What happens to your Apple Watch when you switch phones

Your Apple Watch is paired to your old phone through Bluetooth and iCloud. When you get a new phone, the watch stays paired to the old one until you unpair it and set it up with the new device. You cannot straightforward hand the watch to someone else or move it to a new phone without going through the unpair-and-pair process — if you skip this step, your watch will keep trying to connect to your old phone and won't work properly with the new one.

The good news is that your watch data — your health records, activity rings, installed apps, and settings — are backed up to iCloud automatically. When you pair the watch to your new phone, you can restore all of that information instead of starting from scratch. The whole process takes about 15 to 30 minutes depending on how many apps you have installed.

Key Takeaways

  • You must unpair your Apple Watch from your old phone before pairing it to a new one, even if you're keeping the same Apple ID.
  • Your watch data backs up to iCloud automatically, so you can restore your activity history, apps, and settings when you set up the watch on your new phone.
  • The unpair process erases the watch itself, so you should back it up to iCloud first — the Watch app on your phone does this automatically.
  • After unpairing, you'll need your Apple ID password and the new phone's Bluetooth to be on before you can pair the watch to the new device.

Unpair your watch from your old phone

Open the Watch app on your old phone. Tap the My Watch tab at the bottom, then tap the watch name at the top. Scroll down and tap "Unpair Apple Watch." You'll see a warning that this will erase the watch and remove it from your Apple ID account. Tap "Unpair" again to confirm. The watch will restart and go back to its factory state.

If you're asked for your Apple ID password during this step, enter it. This is a security measure to make sure someone can't erase your watch remotely. The unpair process takes a few minutes. Your watch screen will show a loading symbol, then an Apple logo, then it will be ready to pair again.

If you no longer have access to your old phone, you can unpair the watch through iCloud.com on a computer. Go to Find My, select Devices, find your Apple Watch, and choose Remove. This does the same thing as unpairing through the Watch app.

Set up your watch on your new phone

Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your new phone's settings. Open the Watch app and tap "Start Pairing." Hold your new phone near the watch. The phone's camera will scan the watch's pairing code automatically — you don't have to do anything. If the camera doesn't pick it up, tap "Pair Apple Watch Manually" and follow the on-screen steps instead.

Sign in with your Apple ID when prompted. Use the same Apple ID you used on your old phone — this is how your watch knows to restore your old data. If you use a different Apple ID, the watch will set up as new and you'll lose your activity history and app settings.

When the pairing is complete, you'll see the option to restore from backup. Tap "Restore from Backup" and wait for the data to transfer. This can take several minutes if you have a lot of apps or a long activity history. Do not close the Watch app or move your phone away from the watch during this time.

What to restore and what gets set up fresh

Your iCloud backup restores your activity data, workouts, health app information, and most third-party apps. Your watch face, complications (the small widgets on your watch face), and app layout come back the way you had them. Passwords and payment information for Apple Pay do not restore — you'll need to set those up again on the new phone for security reasons.

Some apps may need to be reinstalled from the App Store even though they were on your old watch. This is normal and happens when an app has been updated since your backup was made. The Watch app will show you which apps need to be installed and you can tap to add them back. This usually takes just a few minutes.

Set up Apple Pay and passwords again

After your watch restores, open the Wallet app on your new phone. Tap the plus sign to add a credit or debit card. You'll need to enter the card details again — the watch doesn't store this information for security reasons. Tap through the verification steps your bank requires, which usually means confirming a code sent to your phone or email.

For passwords and logins that apps use, open each app on your watch and sign in again when prompted. This is also a security feature. Your watch will remember these logins going forward, but they don't transfer between phones.

Troubleshooting if pairing fails

If your watch won't pair to the new phone, restart both devices. Turn off the watch by pressing and holding the side button until you see "Power Off," then swipe to turn it off. Restart your phone normally. Turn the watch back on by pressing the side button again until you see the Apple logo. Then try pairing again.

If you still can't pair, make sure you're using the same Apple ID on the new phone that you used on the old one. Check that Bluetooth is on and that you're within a few feet of the watch. If the watch is still stuck on the pairing screen, you may need to force restart it by pressing and holding both the side button and the Digital Crown (the knob on the side) for about 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo.

If the watch won't unpair from your old phone, try unpairing again or use the iCloud method described above. Sometimes the connection is slow and the first attempt times out. If you're still stuck, you can take the watch to an Apple Store and staff can unpair it for you.

Transferring a watch to someone else

If you're giving your watch to another person, you must unpair it first using the steps above. After unpairing, the watch is erased and ready for the new owner to set up with their own Apple ID. They should not use your Apple ID — they need their own account so their activity data and settings stay separate from yours.

If the new owner doesn't have an Apple ID yet, they can create one during the watch setup process. They'll need an email address and a password. Once they have an account, they can pair the watch and set it up as a new device or restore from their own previous backup if they had an Apple Watch before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my activity history when I transfer my watch to a new phone?

No. Your activity data is backed up to iCloud automatically, and it restores when you pair the watch to your new phone using the same Apple ID. Your steps, workouts, and health information will be there when you finish setup.

Can I pair my watch to two phones at the same time?

No. An Apple Watch can only be paired to one phone at a time. If you try to pair it to a second phone without unpairing from the first, the watch will stay connected to the original phone and won't work with the new one.

What if I forgot my Apple ID password?

You'll need to reset it before you can unpair your watch or set it up on a new phone. Go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device and follow the steps to reset your password. You can also use the "Forgot password?" option on your new phone during setup.

Do I need to unpair my watch if I'm upgrading to a newer Apple Watch model?

Yes. Even though you're staying with the same phone, you need to unpair the old watch and pair the new one. The process is the same: open the Watch app, unpair the old watch, then pair the new one and restore from backup.

Will my watch apps reinstall automatically after I restore from backup?

Most will, but some may need to be reinstalled manually from the App Store. The Watch app will show you which apps are missing and you can tap to add them back. This usually takes just a few minutes.