How to Unpair or Pair an Apple Watch (With or Without an iPhone)

If you’ve just bought a new iPhone or Apple Watch, or if you’re planning to sell or give away your old one, you’ll need to unpair your Apple Watch first. This step is important because it removes Apple’s Activation Lock, which otherwise prevents anyone else from using the device.

Even if you’ve lost your iPhone or it’s no longer working, don’t worry — there are still ways to unpair your Apple Watch. Here’s everything you need to know.

1. Unpairing Apple Watch Without an iPhone

If your iPhone is lost, sold, or not working, you can still unpair your Apple Watch using iCloud.
Here’s what to do:

1. On a computer or tablet, open a browser and go to iCloud.com.
2. Sign in with the Apple ID that was linked to your iPhone.
3. Click Find iPhone.
4. At the top, select All Devices, then choose your Apple Watch.
5. Click Erase Apple Watch, and confirm.
6. Once the watch is erased, click Remove from Account.

This method removes the Activation Lock completely, allowing you or someone else to set it up again with a new iPhone.

Note: Your watch must be connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data for this to work. If it’s offline, the erase will happen automatically the next time it connects to the internet.

2. Unpairing Apple Watch Using Your iPhone

If your Apple Watch is still paired with your iPhone, this is the easiest way to remove it safely:

1. Keep your iPhone and Apple Watch close together.
2. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
3. Tap All Watches at the top.
4. Tap the “i” button next to the watch you want to remove.
5. Select Unpair Apple Watch.
6. Confirm by tapping Unpair [Your Watch Name].
7. Enter your Apple ID password if prompted.

Your iPhone will first create a backup of your watch data, then erase and unpair it.
If you have a cellular model, choose whether to keep or remove your data plan:

• Keep the plan if you’ll pair it again with the same iPhone.
• Remove the plan if you’re selling or giving the watch away.

Once done, your Apple Watch will reset to factory settings and show the message “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch.”

3. Resetting Apple Watch Directly (Without iPhone or iCloud)

If you can’t access iCloud or your iPhone, you can reset the watch itself.
However, this won’t remove the Activation Lock, so the next user still won’t be able to pair it unless you remove it from your Apple ID later.

To reset from Settings (if you know the passcode):

1. Open Settings on your watch.
2. Go to General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Enter your passcode and confirm.

To force reset (if you forgot the passcode):

1. Place your watch on the charger.
2. Hold the side button until the Power Off screen appears.
3. Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see “Erase all content and settings.”
4. Tap Reset.

4. Pairing an Apple Watch With a New iPhone

When setting up your new iPhone, Apple usually prompts you to connect your existing Apple Watch automatically.

If you see a message that says “Pair Watch with the new iPhone?”, simply tap OK, and the process finishes by itself.

If that doesn’t happen, you can pair it manually:

1. Open the Watch app on your new iPhone.
2. Turn on your Apple Watch.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete pairing.
4. When asked, select the most recent backup to restore your watch data.

If no backup is found, you can unpair the watch from your old iPhone first (as explained earlier), which will automatically create a backup before you switch phones.

5. Extra Tips and Notes

• Backup First: When you unpair a watch using your iPhone, a backup is automatically created. You’ll need this if you plan to restore your watch later.
• Activation Lock: Always make sure to remove your Apple Watch from your Apple ID. Otherwise, it will remain locked even after a factory reset.
• Cellular Watch: If you have a cellular plan, remember to cancel it with your carrier after unpairing if you’re selling the watch.
• Forgot Apple ID or Password: Visit iforgot.apple.com to recover your account before trying to remove the Activation Lock.
• Offline Watch: You can erase it through Find My, but it’ll only take effect once it reconnects to the internet.

Conclusion

Unpairing an Apple Watch is simple once you know which method suits your situation.

You can do it through your iPhone, through iCloud, or directly on the watch.

Just remember — if you’re giving it away, always remove the Activation Lock to make it usable for the next person.

Once it’s unpaired, you can easily pair your Apple Watch with a new iPhone and restore all your data in just a few steps.