Apple released watchOS 7.3.1 to the general public today. The update fixes the power reserve bug on Apple Watch Series 5 and SE that prevented the Watch from charging if it entered Power Reserve mode.

Apple released watchOS 7.3.1 for Apple Watch Series 5 and SE only. The update (finally!) addresses the issue, and brings in a much-needed bug fix that prevented the Watch from charging after entering Power Reserve mode. Along with the update, Apple published a support document where the company admits that the bug affected “a very small number of customers running watchOS 7.2 or 7.3.”

Apple says that the update should fix the issue, but if it doesn’t you may be eligible to replace your Apple Watch for free. Apple says, “To check if your Apple Watch is affected by this issue, place your watch on the charger that you normally use, then wait at least 30 minutes.”

If the Apple Watch doesn’t start charging in 30 minutes, customers should contact Apple support to set up a mail-in repair, which will be done free of cost by Apple. The document does note that the watch will be examined before its service “to verify that it’s eligible for free repair.”

A similar incident occurred with the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros earlier this month. macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 brought an unexpected bug to these Macs that prevented them from charging past 1%. Apple then started offering a free replacement for the MacBooks affected by this bug.

We Want to Hear From You

Have you updated your Apple Watch to watchOS 7.3.1 yet? Did it fix the charging bug on your device? Do let us know in the comment section below!