How to pair your Apple Watch with a new iPhone

To pair your Apple Watch with a new iPhone, you need to unlock your iPhone, hold the watch near it, and follow the on-screen prompts in the Watch app. The whole process takes about 10 minutes and happens entirely on your phone — you do not need to touch the watch settings yourself. If you are moving to a new iPhone and already own the watch, the pairing process is the same whether the watch is brand new or has been paired to an old phone before.

The key difference is whether you are restoring from a backup. If your old iPhone had a backup of your watch data, you can restore that during pairing, which brings back your apps, settings, and watch faces. If you are starting fresh, the watch will set up as new and you will start with the default apps and settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Your iPhone must be unlocked and have Bluetooth turned on before you start pairing.
  • Hold your Apple Watch close to your new iPhone and the Watch app will detect it automatically.
  • You can restore your watch backup during setup if you have one from a previous pairing, or set it up as new.
  • The watch must be charged to at least 50 percent before pairing will complete.
  • After pairing finishes, your watch will update its software automatically, which can take 15 to 30 minutes.

What you need before you start

Make sure your new iPhone is turned on and unlocked. Open the Watch app — it comes built into every iPhone. If you cannot find it, swipe down from the top right of your screen, tap the search icon, type "Watch," and open the app that appears.

Check that your Apple Watch is charged to at least 50 percent. If the battery is lower, plug it into its charger for 15 minutes before you begin. Your iPhone also needs Bluetooth turned on. Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPhone, look for the Bluetooth icon (it looks like a sideways fan), and tap it if it is not already blue.

If you had an Apple Watch paired to an old iPhone and you want to keep your apps and settings, make sure you have a backup. This happens automatically if your old iPhone backed up to iCloud, but you can check by opening the Watch app on your old phone, tapping the tab at the bottom that shows your name, and scrolling to see if a backup date appears.

Step-by-step pairing instructions

Step 1: Open the Watch app and tap "Pair a new watch." On your new iPhone, open the Watch app. Tap the tab at the bottom that shows your name or a silhouette icon. Scroll down and tap "Pair a new watch." The app will ask you to hold your watch close to the iPhone camera.

Step 2: Hold your watch near the iPhone camera. Position your Apple Watch so the watch face is about 4 to 6 inches from your iPhone's camera. The camera will scan the watch's unique code. You will see a circle on your iPhone screen that fills in as the scan completes. If the scan does not work, try moving the watch slightly closer or further away, or clean the camera lens with a soft cloth.

Step 3: Choose whether to restore or set up as new. After the scan finishes, your iPhone will ask whether you want to restore from a backup or set up as new. If you are moving from an old iPhone and want to keep your apps and watch faces, tap "Restore from Backup" and choose the backup from your old watch. If you want to start fresh, tap "Set Up as New Watch."

Step 4: Sign in with your Apple ID. Your iPhone will ask for your Apple ID password. Type it in. This is the same Apple ID you use for your iPhone. If you have two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple ID, you may need to approve the sign-in on another device or enter a code sent to your phone.

Step 5: Wait for the pairing to finish. Your iPhone will show a progress screen while it pairs with the watch. This usually takes 2 to 5 minutes. Do not move the watch away from the iPhone or turn off Bluetooth during this time. Once pairing is complete, your iPhone will show a checkmark and the watch will vibrate.

What happens after pairing is done

After pairing finishes, your Apple Watch will begin updating its software. This is called watchOS and it happens automatically. The update can take 15 to 30 minutes, and during this time the watch screen will show a progress bar. Leave the watch on its charger during the update — do not try to use it yet.

Once the update finishes, your watch will be ready to use. If you restored from a backup, your apps, watch faces, and settings will be there. If you set up as new, you will see the default watch faces and apps. You can add more apps and customize watch faces later through the Watch app on your iPhone.

Your watch will also sync with your iPhone over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi from this point forward. This means your health data, messages, and other information will stay in sync between the two devices. If your watch and iPhone are not on the same Wi-Fi network, they will use Bluetooth, which has a range of about 30 feet.

Troubleshooting if pairing fails

If the camera scan does not work, try cleaning both the iPhone camera and the watch screen with a soft, dry cloth. Make sure you are holding the watch steady and about 4 to 6 inches from the camera. If the scan still fails, you can tap "Pair Manually" at the bottom of the screen and enter your watch's serial number instead, which you can find on the back of the watch or in the original box.

If your iPhone says "Unable to Pair" after the scan, restart both devices. Turn off your iPhone completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then turn off your Apple Watch by pressing and holding the side button until you see the power-off slider, slide it to turn off the watch, wait 10 seconds, and press the side button again to turn it back on. Once both devices are on, try pairing again.

If pairing still does not work, make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and that Bluetooth is on. Also check that your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings, tap General, tap Software Update, and install any updates that appear. Your Apple Watch needs to be at least a few generations old to pair with a new iPhone — if your watch is very old, it may not be compatible with your new phone.

Restoring from backup versus setting up new

If you choose to restore from a backup, your watch will have the same apps, watch faces, and settings as before. Your health data like steps and heart rate will also transfer over. This is the fastest way to get your watch working the way you like it. The downside is that if something was wrong with your old watch setup, the problem will come back.

If you set up as new, you start with a clean slate. Your watch will have only the built-in apps like Fitness, Messages, and Phone. You can add more apps through the App Store on your watch or through the Watch app on your iPhone. Your health data will not transfer, so your activity rings and other fitness history will start from zero. This takes longer to set up but can fix problems that came from your old configuration.

You can also restore a backup and then delete apps you do not want. This gives you the best of both — your settings and watch faces come back, but you can remove anything that was causing trouble.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pair my Apple Watch to multiple 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 different iPhone, it will unpair from the first one. If you switch between iPhones regularly, you will need to unpair and re-pair each time.

What if I do not have my old iPhone to back up the watch?

You can still pair your watch to your new iPhone and set it up as new. You will lose your apps and watch faces, but your health data may still be available if it was synced to iCloud. Once you pair the watch, check the Health app on your iPhone to see if your activity history is there.

Do I need to unpair my watch from my old iPhone first?

You do not have to, but it is a good idea. Unpairing erases the watch and makes sure there are no conflicts when you pair it to the new iPhone. To unpair, open the Watch app on your old iPhone, tap the tab with your name, tap your watch name, tap the info icon, and tap "Unpair Apple Watch."

Why does my watch keep disconnecting from my new iPhone?

This usually means Bluetooth is turning off or the devices are too far apart. Make sure Bluetooth stays on in your iPhone settings. Also keep your watch and iPhone within 30 feet of each other. If disconnections keep happening, restart both devices and try pairing again.

How long does the whole pairing process take?

The pairing itself takes 2 to 5 minutes, but the software update that happens after can take 15 to 30 minutes. Plan for about 45 minutes total from start to finish, including the time to charge the watch if needed.