Whether you planning on connecting your Apple watch to a new device or you planning to sell the watch, you will need to unpair and reset your Apple Watch to factory settings.
Unpairing your Apple Watch will erase all content and settings, and completely erase your device, including any cards you added for Apple Pay and any photos, contacts, music, or apps. It also turns off iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, Game Center, and other services. Your content won’t be deleted from iCloud when you erase your device.
This article will guide you on how to unpair and reset your Apple Watch to factory settings via a paired iPhone, Apple Watch, or iCloud.
How to Unpair and Reset Apple Watch to Factory Settings on your iPhone
This method is suitable if you want to unpair your devices, create a backup of your Apple Watch and remove the Activation lock. Remember to use the iPhone that your Apple Watch was paired with.
1. Start with putting your Apple Watch and iPhone close together.
2. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
3. Tap the All Watches tab at the top left corner of the screen.
4. Next, tap the info button (i) next to the Apple Watch that you plan on selling.
5. Go ahead and tap “Unpair Apple Watch.” If you have a GPS + cellular model, you will be asked if you want to keep or remove your plan. Tap “Unpair Apple Watch” again to confirm.
6. If prompted enter your Apple ID password and tap unpair in the top right corner of the screen. The unpairing process will take a little while. Your iPhone will create a new backup of your watch before erasing it. When erasing a family member’s watch that is paired with your iPhone, their watch will back up to the cloud instead.
How to Unpair and Reset using your Apple Watch
If you do not have your iPhone, you can erase all the content and settings of your Apple Watch directly on the watch. This option restores your watch to factory settings but does not create a backup or remove the activation lock. To get started;
1. Open the Settings app n your Apple Watch and tap General.
2. Scroll down and tap “Reset.”
3. Next, tap Erase All Content and Settings.
4. If prompted, enter your passcode.
5. If you have a GPS + cellular model, you will be asked if you want to keep or remove your plan.
6. Tap “Erase All” to confirm and restore your Apple Watch to factory settings. Once the process is complete, you will have to reset your Apple Watch.
How to Unpair and Reset Apple Watch via iCloud
Let us say that you do not have access to both your Apple Watch and iPhone. In such circumstances, this method comes in hand with the factory reset aspirations.
1. On a computer, go to Find My iPhone on iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Select All Devices, then click your Apple Watch.
3. Click Erase Apple Watch. Select Next until the device is erased.
4. Click the X button next to your Apple Watch.