How To Tell If Your Apple Watch Is Fake (4 Ways)

Since its introduction back in 2015, the Apple Watch has dominated the global smartwatch market. Its massive popularity is easily evident from its market share, which has consistently hovered around the 20% mark for several years. Given how popular the Apple Watch lineup is, it's hardly surprising that counterfeit Apple Watch models are a relatively common phenomenon.

Apple's products command a premium, making them a prime target for counterfeiters worldwide. It is not uncommon for many of these counterfeits to end up in the U.S., where they reach unsuspecting buyers. Despite efforts by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), they have been unable to prevent many of these products from reaching the United States. This is despite the fact that 2022 alone witnessed the CBP seize more than 25 million individual items, several of them counterfeit products that violated the IP rights of U.S. companies, including Apple.

Given how rampant the problem is, it is vital that you are absolutely sure that the Apple product you purchased is, in fact, a genuine Apple product. Thankfully, in the case of the Apple Watch, there are several ways in which you can check its genuineness. Let's see what some of those methods are. If you're buying directly from Apple, you have little to worry about, but if you're purchasing second-hand, you'll want to keep watch for these things to ensure you're not getting duped.

While Apple's products are known for high-quality materials and craftsmanship, the company has, over the years, also built up a reputation for using high-quality packaging for its products. If you have purchased a brand-new Apple Watch, and you feel that its packaging material and printing quality are suspect, chances are, you may be in possession of a counterfeit Apple Watch.

There are several telltale signs of a fake Apple Watch box, easily identified. To begin with, Apple's original packaging will be sturdy and well-made, and the printed material on the box will be of high quality. It might also be a good idea to read the text written on the box, and check for any obvious spelling or grammatical errors.

Lastly, do check out detailed unboxing videos of the Apple Watch from well-known tech creators to get a fair idea of what the genuine Apple Watch retail packaging looks like.

If you are confident that the box containing the Apple Watch you just purchased is of poor quality, you can quickly return the product to the seller, and claim a refund. It is advisable you take this step right after purchase so that you don't even need to open the packaging.

If you have an Apple Watch that has already been opened, the easiest way to check if it's fake or genuine is to run its serial number through Apple's device coverage website. On the Apple Watch, the serial number can be easily spotted, as it is embossed on the bottom panel of the device. If you do not see a serial number at the bottom panel, you are probably looking at a counterfeit Apple Watch. That said, manufacturers of these fake products may actually add a fake serial number on the bottom panel as well.

Once you have the serial number, open up Apple's device coverage portal where you'll find the option to input the serial number of your Apple Watch. Complete the captcha and wait for the results. If your Apple Watch is genuine, the portal will show you the details about the product. While the device coverage page is primarily used to check the warranty status and purchase date of Apple products, in the process of doing so, it also confirms that the product you received is genuine.

If your Apple Watch shows a correct, valid purchase date, you can be sure that the product you received is, indeed, genuine. In case the serial number does not give you a result, and the portal throws a message that reads, "We are unable to complete your request at this time. Please try later", you are most probably looking at a fake Apple Watch.

One of the easiest ways to check whether an Apple Watch is genuine or not is to take a closer look at the software it is running. Apple Watch runs the WatchOS operating system, which is known for its fluid animations, smooth transitions, and an overall polished look. It is difficult for even the most well-built of fakes to achieve Apple's levels of software finesse. So, if you notice that the user interface of your Apple Watch lags a lot and faces a lot of bugs, and the icons and brightness levels look subpar, chances are that you have ended up with a fake product.

Besides these issues, your fake Apple Watch may also face issues connecting with the rest of the products in your Apple ecosystem, which is another sign of the product being counterfeit. If you suspect your Apple Watch is a fake, you can try running the serial number as mentioned earlier in this article.

If, for some reason, you are unable to read the embossed serial number of the watch, you can find the serial number of the product by going into Settings > About and looking for the serial number of the Watch there. If your Apple Watch is paired to an iPhone, you should be able to get the serial number of the watch by opening the Apple Watch App and then tapping the "My Watch tab."

Once in there, tap General, and then tap "About". You should see the serial number of your Apple Watch there. If the serial number on the Apple Watch and the connected iPhone is identical you are looking at a genuine Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch is an extremely well-built product, and it is very difficult for counterfeiters to achieve the same level of build quality. While there are several extremely well-built fake Apple Watch lookalikes out there, a closer look should reveal some of the issues. Let's check out some of these issues.

Apple Watch bands are easily replaceable and come off the main body of the product with relative ease. If you feel that the bands of your watch don't come off easily and are equally difficult to attach, it could be a cause for concern.

A standout feature of the Apple Watch is the digital crown, the small circular wheel located on the right side of the watch body. It is an important tool consumers can use to interact with WatchOS apps. The digital crown in fake Apple Watch models could be of lower quality, and may not even function at all.

If you are purchasing a second-hand Apple Watch or getting it from a non-mainstream retailer, it is advisable to ensure full functionality of the digital crown before committing a purchase.