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Gabb Watch 3e Troubleshooting

Troubleshoot your Gabb Watch 3e with this complete guide. Learn how to fix activation, setup, battery, charging, GPS, WiFi, call, and hardware issues. Get tips for updates, resets, and maximizing performance to keep your Gabb Watch 3e running smoothly.

Updated this week

Gabb Watch 3e troubleshooting 📋

Having issues with your Gabb Watch 3e? We can help! This article will cover system updates, setup issues, GPS not updating, and more.

Gabb Watch 3e activation & setup tutorial video 📹

Check out our troubleshooting guides for activation, pairing, and setup in this article or this YouTube video.

➡️ Start here: Update your Gabb Watch 3e

Many issues with your Gabb Watch 3e can be solved by taking the following steps:

Restart the watch

First, try restarting the watch:

  1. Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds, then select the Power Off icon.

  2. Wait 15 seconds, then press and hold the power button again to turn the watch back on.

Update the MyGabb app on your (parent's) smartphone

Update the MyGabb app on the parent’s smartphone in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Update system on your watch

To update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e, follow these steps:

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch 3e to WiFi. 🛜

  2. Place the watch on its charger.

    1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

  3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

  4. Tap System Updates.

  5. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when finished.

Update apps on your watch

Follow these steps to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e:

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFI. 🛜

  2. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down and tap Settings. ⚙️

  3. Tap App Updates.

  4. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e.

Decision tree of steps to update the Gabb Watch 3e, as outlined above

Battery issues 🪫

The Gabb Watch 3e has a normal usage of 14-18 hours. This includes activities such as voice calls, texting, playing games, Gabb Move activities, notifications, and Safe Zones.

‼️ Your watch must have at least three bars of cell service to meet the 14-18 battery hour life. Consistent low cell service (1-2 bars) may result in faster battery drain because the watch spends more energy searching for a signal.

Start here 👇

Start with these simple steps to see if they resolve your battery issues:

  1. Try a different outlet or charger: Connect your Gabb Watch to another power outlet and charge with your original Gabb charger.

  2. Clean the watch and charger: Clean the back of the watch and the charger with an alcohol wipe.

  3. Check charging indicators: After your watch is on the charger, look for signs of life, such as vibrations or the charging icon on the display.

Gabb Watch won't turn on

If your Gabb Watch won't turn on, try these steps:

  1. Leave your Gabb Watch 3e on the charger for 24 hours.

  2. After 24 hours, press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds to turn the watch on.

If that doesn't work, try these tips:

  • Check whether your Gabb Watch has signs of life when on the charger, such as vibration, sound, or a charging screen.

  • Clean the back of the watch and the charger using alcohol wipes to ensure a strong charge connection.

  • If the watch still does not turn on, allow the battery to drain completely, then recharge it fully and try these steps again.

Gabb Watch won't turn off

If your Gabb Watch won’t turn off, try these steps:

  1. Ensure the power button is not stuck: Gently press the power button (bottom-right button) a few times to ensure it moves freely.

  2. Force restart the watch: Press & hold the power button (bottom right button) for ten seconds until it turns off. The watch will turn on again by itself.

  3. Check for system updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch 3e to WiFi. 🛜

    2. Place the watch on its charger.

      1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

    3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down and tap Settings. ⚙️

    4. Tap System Updates.

    5. Tap the blue button with an arrow ⬇️ to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when finished.

Gabb Watch keeps turning off

If your Gabb Watch 3e keeps turning off, try these troubleshooting steps:

  1. Charge the battery fully: Place your Gabb Watch 3e on the charger, then charge to 100%.

  2. Check for overheating: Make sure the watch is not overheating. If it feels too warm, let it cool down before using it again.

  3. Force restart the watch: Press & hold the power button (bottom button) for 10 seconds until it turns off. The watch will turn on again by itself.

  4. Inspect the charger:

    1. Make sure you’re using the original Gabb Watch charger.

    2. Check for any damage to the charger. If the charger is lost or damaged, you can purchase a replacement.

  5. Use the original magnetic charging wire: Use the original magnetic charging wire that was included when you purchased your Gabb Watch.

    1. Note: Use a compatible 5V/1A charging block with your original magnetic wireless charger.

  6. Check for system updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch 3e to WiFi. 🛜

    2. Place the watch on its charger.

      1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

    3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

    4. Tap System Updates.

    5. Tap the blue button with an arrow ⬇️to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when finished.

  7. Check for app updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFI. 🛜

    2. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings.

    3. Tap App Updates.

    4. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e.

    5. Wait 15 minutes for the apps to finish updating on the watch. A screen will pop up on your watch letting you know once your apps have completed the update.

Gabb Watch not charging

Gabb Watch 3e not charging? No worries—these quick steps should help:

  1. Force restart the watch: Press & hold the power button (bottom button) for 10 seconds until it turns off. The watch will turn on again by itself.

  2. Check the charger:

    1. Ensure you are using the original Gabb Watch 3e charger.

    2. Check for any damage to the charger. If the charger is lost or damaged, you can purchase a replacement.

  3. Ensure proper charging:

    1. Place the watch correctly on the charger, with the back of the watch resting flat on top of the charger. You'll see a charging icon on the watch screen when it connects to the charger.

    2. Make sure the charger is plugged into a working power outlet.

  4. Use the original magnetic charging wire: Use the original magnetic charging wire that was included when you purchased your Gabb Watch.

    1. Note: Use a compatible 5V/1A charging block with your original magnetic wireless charger.

  5. Check for system updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch 3e to WiFi. 🛜

    2. Place the watch on its charger.

      1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

    3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

    4. Tap System Updates.

    5. Tap the blue button with an arrow ⬇️to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when finished.

6. Check for app updates:

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFI. 🛜

  2. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

  3. Tap App Updates.

  4. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️ to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e.

  5. Wait 15 minutes for the apps to finish updating on the watch. A screen will pop up on your watch letting you know once your apps have completed the update.

Maximize battery life 🔋

There are many tips you can try to extend the battery life of your Gabb Watch 3e. If you're having issues with the battery life on your watch, try these one at a time.

1. Update your Gabb Watch

Updating your Gabb Watch can help with battery issues. To update your watch

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch 3e to WiFi. 🛜

  2. Place the watch on its charger.

    1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

  3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

  4. Tap System Updates.

  5. Tap the blue button with an arrow ⬇️ to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. Leave the watch on the charger while it's updating.

    👉 The watch will automatically restart when finished.

2. Check for app updates

Follow these steps to check for app updates on your watch:

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFI. 🛜

  2. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

  3. Tap App Updates.

  4. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️ to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e.

  5. Wait 15 minutes for the apps to finish updating on the watch. A screen will pop up on your watch letting you know once your apps have completed the update.

3. Toggle Bluetooth off

To turn Bluetooth off:

  1. Swipe down from the Home Screen to access the Quick Settings menu.

  2. Tap the Bluetooth icon.

4. Decrease screen brightness

To decrease screen brightness on the Gabb Watch:

  1. Swipe to the Apps screen.

  2. Scroll down and tap Settings. ⚙️

  3. Tap Display, then tap Brightness.

  4. Move the slider up and down to adjust the brightness.

5. Use a static wallpaper

Dynamic wallpapers can drain the watch’s battery more quickly than a static wallpaper. Follow these steps to set a static wallpaper:

  1. Swipe down from the Home Screen to access the Quick Settings menu.

  2. Tap the watch icon ⌚ to open the Wallpaper app.

  3. Select a static wallpaper.

6. Turn off Stopwatch

Check to make sure the stopwatch isn’t running in the background:

  1. Swipe to the Apps screen.

  2. Tap Stopwatch. ⏱️

  3. Turn off the Stopwatch, if applicable.

7. Turn off Timer

Here’s how to turn off the timer on the Gabb Watch:

  1. Swipe to the Apps screen.

  2. Tap Timer. ⌛

  3. Turn off the Timer, if applicable.

Cell service: texting, calling, & signal issues 📶

Can't make or receive calls

If your Gabb Watch 3e can't make or receive calls, make sure that the contact you're trying to call is added as an approved contact in the MyGabb app.

Follow these steps to add a contact:

  1. Log in to the MyGabb app on your smartphone.

  2. Tap Manage at the bottom of the screen, then tap on your watch.

  3. Tap Contacts > Add Contact.

  4. Enter the contact details, then tap Add Contact.

‼️ If your Gabb Watch 3e still can’t make or receive calls, please contact us.

Add approved contact

No signal

If your watch has no signal, this could be a cellular issue. Try these steps:

  1. Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds, then select the Power Off icon.

  2. Wait 15 seconds, then press and hold the power button for five seconds to turn the watch back on.

‼️ If your Gabb Watch 3e still doesn't have a signal, please contact us.

Screen issues: Blue, black, flickering, or Android recovery screens ⌚

Black screens on the Gabb Watch 3e can be caused by many reasons, including:

  • Not on the most current software version

  • Issues with charging or the charger

If your Gabb Watch 3e has a blue screen, black screen, flickering screen, or the Android recovery screen, follow these steps to resync your watch with the MyGabb app:

  1. Place your watch on the charger for an hour.

  2. Try making an SOS call from the watch.

    1. Press and hold the back button (top button) for four seconds.

  3. Log in to the MyGabb app on your (parent's) smartphone.

    1. Tap Manage at the bottom of the screen, then tap on your Gabb Watch 3e.

    2. Tap Profile.

    3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, then tap Remove Device.

    4. Tap Remove.

  4. Make sure your Gabb Watch 3e is powered on.

  5. Enable Bluetooth on your (parent's) smartphone.

  6. Tap the hamburger icon in the upper-left corner, then tap Add Device.

  7. Tap Gabb Watch 3e.

  8. Follow the prompts to set up your watch to the MyGabb app.

➡️ Then, pair the watch to your MyGabb app again as shown in this video👇

‼️ If this still does not resolve your issue, perform a factory reset on your watch.

‼️ Unpairing and resetting your watch will wipe all the information from it, including messages, contacts, history, Gabb Go, etc.

  1. Make sure the Gabb Watch 3e is powered on. If you're not sure if the watch is on, press the back button (top button) to light up the screen.

  2. Place your watch on its charger and ensure that it's charging (look for a charging icon).

  3. While keeping the watch remains on the charger, quickly press the back button (top button) 10 times.

    1. ‼️ Avoid pressing the button more than 10 times to prevent closing the reset prompt.

  4. Tap the check mark ✔️ to confirm the reset. The watch will power off, perform the factory reset, then restart.

Hardware issues ⌚

Ringer or sound not working

If the ringer or sound isn't working on your Gabb Watch 3e, follow these steps:

  1. Ensure that sound is on and the volume is up.

  2. Verify that the watch is not in a Focus Mode.

  3. Connect the watch to WiFi. 🛜

  4. Log in to Gabb ID on the Gabb Watch.

  5. Check for system and app updates.

  6. Turn the watch off, then back on:

    1. Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds, then select the Power Off icon.

    2. Wait 15 seconds, then press and hold the power button for five seconds to turn the watch back on.

To adjust the volume of your Gabb Watch 3e:

  1. Log in to the MyGabb app on your smartphone.

  2. Tap Manage at the bottom of the screen, then tap on your watch.

  3. Tap Watch Settings.

  4. Tap Volume Control.

  5. Adjust the volume using the slider, then tap Save.

Volume control

Gabb Watch says offline

If your Gabb Watch 3e says that it's offline, here are a few things to check:

  1. Force restart the watch: Press & hold the power button (bottom button) for 10 seconds until it turns off. The watch will turn on again by itself.

  2. Check for system updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFi. 🛜

    2. Place the watch on its charger.

      1. ‼️ Charge your Gabb Watch 3e to at least 30% before updating it.

    3. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

    4. Tap System Updates.

    5. Tap the blue button with an arrow ⬇️to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when finished.

  3. Check for app updates:

    1. Connect your Gabb Watch to Wifi.

    2. Swipe to the Apps screen, then scroll down & tap Settings. ⚙️

    3. Tap App Updates.

    4. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️to update the apps on your Gabb Watch 3e.

    5. Wait 15 minutes for the apps to finish updating on the watch. A screen will pop up on your watch letting you know once your apps have completed the update.

Watch needs to cool down

If your watch feels overheated and needs to cool down, follow these steps:

  1. Turn the watch off:

    • Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds.

    • Tap the Power Off icon.

  2. Wait 10 minutes, then feel the watch to see if it has cooled down.

    • If the watch feels cool, proceed to the next step.

    • If the watch still feels hot, wait until the watch has cooled down before proceeding.

  3. Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for five seconds to turn the watch back on.

Location not working 📍

Location not working? This can happen for a few reasons:

  • The watch is turned off 🚫

  • The watch has a dead battery 🪫

  • The watch has a low cell signal 📶

The location of your Gabb Watch updates every 15 minutes (if it has a strong cell signal).

➡️ You can manually locate the watch by logging in to your MyGabb app, selecting your watch, then tapping the Refresh button. 🔄

Follow these steps if the GPS location on your Gabb Watch 3e isn’t updating in the specified timeframe:

  1. Make sure that your watch is turned on, charged, and has at least three bars of cell service. 📶

  2. Log in to the MyGabb app from the parent’s smartphone.

  3. Tap on your Gabb Watch 3e.

  4. Tap the Refresh button 🔄 in the bottom-left corner of the map.

Refresh location

If the location still isn't working, turn the watch off and back on:

  1. Press and hold the power button (bottom button) for four seconds.

  2. Select the power off icon on the watch screen.

  3. Wait 15 seconds, then press and hold the power button for four seconds to turn the watch back on.

Troubleshooting FAQs ❓

How do I update my Gabb Watch?

If you keep your Gabb Watch 3e on its charger overnight, it will update automatically.

You can also update your watch manually by following these steps:

  1. Connect your Gabb Watch to WiFi. 🛜

  2. Charge the watch to at least 30%. 🔋

  3. Keep the watch on the charger during the update process.

  4. Swipe to the apps screen, then scroll down and tap Settings. ⚙️

  5. Tap System Updates.

  6. Tap the blue button with a down arrow ⬇️to update the system on your Gabb Watch 3e. The watch will automatically restart when the update is finished.

Why won't my Gabb Watch turn on?

If your Gabb Watch won’t turn on, try these steps:

  1. Place your watch on the charger and check for signs of life (vibration, charging icon, etc.).

  2. Clean the charger and the back of the watch with an alcohol wipe.

  3. Leave your Gabb Watch on the charger for 24 hours, then press and hold the power button (bottom button) for four seconds to turn the watch on.

  4. Let the battery drain completely, recharge it fully, then try these steps again.

My Gabb Watch isn't charging. What should I do?

If your Gabb Watch 3e isn’t charging, try the following steps:

  1. Ensure that you’re using the original charger and make sure it’s not damaged.

  2. Place the back of the watch on the top of the charger, and plug the charger into a working power outlet.

  3. Use the original 5V/1A charger that came with the watch.

    1. Need a new charger? You can purchase a replacement.

  4. Update your watch.

Restart the watch by pressing and holding the power button (bottom button) to turn it off, then pressing and holding the power button again to turn the watch back on.

How do I add an approved contact to my Gabb Watch?

You can add up to 100 approved contacts to your Gabb Watch 3e. Here’s how to add an approved contact to your watch:

  1. Log in to the MyGabb app on your (parent’s) smartphone.

  2. Tap Manage, then tap on your Gabb Watch.

  3. Tap Contacts.

  4. Tap the plus sign ➕in the bottom-right corner, then choose if you want to:

    1. Add a new contact

    2. Import a contact from your phone

    3. Add a contact from another existing parent-managed contact list

Enter the contact details, then tap Save.

Why can't I see my watch's location?

If you can’t see the location for your Gabb Watch, first make sure it’s turned on, charged, and is either connected to WiFi 🛜or has three bars of cell service. 📶

Then, open the MyGabb app on your (parent’s) smartphone, tap on your watch, then tap the Refresh button 🔄 in the bottom-left corner of the map.

Still need help? Please contact Gabb Support!

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