How to Unpair an Apple Watch

Unlike an iPhone or an iPad, an Apple Watch does not function as an independent computer. It is cryptographically tethered to a specific iPhone. If you are selling your Apple Watch, giving it to a family member, or sending it in for repair, you cannot simply perform a factory reset from the watch’s own settings menu. You must properly “unpair” the watch using your iPhone.

Unpairing the watch automatically creates a backup of its data on your phone, securely wipes the watch’s hard drive, and crucially, removes the Apple Activation Lock so the new owner can actually use it.

Method 1: The Standard Unpair (You Have Both Devices)

If you have your Apple Watch and your iPhone in your hands, and both are turned on and functioning normally, this is the only method you should use.

1. Keep your Apple Watch and your iPhone physically close to each other.
2. Open the Watch app on your iPhone (it has a black icon with a picture of a watch).
3. At the bottom of the screen, make sure you are on the My Watch tab.
4. At the very top left corner of the screen, tap on All Watches.
5. You will see a list of every watch paired to your phone. Find the watch you want to unpair and tap the small, orange “i” (Information) icon next to it.
6. A new menu will open. Look at the bottom of the screen and tap the red text that says Unpair Apple Watch.
7. A warning will pop up from the bottom. Tap the red Unpair [Your Name’s] Apple Watch button to confirm.
8. (For Cellular Watches Only): If you pay for a monthly data plan for your watch, a prompt will ask if you want to keep or remove the cellular plan. If you are selling the watch, choose Remove. If you are just unpairing to fix a glitch and intend to pair it right back to your own phone, choose Keep.
9. The Security Check: You will be prompted to enter your Apple ID Password. You must do this to disable Activation Lock. Enter the password and tap Unpair.

The unpairing process will begin. The iPhone will quickly pull a final backup of your watch’s data, and then the watch screen will go black, displaying a spinning white circle. This process can take several minutes. When the watch reboots and displays the “Bring iPhone near Apple Watch” pairing screen, it is fully wiped and safe to sell.

Method 2: Erase the Watch (If You Don’t Have the iPhone)

If you sold your iPhone, dropped it in the ocean, or otherwise do not have access to the phone the watch is paired to, you cannot use the Watch app. You must force the watch to erase itself from its own screen.

1. Put the Apple Watch on its charger (do not attempt this on a low battery).
2. Press the Digital Crown (the round dial on the side) to view your apps.
3. Tap the Settings app (the grey gear icon).
4. Tap General.
5. Scroll to the absolute bottom and tap Reset.
6. Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
7. If you have a passcode, type it in.
8. Scroll down and tap the red Erase All button.

CRITICAL WARNING: This method completely wipes the data off the watch, but it DOES NOT REMOVE ACTIVATION LOCK because the watch cannot communicate with Apple’s servers without the iPhone. The watch will be wiped, but the next owner will not be able to set it up.

How to Remove Activation Lock Remotely

If you used Method 2, you must complete the process on the internet.

1. Open a web browser on a computer and go to iCloud.com.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
3. Click on the Find My app (or the “Find Devices” icon in the grid).
4. At the top of the screen, click All Devices and select your Apple Watch from the list.
5. Click Remove from Account.

The Activation Lock is now severed. The next owner will be able to pair the watch to their own iPhone.