How to set up apple watch that is already paired

When your Apple Watch isn't paired to your iPhone, the number of features it has decreases dramatically. 

Sure, you can still record a workout and check the time, but you won't get any notifications, messages, or calls on your watch. 

The good news is that — in most cases — Apple Watch pairing issues can be fixed in a matter of minutes. Just follow the steps outlined below to reconnect your devices.

1. Move your iPhone closer to your Apple Watch

There's a chance your phone is simply too far away from your Apple Watch, or that it's in a bag or drawer that is blocking a clear signal. 

Because the watch and phone pair via Bluetooth, proximity is key. So, get them closer together and see if that alleviates the issue.

2. Check the settings on both devices

If your phone has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth turned off — or if either of your devices are in Airplane Mode — they won't be able to pair. Make sure all settings are set properly to facilitate the connection. 

On the iPhone, you can quickly check this in the Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen and ensure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on (the icons will be blue) and Airplane Mode is off (the icon will be gray). On the Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center.

3. Turn your devices off and on again

There's no doubt that you've heard this tech troubleshooting tip before, but it's a popular one for a reason. 

To turn off your iPhone, hold down the side lock button and volume up buttons until the slide to power off toggle appears. Slide the power button to turn the phone off. Hold the side button until the Apple logo appears to turn the phone back on. 

You can shut down your Apple Watch by holding down the side button (not the crown) and then swiping the power off slider. Press and hold the side button to turn the watch back on.

Try these tips if you want to force quit or close out apps on your Apple Watch.

4. Reset your Apple Watch 

If you've followed all of the previous steps and you're still having issues, it's time to reset that watch. This fix should resolve the pairing issue, but it will wipe saved data off the watch, so you should back it up before doing so. 

In the watch's Settings app, choose General, then Reset, then Erase All Content and Settings.

5. Unpair your iPhone and Apple Watch, then pair them again

In the Watch app on your iPhone, tap All Watches, the information button next to your Apple Watch, then Unpair Apple Watch.

Now everything should be just like new, and you'll be able to pair your Apple Watch and iPhone.

Quick tip: For more information on how to pair an Apple Watch with your iPhone, check out our guide.

If you've just updated your iPhone, you may be wondering what to do about your Apple Watch. Here's how to move your current wearable to your new iPhone.

Alternatively, want to find out how to pair a new watch with an existing iPhone? Here's how to set that up. With the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8 coming soon, you're likely to be doing one or the other soon.

How to prepare to transfer an Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Unlike the best iPhones, there's no easy way to make a backup of your Apple Watch 7 or other Apple Watch to iCloud manually, even in watchOS 9. That's because Apple Watch backups aren't even really backups at all. Your watch borrows most of its data from its paired iPhone, and as such, that data is all saved to your iPhone's iCloud or iTunes backup.

Your watch will regularly sync Health and app data it gathers to your iPhone (and, via your phone, iCloud) when connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. But you can't choose when you'd like to sync that information — it happens in the background — unless you manually unpair your Apple Watch, which will automatically sync its latest data to your iPhone.

When moving an existing Apple Watch to a new iPhone, there are two ways to prepare.

Apple allows you to use Automatic Setup to move your iPhone backup and your Apple Watch to a new iPhone without the unpairing-repairing dance. But to make sure your Apple Watch and iPhone get moved over correctly, do the following:

• Make sure your watch is up-to-date is by enabling iCloud Health sync
• Make a backup of your existing iPhone right before you plan to transfer to your new iPhone

Unpair/repair

If you're not restoring your new iPhone from your old iPhone's backup, the best way to move your watch is to force a backup. You do this by unpairing your watch from your existing iPhone; follow the instructions in our backup article to do so (don't forget to make sure you've enabled Health data to sync in iCloud first).

How to switch your Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Depending on which method you use to set up your new iPhone, you'll follow slightly different steps to set up your Apple Watch.

If you choose Automatic Setup

1. Follow the steps from our iPhone Automatic Setup guide.
2. Press Continue when you see the prompt, "Do you want to use (name of Apple Watch) with this iPhone?"

If you choose Unpair/repair

Warning: If you don't have iCloud Health sync enabled and set up your iPhone and Apple Watch from scratch, you will lose your Health data.

How to change your LTE Apple Watch to a new iPhone

If you've purchased an LTE Apple Watch, you'll likely have a cellular plan for that Apple Watch attached to your iPhone's account. Good news: You shouldn't need to move the plan over when you move to your new iPhone. Just follow the steps above and you should be all set. That's because your iPhone's phone number and plan stay the same, even if you switch to a new iPhone (with a new SIM card inside it).

How to change your Apple Watch with a new cellular carrier to a new iPhone

However, if you're moving to a new carrier along with your new iPhone, you'll need to check in with your new carrier for the easiest way to switch. Most likely, you'll need to do the following:

How to transfer your Apple Watch to a new iPhone with no backup

If you're thinking about starting over on your new iPhone from scratch, without a backup, you have two options.

Option one: If you don't care about your Health data and the like, you can start from scratch on both devices. You'll lose your downloaded apps and Health data, including all saved workouts, GPS routes, heart rate data, and achievements.

Option two: If you want your Health data, you can transfer it to a clean-install iPhone and Apple Watch — but only if you use iCloud and iOS 11 or later. You'll want to have the Health toggle switched on in Settings > iCloud. If you have a lot of Health data, you may need to wait for a good while before everything syncs, so make sure not to erase your old iPhone before this is done.

Once your Health information has synced, follow the steps below to set up your Apple Watch:

1. Follow the unpair/repair instructions above to unpair your watch.
2. Once you've finished setting up your iPhone, open the Watch app. (You can also bring your Apple Watch near your iPhone to bring up a similar interface to the AirPods pairing screen, which will then launch the Watch app.)
3. Follow the instructions: How to set up and pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone

Troubleshooting tips for transferring your Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Are you running into issues moving your Apple Watch over from one device to another? Here are a few suggestions.

I can't pair my Apple Watch with my new iPhone

You may still need to disable the Activation Lock on your old iPhone. Check if your old device is still paired; worst case, try to reset your Apple Watch from the watch itself.

My Health data disappeared

Did you back up via iCloud or encrypted iTunes backup or sync your Health data separately via iCloud? If not, your data hasn't been saved to your backup or your iCloud account. Fixing this requires either making a new backup of your iPhone and watch (and restoring your new iPhone from that backup), using a third-party option like Health Data Importer, or waiting on iCloud to finish backing up your Health data.

Other problems

Apple itself has a pretty good troubleshooting page (opens in new tab) for moving your Apple Watch over if you have any other issues.

Lots to see

When it comes to transferring your Apple Watch to a new phone, there are different steps you must take to find success. Hopefully, this article made the process for you carefree. Enjoy your watch!