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You can receive CGM readings and alerts on a smartwatch, but the setup and whether your phone must stay nearby depend on the CGM system. For Dexcom G7, start in the phone app at Connections > Direct to Watch; for other systems, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and verify compatibility for your phone, watch, operating system, and region.

Before you start: check compatibility and connection mode

Do not assume that a setup supported by one CGM works for another. Check the manufacturer’s current compatibility information for your exact phone, smartwatch, operating-system versions, and region. Dexcom’s documented Direct to Watch workflow is for compatible Apple Watch setups; Abbott’s Libre smartwatch app also has device and OS limits.

The key difference is where the watch gets its data:

  • Direct sensor-to-watch: In Dexcom G7 Direct to Watch mode, a compatible watch receives CGM information from the sensor. The phone does not need to remain nearby for readings while the direct connection is working. A compatible phone is still needed to pair a new G7 sensor.
  • Phone-relayed smartwatch mode: The watch copies information from the phone, so the phone must remain within range. Dexcom notes that the watch may show no reading when the phone is too far away; waking the watch can refresh its current data.

Dexcom’s guide says Share is not available on the smartwatch. Its Direct to Watch FAQ specifies Wi-Fi for Share/Follow use with a compatible Apple Watch. Check the relevant Dexcom instructions for the configuration you use.

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Set up alerts on a Dexcom G7 and compatible Apple Watch

First complete the G7 phone-app and sensor setup, including sensor application, pairing, warmup, and alert configuration. Dexcom’s G7 app setup guide describes that initial process. Then set up the watch connection:

  1. Start Direct to Watch in the phone app. Open the Dexcom G7 app and go to Connections > Direct to Watch, then follow the on-screen prompts. Dexcom gives this as the starting point in its Direct to Watch setup instructions.
  2. Install the watch app if it is missing. On the iPhone, open the Watch app, tap My Watch, find Dexcom G7 under available apps, and install it.
  3. Allow alerts through iPhone settings. Keep Mirror iPhone Alerts enabled for the G7 watch app and allow Dexcom notifications during Focus. The exact setting labels can vary with software versions.
  4. Sync changed CGM settings to the watch. After changing settings in the phone app, keep the phone nearby, then open and display the G7 app on the watch so the settings can copy over.
  5. Pair each new sensor when prompted. When you start a new sensor, follow the phone app’s prompt to pair it with the watch. Dexcom says one sensor can be paired with only one smartwatch at a time.
  6. Check that alerts arrive where you expect. Dexcom warns that smartwatch use can change where alerts arrive. Allow notifications on both phone and watch if you want both devices to alert, and verify delivery using the manufacturer’s instructions.

What the phone icon means on the Dexcom watch display

If an orange phone icon appears beside the reading, Dexcom says Direct to Watch is temporarily not operating and the watch is copying data from the phone instead. Keep the phone nearby until the direct connection is working again. In this fallback mode, the phone’s proximity matters for current readings.

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What to expect from the Abbott Libre smartwatch app

Abbott says its Libre smartwatch app can show readings, trend graphs, and glucose alarm notifications on supported devices. It mirrors notifications from the Libre phone app; the smartphone must be within range of both the sensor and the watch, and the appropriate phone settings must be enabled. Check Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre support FAQs for current device and operating-system compatibility.

Abbott states that its smartwatch app should not be used to make treatment decisions. Follow the instructions in the smartphone Libre app.

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Verify software and alert delivery

Keep the CGM app updated and pay attention to current manufacturer and regulator notices. In a correction notice dated July 24, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration addressed Dexcom G7 Android, iOS, and watchOS versions 2.8.0 or earlier, and Dexcom ONE+ Android/iOS versions 1.4.0 or earlier. The FDA said a software error could omit a “Sensor Failed” alert after transmitter hardware or firmware failure, stop glucose reporting, and leave a user unaware that data was missing. The notice said affected versions would no longer be usable after August 20, 2025, and advised users to update. See the FDA correction notice for details.

A notification appearing on a watch does not prove that alerts are reaching every device you intend to use. Confirm the watch and phone settings, check that readings are current, and test alert routing as directed by the CGM manufacturer. A generic smartwatch notification is not a substitute for the CGM app, receiver, or the manufacturer’s care instructions.

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