So you bought a brand new Apple Watch and you’re excited to pair it with your iPhone? Or maybe you bought a new iPhone and are wondering how to unpair your Apple Watch and then pair it with a new iPhone.
There are a couple of ways you can pair and unpair Apple Watch with a new iPhone, and in this article I’m outlining all of them. So if you’re pairing your new Apple Watch, or unpairing an old one, here are all the working methods you can use.
How to Unpair Apple Watch
If you bought a new iPhone and want to pair your Apple Watch with it, you will first have to unpair it from your old iPhone. There are a couple of ways you can do this. You can do it using your iPhone, or straight from the Apple Watch if you want.
We have a detailed article on how to unpair and reset an Apple Watch that you can check out for step-by-step instructions on this.
How to Pair Apple Watch
If you’ve bought a new Apple Watch and you are wondering how to pair it with your iPhone, here’s what you need to do. These are also the steps you should follow if you have unpaired your Apple Watch from your old iPhone and are pairing it with your new iPhone.
Pre-Setup Preparations
Note: This is only needed if you’re unpairing your Apple Watch from an old iPhone and pairing it with a new one.
- Back up your old iPhone. This backs up your Apple Watch data as well so you can set it up easily on the new iPhone.
- When setting up your new iPhone, restore your iCloud or iTunes backup.
Method 1: Automatic Pairing and Setup
The first method we’ll discuss is the one that Apple recommends, and the one that works almost all the time. This is the easiest and most straightforward way of setting up an Apple Watch. Here’s what you need to do.
- Bring your new (or unpaired) Apple Watch close to your iPhone. You should see a prompt like the one in the image below. Tap on ‘Continue‘.
- Your watch will now show an animation. Scan it with your iPhone. Tap on ‘Restore from Backup‘ if you’re pairing an old Apple Watch with a new iPhone. Otherwise tap on ‘Set Up as New Apple Watch’.
Follow the instructions on screen and that’s it. Your Apple Watch will be paired.
Method 2: Manual Pairing with the ⓘ Icon
Sometimes the automatic pairing method doesn’t work and in that case, you can use the manual pairing method to start setting up your Apple Watch. Most of the steps still remain the same, but the beginning of the process is different. Here’s what you need to do.
- Tap on the ⓘ icon that shows up on your Apple Watch in order to see a name for your Apple Watch. This will show up both on the watch, and on your iPhone, inside the Watch app.
- Tap on the name, and then enter the six digit code that shows up on your Apple Watch to confirm that you’re pairing with the correct watch.
You can now select whether you want to restore a backup, or set up your watch as completely new. The rest of the process remains the same; all you have to do is follow the on-screen instructions and your watch will be set up in no time.
Pair Apple Watch with New iPhone Using These Methods
Now that you know all the methods you can use to both unpair and pair your Apple Watch with an iPhone, you should be all set to set up your watch with your brand new iPhone. Chances are that the automatic pairing method will work out perfectly for you, but just in case it doesn’t, there’s always the manual method to set up your watch. Also, if you are encountering any problems with the set up, you should check out our article on Apple Watch not pairing with iPhone.
