Unpair and erase Apple Watch (2024)

FAQs

Does unpairing an Apple Watch erase it? ›

If you have the iPhone that your Apple Watch is paired with, you should follow the steps to unpair your Apple Watch. This removes Activation Lock from your Apple Watch as well as erasing all its content and settings. If you don't have the paired iPhone, you can erase your Apple Watch, but Activation Lock will remain.

Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Tap My Watch, then tap All Watches. next to your watch, then tap Unpair Apple Watch.

If you erase your Apple Watch (such as by unpairing it via the Watch app, which includes syncing the latest Activity data and making a fresh backup of your Apple Watch on your iPhone) and then re-pair it, your historic data on your iPhone will not be affected.

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.

Should I unpair my old Apple Watch before pairing a new one? If you're upgrading to a newer Apple Watch, you'll need to unpair your old one from your iPhone, unless you decide to keep using both watches.

To reset an Apple Watch, navigate to the settings app, select General, click the reset button, opt to erase all content and settings on the device, input the watch's password and select erase all. Apple's support team says this method resets the watch to factory settings, but does not backup the watch.

Make sure that the previous owner removed Activation Lock from the watch and that the watch has been erased. They must unpair the watch and remove Activation Lock by entering their Apple ID password, so you can use the watch. If you see the passcode lock screen or the Home screen, the device needs to be erased.

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.

A: Removing the previous owner's Apple ID without a password is easy. All you have to do is go to your device settings, select the 'General' option, and look for the option 'Reset'. Then select 'Erase All Content and Settings'. This will remove the old account and allow you to start fresh with a new account.

This erases the contents and removes Activation Lock (which prevents someone else from activating it). Do this if you plan to sell or give away your Apple Watch.

How to clean an Apple Watch? ›

Wipe your Apple Watch clean with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water. If your Apple Watch has substances or debris visible in places such as the speaker ports, you can hold your Apple Watch under lightly running, warm, fresh water until it's clean.

Open the Apple Watch app on your new iPhone

Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. If your iPhone asks you to confirm that you want to use your watch, follow the onscreen steps to finish setting up. If your iPhone asks you to Start Pairing, unpair your Apple Watch so that you can set it up.

Unpair your Apple Watch

When you unpair, your iPhone will try to create a backup of your Apple Watch. You can use the backup to restore your Apple Watch when your device returns from service.

If I unpair my Apple Watch from my iPhone, will the card stay in my watch's Wallet? No, if you unpair these two devices, your card will be removed from your Apple Watch's Wallet.

Unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone.

This erases the contents and removes Activation Lock (which prevents someone else from activating it). Do this if you plan to sell or give away your Apple Watch.

Make sure that the previous owner removed Activation Lock from the watch and that the watch has been erased. They must unpair the watch and remove Activation Lock by entering their Apple ID password, so you can use the watch. If you see the passcode lock screen or the Home screen, the device needs to be erased.