PSA: Remove Any Bands or Accessories Before Shipping an Apple Watch for Repair - MacRumors
Skip to Content

PSA: Remove Any Bands or Accessories Before Shipping an Apple Watch for Repair

In a recently updated support document, Apple has advised customers not to include any bands or accessories when mailing in their Apple Watch to the company for repair, as they apparently will not be returned upon completion of servicing.

apple watch blue band
AppleInsider spotted the new wording:

Your Apple Watch band and any other accessories that you send won't be returned, so please remove them before sending your Apple Watch in for service.

Learn how to remove your band. If you have a Link Bracelet band, remember to separate the links before you remove the band.

The support document previously said that customers "don't need" to send in their Apple Watch band or other accessories.

AppleInsider reported that Apple's prior approach was to bundle together any bands or accessories sent alongside an Apple Watch and return them when possible. It is unclear what prompted this to change.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black

Apple Watch Series 13 Rumored to Mark the End of an Era

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:29 pm PDT by
While the Apple Watch Series 12 is still a few months away, a new rumor suggests that next year's Apple Watch Series 13 will mark the end of an era. According to a recent post from a known leaker on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the Apple Watch will be receiving a major redesign next year, and this will apparently include a new way of attaching bands to the watch. As a result, the ...
series 11

Apple Watch Accounts for 90% of AI Smartwatch Shipments

Friday July 10, 2026 9:33 am PDT by
Apple accounted for roughly 90% of all Edge AI-capable smartwatch shipments in the first quarter of 2026, according to new data from Counterpoint Research. That dominance came as Edge AI penetration across the broader smartwatch market grew 70% year-over-year, reaching 25% in the first quarter of 2026, according to Counterpoint's Global Smartwatch Shipments Tracker. "Edge AI" refers to...
airpods pro 3 pink

EU Drops Battery Removal Requirement for Apple Watch and AirPods

Wednesday July 15, 2026 7:02 am PDT by
The European Commission yesterday adopted new exemptions to its Batteries Regulation that free the Apple Watch and AirPods from having to offer user-removable and replaceable batteries. The EU's Batteries Regulation generally requires consumer products sold in the region to let users swap out their own batteries, a push meant to keep devices in use longer and make it easier to recover...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
82 months ago

I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.

Exactly. I thought this was clear from the instructions. You never send in accessories
I don't know; it was a pretty tight fit, but I managed to get my strap in the box after cutting it up.

Apple didn't even send back the pieces. :(



Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MUrhino Avatar
82 months ago
I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
badatusernames Avatar
82 months ago

I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.
Exactly. I thought this was clear from the instructions. You never send in accessories
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ct2k7 Avatar
82 months ago
Why wouldn’t they return it?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
82 months ago

Why wouldn’t they return it?
Likely, a large percentage of "repairs" are refurbished replacements that will just be fulfilled from a different warehouse. Also, reducing extra steps in packaging, package sizes and variations, risk of loss/damage, etc. And especially for today's pandemic age, less contact with items touched by another human being (sweat and stuff on/in the bands).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApostolisApo Avatar
82 months ago
unclear? Of course it’s covid-19
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)