How to Connect Your Apple Watch to a New iPhone

Start by unpairing from your old phone

Before your Apple Watch can connect to a new iPhone, it must be unpaired from the old one. Open the Watch app on your current iPhone, tap the My Watch tab at the bottom, then tap the watch name at the top. Scroll down and tap Unpair Apple Watch. You will be asked to enter your Apple ID password — have this ready.

The unpair process backs up your watch settings, apps, and data to iCloud so you can restore them on the new phone later. This takes a few minutes. Once it finishes, your watch will restart and show the Apple logo, then a spinning dial. Leave it alone during this reset — it will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

If you cannot access your old iPhone, you can still pair the watch to a new phone, but you will lose the backup. The watch will start fresh without your previous apps or settings.

Key Takeaways

Unpair your watch from the old iPhone through the Watch app before pairing it to a new phone, which backs up your settings and apps to iCloud.
On the new iPhone, open the Watch app and tap Start Pairing, then hold your iPhone camera over the animation on the watch face to complete the connection.
Sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old phone so your backup restores automatically to the new watch connection.
The full pairing and restore process takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how many apps and how much data your watch holds.
If pairing stalls, restart both devices and make sure they are within 33 feet of each other with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.

Pair the watch to your new iPhone

On your new iPhone, open the Watch app — it comes built in and looks like a small watch icon. Tap the My Watch tab at the bottom, then tap Start Pairing. You will see a message asking you to hold your iPhone up to the watch.

On the watch face, you will see a moving geometric pattern. Hold your new iPhone's camera about 4 to 6 inches from the watch screen, centered on that pattern. The iPhone will scan the pattern and connect. This usually takes 10 to 15 seconds. If the camera cannot read the pattern, move closer or adjust the angle slightly.

Once the scan completes, the iPhone will ask you to sign in with your Apple ID. Use the same Apple ID you used on your old phone — this is what triggers the backup to restore. If you use a different Apple ID, your watch will pair but your old settings and apps will not come back.

Choose your restore and pairing options

After you sign in, the iPhone will ask whether you want to restore from a backup. If you unpaired cleanly from your old phone, you will see the option to restore from the backup you just created. Tap Restore Backup. The watch will read your apps, settings, and data from iCloud — this is where most of the time is spent.

The iPhone will also ask which wrist you wear the watch on and whether you want to use Siri. These are preferences you can change later in the Watch app settings if you change your mind.

If you do not see a restore option, or if you want to set up the watch as new instead, you can skip the backup. The watch will pair but start with no apps except the built-in ones. You can add apps later through the App Store in the Watch app on your iPhone.

Wait for the restore to finish

Once you tap Restore Backup, both devices will show a progress screen. Your iPhone will say "Restoring Apple Watch" and the watch will display a spinning dial. Do not unplug either device or move them far apart during this time. The process usually takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how many apps you have and how much data is being transferred.

If the restore stalls or shows an error, restart both devices. Turn off your iPhone completely, then turn it back on. Press and hold the side button on the watch until you see the power-off slider, then slide to power off. Wait 30 seconds, then turn the watch back on by pressing the side button again. Once both are on, open the Watch app and try pairing again.

Verify the connection and check your apps

When the restore finishes, your watch face will light up and you will see your apps and settings back in place. The Watch app on your iPhone will show a green checkmark next to your watch name, which means the connection is active.

Open the Watch app and tap the My Watch tab to see what restored. Your installed apps should be listed under Installed Apps. If an app is missing, you can reinstall it by finding it in the App Store section of the Watch app and tapping the cloud icon to read it again.

Check that Bluetooth is on in your iPhone settings — go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and make sure it is toggled on. Your watch will not work without Bluetooth, even if it is on Wi-Fi. You can also check the watch connection by swiping up from the bottom of the watch face to see the Control Center; a green Bluetooth icon means the watch is connected to your phone.

Troubleshoot if pairing fails

If your iPhone cannot find the watch during the initial scan, make sure both devices are within 33 feet of each other. Move away from other people's phones and Wi-Fi networks if possible — crowded areas can interfere with the Bluetooth connection. Restart both devices and try again.

If the watch shows a spinning dial for more than 30 minutes during restore, the connection may have dropped. Restart both devices and check that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi — the restore needs internet to read your backup from iCloud. If Wi-Fi is on but the restore still stalls, try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network or use your iPhone's hotspot from a computer or tablet.

If you see an error message about your Apple ID, sign out of iCloud on your iPhone and sign back in. Go to Settings, tap your name at the top, scroll down and tap Sign Out, then sign back in with your Apple ID password. Then open the Watch app and try pairing again.

Set up Apple Pay and other services on the new connection

Once your watch is paired and your backup has restored, you may need to set up Apple Pay again. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap Wallet & Apple Pay, then tap Add Card. You can add the same cards you had on the old watch, or add new ones. The watch will ask you to verify each card with your bank.

If you use cellular service on your watch, contact your carrier to transfer the plan to the new phone number or account if you changed phones. Some carriers do this automatically when you set up a new iPhone; others require a call or online update.

Check that notifications are turned on for the apps you care about. Open the Watch app, tap Notifications, and scroll through the list. Apps you want to see alerts from should have notifications enabled. You can also customize which notifications show on your wrist versus only on your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. An Apple Watch can only be paired to one iPhone at a time. If you try to pair it to a second phone while it is still paired to the first, the new pairing will unpair it from the old phone automatically. You do not need to manually unpair first in this case.

What happens to my watch data if I do not unpair before switching phones?

If you pair the watch to a new iPhone without unpairing from the old one, the watch will unpair from the old phone automatically. However, you will lose the backup that was created on the old phone. The watch will pair to the new phone as a fresh device with no apps or settings restored. You can still add apps and reconfigure settings manually afterward.

Do I need the same Apple ID on the new phone as the old one?

Yes, to restore your backup. If you sign in with a different Apple ID during pairing, the watch will pair but your old apps and settings will not restore. You can change the Apple ID on the watch later in the Watch app settings if needed, but the backup will not come back.

How long does the whole process take?

Unpairing from the old phone takes about 15 minutes. Pairing to the new phone and restoring the backup takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how many apps and how much data you have. Plan for 45 minutes to an hour total from start to finish.

What if my watch is stuck on the spinning dial screen?

Restart both the watch and iPhone. On the watch, press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears, then slide to turn it off. Wait 30 seconds, then press the side button again to turn it back on. If it is still stuck after restarting, try unpairing and pairing again from the beginning.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.