking, paddleboarding, etc.) – Reduces the risk of water activating the screen.

❌ When You DON’T Need Water Lock

• Washing hands – Quick splashes won’t cause issues, and Water Lock isn’t necessary.
• Sweating during workouts – The Apple Watch handles sweat without needing Water Lock.
• Casual rain exposure – Light rain won’t interfere with your watch unless it’s causing screen taps.

What If You Forget to Enable Water Lock?

No need to worry—your Apple Watch is still water-resistant. If you didn’t turn it on before swimming or showering, you can simply enable it afterward and then turn it off to eject any trapped water.

Now, let’s wrap up with some frequently asked questions about Water Lock.

FAQs About Water Lock on Apple Watch

Still have questions? Here are the most common ones people ask about Water Lock.