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How to Turn On Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

Powering on the Galaxy Watch 4 is straightforward using the physical Home button on the right side of the watch.

First-Time Power On​

  1. Charge First: Place watch on charging puck for at least 30 minutes.

  2. Press and Hold: Press and hold the Home button (top right button) for 3-5 seconds.

  3. Samsung Logo: Watch will vibrate and display the Samsung logo.

  4. Boot Sequence: Wait 30-60 seconds for initial boot (first boot takes longer).

  5. Setup Screen: Language selection screen appears when ready.

After powering on, select your language, connect to phone via Galaxy Wearable app, sign in to Samsung Account and Google Account, configure health sensors and permissions, and install recommended apps and updates.

Regular Power On​

  • Daily Activation: Press and hold the Home button for 2-3 seconds. Feel haptic feedback confirming power on, Samsung logo appears briefly, and normal boot takes 15-30 seconds.

  • Quick Wake from Sleep: Single press Home button (watch in sleep mode), raise wrist gesture activates display, tap screen to wake, or rotate wrist toward you (if gesture enabled).

Power Button Location​

  • Home Button (Top): Primary power and app drawer button
  • Back Button (Bottom): Navigation and recent apps button

Both buttons are on the right side of the watch case.

Battery Requirements​

Watch needs at least 5-10% battery to boot. If completely drained, charge for 10-15 minutes before attempting to power on. Low battery may prevent boot - indicated by battery icon on screen.

Troubleshooting Won't Turn On​

  1. Charge the Watch: Connect to charging puck for at least 30 minutes. Verify charging indicator appears (may take 5 minutes if fully drained). Ensure charging puck is connected to power source.

  2. Force Restart: Press and hold both Home and Back buttons simultaneously for 7-10 seconds until watch vibrates. Release and wait for Samsung logo.

  3. Check Charging Connection: Clean charging contacts on watch and puck, try different USB wall adapter (5V/2A recommended), and verify charging cable isn't damaged.

  4. Boot to Recovery Mode: Press and hold both buttons while watch is off, release when Samsung logo appears, navigate recovery menu with buttons, and select "Reboot system now".

First Boot vs Regular Boot​

  • First-Time Boot (Out of Box): Takes 1-2 minutes with initial system optimization. Setup wizard launches automatically.

  • Regular Boot (After Power Off): Takes 15-30 seconds. Returns to last used watch face and reconnects to paired phone automatically.

Power States Explained​

  • Powered Off: Completely shut down, requires button press to boot.
  • Sleep Mode: Screen off, instant wake with wrist gesture or button.
  • Always-On Display: Dim watch face visible, tap to fully wake.
  • Theater Mode: Screen stays off, manual wake required.

When to Power Off​

Power off for extended storage periods (week+), software updates or troubleshooting, severe freezing or unresponsive behavior, before factory reset, or when not using for several days.

See Also: How to Charge|Not Charging Fix|How to Reset

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