Factory Resetting Apple Watch - Apple Community (2024)

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User profile for user: Shelbyb764

Shelbyb764 Author

User level: Level1

9 points

Okay this is a doozy and I’m pretty sure I’ve dug my own grave at this point. But one day the passcode that I’ve always used for my Apple Watch was no longer the passcode and I was locked out. I couldn’t access the watches info in the app on my phone either. I tried holding down the side button and dial until the apple logo came up, then just holding down the dial and I get the red exclamation part saying to go to support.apple.com/watch/restore and it’s stuck there. And then I tried just holding the side button and then the dial and I get the same response. I saw somewhere to try to remove the watch from the app and iCloud (this is where I dug my own grave) so I did. And I’m just still stuck in the same spot. I eventually got the watch to say “press ok to recover” (or whatever the phrasing is for that) and it said to enter a passcode and I put mine in, it spends 2-3 hours going through the loading process and then says it failed. I’ve tried using 1111, 0000 and 1234 as well and that’s a no go.

Anyone have any ideas?? I’m at my wits end. There’s gotta be some kind of resolution. I don’t love anywhere near an Apple Store either so I’m really trying to just figure it out at home.

Thank you in advance for any help and insight!

Posted on Aug 17, 2023 1:06 PM

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User profile for user: WheelieNick

WheelieNick

User level: Level8

38,329 points

Posted on Aug 17, 2023 1:08 PM

Hi there

Please try and follow these steps to see if you can fix this issue

  1. Put your watch on its charger and keep it there until you complete these steps.
  2. Press and hold the side button until you see the power buttonin the upper-right corner of the display.
  3. Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see Erase all content and settings.
  4. TapReset, then tap Reset again to confirm.
  5. Wait for the process to finish, thenset up your Apple Watch again. When asked, restore from a backup.

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User profile for user: WheelieNick

WheelieNick

User level: Level8

38,329 points

Aug 17, 2023 1:08 PM in response to Shelbyb764

Hi there

Please try and follow these steps to see if you can fix this issue

  1. Put your watch on its charger and keep it there until you complete these steps.
  2. Press and hold the side button until you see the power buttonin the upper-right corner of the display.
  3. Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see Erase all content and settings.
  4. TapReset, then tap Reset again to confirm.
  5. Wait for the process to finish, thenset up your Apple Watch again. When asked, restore from a backup.

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User profile for user: gretta115

gretta115

User level: Level1

8 points

Apr 26, 2024 10:33 AM in response to Shelbyb764

I have an older watch (series 5) and the above advice didn't work for me. I called in and they used a different method:

1) connect to charger

2) hold crown and side button at the same time for a few seconds then let go

3) then I saw the apple logo and was told to press and hold the side button until a red button showed up prompting me to erase and reset the watch

Hope this helps!

User profile for user: JCOxendine

JCOxendine

User level: Level1

8 points

Jan 9, 2024 3:52 AM in response to WheelieNick

Helpful post! Followed the above steps an I was able to reset “My Apple iWatch”!

Thank You sooooo very much!

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User profile for user: horia48

horia48

User level: Level1

8 points

Jan 14, 2024 8:07 AM in response to WheelieNick

Is not working. Doesn't appear to erase

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User profile for user: honistie

honistie

User level: Level1

8 points

Mar 24, 2024 5:05 PM in response to Shelbyb764

How do you reset your Apple Watch

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User profile for user: RickRowl

RickRowl

User level: Level1

15 points

Dec 13, 2023 2:25 PM in response to javaliga

I am late to this party, but I just had the exact same issue. This last time I actually had patience and kept my finger on the side button well after "Click OK to Recover" EVENTUALLY the Reset button showed. Never got around to clicking the digital crown. Did not have to. The Reset just showed at the bottom of the screen.

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User profile for user: javaliga

javaliga

User level: Level10

119,509 points

Aug 17, 2023 2:08 PM in response to Shelbyb764

Shelbyb764 wrote:

This is the process that I described as not working in my original post. Any other ideas?

Not really. Did you put your watch on its charger and keep it there until you complete the steps that WheelieNick gave you?

If you forgot your Apple Watch passcode - Apple Support

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User profile for user: Doodle_Mom

Doodle_Mom

User level: Level1

8 points

Feb 10, 2024 8:26 AM in response to Shelbyb764

Any suggestions…..I have tried everything above and the 20 second hold on just the button & the hard reset still isn’t working. It restarts just like normal.

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User profile for user: justinmullen

justinmullen

User level: Level1

14 points

Apr 28, 2024 9:29 AM in response to gretta115

this worked really well. thanks.

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User profile for user: Mikesameri

Mikesameri

User level: Level1

8 points

Apr 21, 2024 11:50 AM in response to Shelbyb764

Resetting Apple Watch

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User profile for user: faminat

faminat

User level: Level1

8 points

May 1, 2024 3:50 AM in response to Shelbyb764

To reset my apple watch

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User profile for user: Shelbyb764

Shelbyb764 Author

User level: Level1

9 points

Aug 17, 2023 1:12 PM in response to WheelieNick

This is the process that I described as not working in my original post. Any other ideas?

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User profile for user: Shelbyb764

Shelbyb764 Author

User level: Level1

9 points

Aug 17, 2023 3:30 PM in response to javaliga

Yes I did. I just forgot to include that in my original post. Yes, I have followed those directions previously and they did not works.

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User profile for user: Junaod

Junaod

User level: Level1

13 points

Jan 26, 2024 8:33 PM in response to WheelieNick

Thank you!

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User profile for user: Doodle_Mom

Doodle_Mom

User level: Level1

8 points

Feb 10, 2024 8:27 AM in response to Doodle_Mom

Wait…if you get the whit dot circle it’s reset right?

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Factory Resetting Apple Watch

Factory Resetting Apple Watch - Apple Community (2024)

FAQs

Factory Resetting Apple Watch - Apple Community? ›

Put your Apple Watch on its charger, then press and hold the side button until the sliders appear. Press and hold the Digital Crown to show the Erase all content and settings screen. Tap Reset, then tap Reset again to confirm.

How to force factory reset on Apple Watch? ›

Press and hold the side button until you see the power button in the upper-right corner of the display. Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see Erase all content and settings. Tap Reset, then tap Reset again to confirm. Wait for the process to finish, then set up your Apple Watch again.

How do I factory reset my Apple Watch to give to someone else? ›

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.

How to unlock a locked Apple Watch? ›

Unlock Apple Watch when you unlock your iPhone: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Passcode, then turn on Unlock with iPhone. Your iPhone must be within normal Bluetooth range (about 33 feet or 10 meters) of your Apple Watch to unlock it.

How do I remove the previous owner from my Apple Watch? ›

With a web browser, go to: https://www.iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Open Find My iPhone and select All Devices (at the top). Then click your Apple Watch, select 'Erase Apple Watch', and select Next until the device is erased.

Can someone wipe a stolen Apple Watch? ›

So if your watch is lost or stolen, you can use Find My to help you find it again. And thanks to Activation Lock, your Apple ID and password are required before anyone can erase your Apple Watch and use it with their iPhone.

What if my second hand Apple Watch is locked to the owner? ›

If the Apple Watch remains locked, then ask the previous owner to either accompany you and the watch to a Genius Bar appointment, taking along their original proof of purchase for the watch or ask them (not you) to contact Apple Support and seek assistance with removing Activation Lock: Contact - Official Apple Support.

How do I remove Find My Apple Watch Activation Lock without previous owner? ›

As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, you'll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock.

How do I remove someone else's iCloud from my Apple Watch? ›

To be able to pair the Apple Watch to your own iPhone, you would need the previous owner (who may not be the seller) to either enter their Apple ID and password on your iPhone or to turn the feature off via https://www.icloud.com/ (by signing in with their Apple ID > Find My iPhone > All Devices, then select the Apple ...

How to do hard reset Apple Watch to factory settings? ›

Erase Apple Watch and settings

Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Go to General > Reset, tap Erase All Content and Settings, then enter your passcode. If you have an Apple Watch with cellular, choose to keep or remove your cellular plan. Keep your plan if you want to pair your Apple Watch and iPhone again.

Can you reset Apple Watch without being connected to phone? ›

Erase Apple Watch without the paired iPhone

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 Apple Watch unpairs completely, you can pair again.

How to reset Apple Watch without paired phone? ›

Erase Apple Watch without the paired iPhone

Before you can pair Apple Watch again, enter the Apple ID and password that was used to set it up. Open the Settings app on your watch, then tap General > Reset. Tap Erase All Content and Settings, then tap again to confirm.

Why won't my Apple Watch pair to my new phone? ›

Certain settings needs to be on or off in order for pairing to work. Open your Settings app. Make sure Airplane Mode is turned off and that you're connected to a stable Wi-Fi network to avoid any connectivity issues. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on, and see if it gives you the option of pairing with your Apple Watch.

How to restore an Apple Watch? ›

Restore your Apple Watch from a backup: If you pair your Apple Watch with the same iPhone again, or get a new Apple Watch, you can choose Restore from Backup and select a stored backup on your iPhone.

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