How to pair my apple watch to my phone again

How to pair my apple watch to my phone again

Show

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Pairing an Apple Watch to your iPhone has become a seamless process over the years. Apple has made it so all its devices recognize each other quickly to give customers a smooth user experience. Unpairing an Apple Watch can, however, present more challenges. So, we'll cover how to pair and unpair the right way.  

Before trying to pair your Apple Watch, it's a good idea to make sure your iPhone's iOS version is up to date by checking your settings. Once you've done that, ensure that Bluetooth is turned on and you're connected to a network: either Wi-Fi or cellular.

Step 1: Turn on your Apple Watch

Make sure your Apple Watch is turned on and near your iPhone.

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Press and hold the side button on the Apple Watch to turn it on. A screen will appear showing the Apple Watch is in pairing mode and instructing you to bring it close to the iPhone you'd like to pair it with.

The screen on your Apple Watch indicates to hold it close to your iPhone during pairing mode

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Step 2: Hold iPhone close to Apple Watch until recognized

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

A message will come up on your iPhone when the smartphone recognizes the Apple Watch nearby. Just tap Continue.

Step 3: Tap set up for Myself

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

The option to set up for someone else, like a family member, is also available.

Step 4: Point camera at the animation on the Apple Watch

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

An animation will appear on your Apple Watch that you must scan with your iPhone to complete the pairing process. If you can't use the camera for some reason, just tap set up manually and follow the prompts.

Position the Apple Watch face so that the screen fits into the designated area

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Once the Apple Watch and iPhone are paired, this screen will come up. Next, you'll be prompted to finish setting it up, which will allow you to customize your preferences, install new apps, and begin using your Apple Watch. 

How to unpair Apple Watch

Now, let's cover how to unpair your Apple Watch

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

If you want to upgrade to a new Apple Watch and reset your current one before selling it or gifting it to someone else, you'll need to unpair it from your iPhone first. Failing to unpair your watch from your phone and simply restoring it to factory settings on the watch itself will trigger Activation Lock because your Apple ID and phone will still be associated with the watch (more details on this in the FAQ section below). This is a headache you don't want to deal with and totally did not happen to me once while exchanging an Apple Watch at Best Buy. 

To unpair your Apple Watch completely from your iPhone and Apple ID, you'll need to do it through your iPhone. 

Step 1: Place iPhone and Apple Watch close to each other

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Step 2: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Step 3: Tap All Watches on the top left of your screen

Select All Watches at the top left corner

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

This will give you a snapshot of all the Apple Watches associated with your Apple ID. Find the one you'd like to unpair.

Step 4: Tap on the Info button next to the watch to unpair

Tap on the Info button to the right of your watch, this will let you access your options

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

An info button will be visible on your iPhone, to the right of the Apple Watch you want to unpair.

Step 5: Tap unpair Apple Watch

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

Step 6: Tap unpair again to confirm

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

A confirmation will appear at the bottom of your screen, tap Unpair Apple Watch again.

Step 7: Enter Apple ID password and tap unpair again

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

At this point, you'll need to enter your Apple ID password as a security measure to unlink your Apple Watch from it. 

Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet

A backup of your Apple Watch data and settings will be created, which is helpful if you want to reset your Apple Watch and not lose your data or if you're upgrading to a new Apple Watch.

Open the Settings app on your watch, then tap General > Reset. Tap Erase All Content and Settings, then tap again to confirm. Wait for the watch to unpair. After the Apple Watch unpairs completely, you can pair again.Advertisement

Likewise, how do I reconnect my Apple Watch to my iPhone again?

  1. Press and hold the Digital Crown and the side button at the same time until your watch restarts.
  2. After your watch restarts, firmly press the screen or press and hold the Digital Crown.
  3. Tap Reset.
  4. After your watch resets, you can pair it with your iPhone.

Furthermore, why won’t my Apple Watch pair to my phone again? Keep your Apple Watch and paired iPhone close together to make sure that they’re in range. On your iPhone, make sure that Airplane Mode is off and that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on. To check, open Control Center. If you see the Airplane Mode icon on your watch face, Airplane Mode is on.

Also, why is my watch not connecting to my phone? If you’re having issues connecting your watch and phone, please begin by making sure that your phone’s OS version is compatible (Android 6.0+ and iOS 10.0+) and that the Wear OS by Google app is up-to-date. Then, check if you have activated Bluetooth on your phone, disable, and re-enable it.

Also know, why is my Apple Watch disconnected from my phone? Check that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on your iPhone: It may help to toggle Bluetooth off and on again on your iPhone (Settings > Bluetooth). Check that Airplane Mode is not enabled on your watch: When viewing the time on your watch, swipe up on the watch face > swipe left / right to the Settings Glance.You should see the “i” icon at the lower right. If you later need to re-pair your Apple Watch with an iPhone, you can manually start and follow the pairing process using “i” icons on the watch.

Why won’t my Apple Watch pair and update?

If the update won’t start, open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap General > Usage > Software Update, then delete the update file. After you delete the file, try to download and install watchOS again.

How do I restart my Apple Watch?

Force restart your Apple Watch After you see the Apple logo and progress wheel, leave your watch alone and on its charger until the update finishes. To force restart your Apple Watch, press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, then release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.

How do I reset my Apple Watch?

  1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Swipe down to the bottom and tap Reset.
  4. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
  5. If you’re using a passcode, enter it when prompted.
  6. Swipe down and tap Erase All or Erase All & Keep Plan if you have a cellular watch.

Why can’t I find the i icon on my Apple Watch?

In order to see the “i” icon on your watch when pairing your devices manually, follow these steps: Wear Apple Watch on your wrist and choose a language (see footnote). Separately on each device, tap on Start Pairing (on your iPhone, do this within the Watch app). Tap Pair Apple Watch Manually on your iPhone.

Where is the I on I watch?

You’ll find the “i” icon or the ⓘ icon inside the Watch app on your iPhone. If you tap on your watch’s name in the app, you’ll see the ⓘ icon.

What is the side button for on Apple Watch?

Press the side button Press to show or hide the Dock. Press and hold to use SOS. Double-click to use Apple Pay. Press and hold to turn your watch on or off.

Does unpairing an Apple Watch reset it?

When you unpair your Apple Watch using the app, it will automatically start the process of resetting itself to factory settings and deleting all of your information. It will also automatically remove your Apple ID and iCloud account so it can be used by another user.

How do you pair I watch?

What is the red dot on my Apple Watch?

So, the red dot icon on Apple Watch means you have a new notification that is not yet read, and you can check it or dismiss the red dot by swiping down from the top of the Apple Watch screen.

What is the little hole on Apple Watch?

According to iFixit, this is a small air vent hole that helps to equalize pressure on the new Apple Watch Series 4. It also helps the wearable’s built-in barometric altimeter accurately detect relative altitude. It’s worth noting that this is also a placement change compared to past Apple Watches.

Can you shower with an Apple Watch?

Showering with Apple Watch Series 2 and newer is ok, but we recommend not exposing Apple Watch to soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and perfumes as they can negatively affect water seals and acoustic membranes.

How do I reset my Apple Watch after unpairing?

On your Apple Watch, tap Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Type your password if prompted. For GPS + Cellular models, choose to keep or remove your cellular plan. If you want to pair your Apple Watch and iPhone again, keep your plan.

What happens if you reset your Apple Watch?

If it isn’t already obvious, resetting your Apple Watch back to factory settings will erase everything on it, including music, data, settings, messages, and everything else, and install a fresh version of watchOS. After erasing all content and settings, you will have to pair your Apple Watch again with your iPhone.

How do I connect my watch to my phone?

  1. Step 1: Turn on Bluetooth on your Android phone. You will first have to turn on Bluetooth on your phone in order to allow for a good connection process.
  2. Step 2: Turn the Discoverable Mode on.
  3. Step 3: Turn on your Smartwatch.
  4. Step 4: Pair the Smartwatch with your Android Phone.

What does blue dot on Apple Watch mean?

The blue Do Not Disturb icon means that you have enabled Do Not Disturb mode. To disable this mode, swipe up on your watch face, swipe left / right to the Settings glance, then tap on the Do Not Disturb icon to deselect the mode. There are no other blue status icons.

What does flashing green light mean on Apple Watch?

The more your heart beats, the greater your blood flow and the green light absorption is. Your Apple Watch flashes these green LED lights hundreds of times per second to calculate the number of times your heart beats each minute. This is what helps your Apple Watch determine your heart rate.

What does yellow dot mean on Apple Watch?

If the icon is yellow, then you’re currently available in the Walkie-Talkie app. Tap on the icon to toggle your status.

Does the Apple Watch have a camera?

Does the Apple Watch have a camera? No, the Apple Watch does not have a camera, so you can’t take photos with it. There is a built-in app, Camera Remote that allows you to connect to your iPhone’s camera.

What are the two buttons on the side of the Apple Watch?

  1. The Digital Crown is is the rotating button on the side of Apple Watch. Press and hold the Digital Crown to use Siri, turn it to scroll or zoom, press it to view the Watch face or Home Screen, and double-press to open the last used app.

What does the camera mean on Apple Watch?

If you want to position your iPhone for a photo and then take the photo from a distance, you can use your Apple Watch to view the iPhone camera image and take the photo. You can also use your Apple Watch to set a shutter timer—this gives you time to lower your wrist and raise your eyes when you’re in the shot.

Should I wear my Apple Watch to bed?

Wear your watch to bed, and Apple Watch can track your sleep. When you wake up, open the Sleep app to learn how much sleep you got and see your sleep trends over the past 14 days. If your Apple Watch is charged less than 30 percent before you go to bed, you’re prompted to charge it.

Is it OK to sleep with your Apple Watch on?

It is not recommended to wear a watch to bed if it affects your sleep quality and or causes distraction. And since many are concerned about radiations, it is worth noting that Apple Watches emit small amounts of Electromagnetic Frequency (EF), which means that you can wear it at night, but in the short-term.

Can I wear my Apple Watch on my ankle?

Is it Possible to Wear Your Apple Watch on Your Ankle? There is no reason you cannot wear your fitness tracker on your ankle. Just keep in mind that fitness trackers, including the Apple Watch, might not be able to identify your activity as quickly and accurately.

Does unpairing Apple Watch erase activity data?

When you unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone, the watch is backed up completely to your iPhone to make sure that the latest data is saved. You can use the backed-up Apple Watch data on your iPhone if you ever need to restore your Apple Watch, or when you set up a new Apple Watch.

How do I reset my Apple Watch and pair after too many passcode attempts?

  1. Ensure that your watch and iPhone are close to each other.
  2. On your iPhone, open the Watch app and tap My Watch.
  3. Go to General > Reset.
  4. Select Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings. Then follow the onscreen instructions.