# Creating independent watchOS apps Set up a watchOS app that installs and runs without a companion iOS app. ## Overview Apple Watch users have come to expect that the apps on their watches just work, even when they don’t have their iPhones with them. To ensure the best experience for all Apple Watch users, create an independent watchOS app that doesn’t require a companion iOS app for iPhone. You can do this in two ways: - Create a watch-only app that doesn’t have a companion iOS app. - Create a watchOS app that has a companion iOS app, but people can install and run independently of the companion. Create a watch-only app for apps that only run on Apple Watch. If you have watchOS and iOS apps that are substantially similar, release them as companion apps. People can purchase watchOS apps directly from the App Store on Apple Watch. They can make in-app purchases directly on Apple Watch as well. If you create a watchOS app with a companion iOS app, the in-app purchases are universal. Users make the purchase once, and the content is available in both watchOS and iOS. For more information, see .  ### Create your watchOS project When you create a watchOS project in Xcode, you have two choices: - Watch-only App: Use this option to create an app that’s only available on Apple Watch, with no related iPhone app. - Watch App with New Companion iOS App: Use this option to create a watchOS app and an iOS app that deliver similar or related experiences.  ### Create a watch-only app To build a watch-only app, start a new project in Xcode, select the App template from the watchOS tab, and then click Next.  Provide a name, and choose the Watch-only App option. Select Include Tests, and click Next.  In the main window, Xcode’s Project navigator displays the folders and files for your project. The Watch App folder contains the code and assets for your app. The Watch AppTests and Watch AppUITests folders contain the unit and user interface tests for your app, respectively.  Xcode also creates four targets for your app and its tests, which you can view in the project editor. The root target is a stub that acts as an iOS wrapper for your project. Xcode needs this stub to properly handle your watch-only app, and uses it to: - Set the root bundle identifier. The system uses this bundle identifier for Universal Purchase and cross-device communication, such as Device Discovery. - Package your app for distribution to the App Store. Xcode doesn’t create an iOS executable for the stub. When someone installs your watch-only app, nothing installs on the paired iPhone. The other three targets represent the functional portions of your project: your app, its unit tests, and its user interface tests, respectively.  ### Create a watch app with a companion iOS app If you create a watchOS app with a companion iOS app, the resulting watchOS app can either be dependent upon, or independent of, the iOS app. - Dependent watchOS app: Your watchOS app relies on the companion iOS app to function properly. By default, Xcode creates a dependent watchOS app when you create a watchOS app with a companion iOS app. When a watchOS app is dependent, people need to purchase and install both versions of the app. - Independent watchOS app: Your watchOS app doesn’t need the companion iOS app to operate properly. People can choose to install the watchOS app, the iOS app, or both. To create an independent watchOS app, you need to convert a dependent watchOS app. The system downloads and installs the watchOS app directly to Apple Watch for both dependent and independent apps. However, the user can’t launch a dependent watchOS app until the iOS app finishes installing on iPhone. ### Convert a dependent watchOS app to an independent watchOS app After creating a watchOS app with a companion iOS app, you can convert the resulting dependent watchOS app to be independent of the iOS app. To convert your watchOS app, perform the following steps: 1. In Xcode, select your watchOS project to view the project editor. 2. In the General tab, select the Watch App target. 3. In the Deployment Info section, select the Supports Running Without iOS App Installation option. By default, when you create a new project, this option is in a disabled state.  ### Ensure your watchOS app runs independently Watch-only and Independent watchOS apps function without a companion iOS app, performing tasks like downloading data, setting up the user’s account, and configuring the app. Make sure you test all of these functions in your watch app to ensure they behave as expected. For example, make sure your watch app can: - Create new accounts and sign in users. For more information, see [Authenticating users on Apple Watch](/documentation/watchOS-Apps/authenticating-users-on-apple-watch). - Request permission for any system services the app requires so that the user doesn’t need to authorize an app on their iPhone. Frameworks that support independent watchOS apps display their authorization form directly on Apple Watch. - Download data directly to the watch. Independent watchOS apps can’t rely on the framework to transfer data or files from a companion iOS app. If you need to sync data between devices, consider using CloudKit, or syncing through your own server. For more information, see [Keeping your watchOS content up to date](/documentation/watchOS-Apps/keeping-your-watchos-app-s-content-up-to-date). - Send push notifications, including complication pushes, directly to the watch. For more information, see . An independent watchOS app can use Watch Connectivity to transfer information from its companion iOS app when the iOS device is available. However, the independent watchOS app can’t use Watch Connectivity as its main source of data, so it needs to be capable of accessing information on its own. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)