Your Apple Watch® is packed with cool features that can make your life more convenient. But if your device isn't properly pairing with your iPhone®, it can be incredibly frustrating.
At Asurion, we troubleshoot your tech so you can focus on what's important. From what to do if your Apple Watch won't turn on to what you can do if your MacBook Pro is flickering, we've got your back. Here's what to do if your Apple Watch isn't pairing with your phone.
Restart your devices
Sometimes, powering off and on your devices does the trick and solves many common issues.
- Hold and press the Volume Up and Power Button on your iPhone. Swipe slide to power off. Wait thirty seconds. Hold the power button to restart your phone.
- Press and hold the side button on your Apple Watch until you see the slider. Tap and slide the Power Off slider to the right. After waiting for thirty seconds, press the side button again until the Apple logo appears.
Check your iPhone Settings
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.
Update the software on your iPhone
Your phone may not be connecting to your Apple Watch because you're running old software or in the middle of an update. To update your software, follow these steps:
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Try manually pairing your Apple Watch with your iPhone
During the pairing process, the first thing you may see on your Apple Watch is an image that you need to align with and scan using the camera on the iPhone.
If that's not working, select Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the screen instructions to connect your devices.
Reset the network settings on your iPhone
Your iPhone uses your network and Bluetooth® to connect to your Apple Watch. If your devices aren't pairing, it may be that you've accidentally changed your network settings. If that's the case, resetting them may solve your problem. Here's how:
- Head to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset>Reset Network Settings.
Unpair your Apple Watch from old iPhone
If you see neither an image or the option to Pair Manually on your Apple Watch, this may mean your device is paired to an old iPhone, causing the pairing issue..
To unpair from an old iPhone:
- Open the Apple Watch app on the old iPhone.
- Tap All Watches.
- Tap “i" next to the Apple Watch you want to unpair and select Unpair Apple Watch.
In the case you don't have access to that phone, you can unpair it, and reset it from the Apple Watch directly.
- Press the Digital crown on the Apple Watch.
- Select Settings.
- Tap General and Reset.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings > Erase All. This will reset the Apple Watch only and won't affect the phone currently paired to it.
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FAQs
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.
Why is my Apple Watch pairing failing? ›
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.
How do I force my Apple Watch to pair? ›
After your watch restarts, firmly press the screen or press and hold the Digital Crown. Tap Reset. After your watch resets, you can pair it with your iPhone. Bring your iPhone near your watch, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Why won't my iPhone connect to my watch? ›
Ensure your watch is close to your phone and in range. Open Control Centre and make sure that Airplane Mode is off and that WiFi and Bluetooth are on. If they are not on, make sure they are now on or if the phone is in Airplane Mode, turn this mode off. Restart your Watch and iPhone.
Why won't my Apple Watch connect to a different phone? ›
Unpair your Apple Watch from your old iPhone, then pair it with your new iPhone. When asked, restore your Apple Watch from a backup. Make sure that your iPhone and Apple Watch are up to date; if they're not, you might not see your backup in the list.
What to do with an Apple Watch that won't pair? ›
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.
- Wait for the watch to unpair.
- After Apple Watch unpairs completely, you can pair again.
Try these steps:
- Make sure that your Apple Watch is connecting properly to its charger.
- Restart your Apple Watch.
- Restart your paired iPhone.
- Try again to update your Apple Watch.
Here's how to go about it:
- Step 1: On your iPhone, open the Watch App.
- Step 2: Click on My Watch and tap the General Settings tab.
- Step 3: Select the reset sync data option to begin the resetting process.
- Step 4: Wait for your iPhone to remove all data, such as your calendar updates, messages, and health updates.
Use Apple's built-in Spotlight Search if you can't find the app on your smartphone. Next, from the "My Watch" tab, select the "General" option. From here, swipe down to the bottom of the page and tap on the "Reset" option. In the new menu, tap on the "Reset Sync Data" button.
Why is my Apple Watch not connected to? ›
Try to connect your Apple Watch and iPhone again
Keep your Apple Watch and paired iPhone close together to make sure they're in range. On your iPhone, make sure Airplane Mode is off and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on. To check, open Control Centre. on your watch face, Airplane Mode is turned on.
Set up your watch for the first time
- Turn on your watch.
- On your phone, open Wear OS .
- Tap Set it up.
- On your watch, to choose a language and accept the terms of service, follow the on-screen instructions.
- On your phone, follow the on-screen instructions until you find the name of your watch.
- Tap the name of your watch.
If your Watch and phone were previously paired, they will connect automatically. However, if they've never been paired before, you need to wait for the "Use your iPhone to set up your Apple Watch" window. Tap Continue to proceed. Use the camera on your iPhone to scan the screen on your Watch to begin set up.
How to manually pair Apple Watch to iPhone? ›
Hold your iPhone near your Apple Watch, wait for the Apple Watch pairing screen to appear on your iPhone, then tap Continue. You can also open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, then tap Pair New Watch.
Why has 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.
How to re-pair an Apple Watch without resetting? ›
Method 1: Re-Pair Using Bluetooth
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Bluetooth option.
- Ensure that Bluetooth is turned on.
- On your Apple Watch, access the Settings application.
- Tap on the Bluetooth option.
- Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your Apple Watch as well.
Try to connect your Apple Watch and iPhone again
On your iPhone, make sure that Airplane Mode is off and that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on. To check, open Control Center. on your watch face, Airplane Mode is on. Open Control Center, then turn off Airplane Mode.
How to pair an Apple Watch to a new phone? ›
Use the steps below to unpair:
- Erase your Apple Watch.
- Set up your new iPhone and sign in to iCloud. ...
- Open the Apple Watch app on your new iPhone, then pair your watch with your new iPhone.
- Try to restore from a backup. ...
- Follow the onscreen steps to finish setting up.
- Start using your Apple Watch with your new iPhone.
Reset your Apple Watch
- 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.
- When the process finishes, set up your watch again.
Method 1: Re-Pair Using Bluetooth
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Bluetooth option.
- Ensure that Bluetooth is turned on.
- On your Apple Watch, access the Settings application.
- Tap on the Bluetooth option.
- Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your Apple Watch as well.
