Feed: Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics
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Title: How to unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone

Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2025 12:00:52 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-unp...

If youΓÇÖre moving on to a new Apple Watch, selling your current one or
fixing some software hiccups, youΓÇÖll probably need to disconnect it from
your iPhone. Apple calls this unpairing; itΓÇÖs the step that wipes your
watch, breaks the connection to your phone and removes Activation Lock so the
next person can use it. The good news is that unpairing is straightforward
whether you have your iPhone nearby or not. HereΓÇÖs how it works, along with
why you might want to disconnect your watch in the first place.

How to disconnect Apple Watch using your iPhone

The simplest way to unpair your Apple Watch is through your iPhone.

Keep your iPhone and Apple Watch close together.

Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

Navigate to the My Watch tab, then All Watches at the top.

Tap the info button next to the watch you want to disconnect.

Select Unpair Apple Watch, then select Unpair [your Apple Watch name].

If you have a cellular model, choose whether to keep or remove your cellular
plan. Remove it if youΓÇÖre selling or giving away the watch. Keep it if you
plan to pair it again later

Enter your Apple Account password when asked to turn off Activation Lock,
then select Unpair.

Your iPhone will create a backup before erasing the watch. When you set up a
new Apple Watch, you can choose to restore from that backup and carry on with
your data and settings intact.

How to disconnect Apple Watch without your iPhone

If you donΓÇÖt have your paired iPhone with you, you can still reset your
Apple Watch directly. This will wipe your data, but wonΓÇÖt create a backup
and Activation Lock will remain, so keep that in mind if you want to save
your information.

On your Apple Watch, open Settings.

Select General, then scroll down and select Reset.

Select Erase All Content and Settings.

Enter your passcode if prompted.

For cellular models, choose whether to keep or remove your plan.

Your watch will erase itself and restart as if it were brand new.

Why you should disconnect your Apple Watch

There are a few reasons you might want to unpair your Apple Watch. Maybe
youΓÇÖre upgrading to a new model and need to start fresh. Maybe youΓÇÖre
trading it in, selling it or handing it down to someone else. You might also
need to disconnect your watch if youΓÇÖre troubleshooting. Sometimes a clean
reset is the easiest way to fix syncing issues, missed notifications or
fitness data that isnΓÇÖt updating.

Whatever the reason, unpairing keeps your data safe, makes sure a backup is
stored and disables Activation Lock. That last step is important because if
you skip it, the next owner wonΓÇÖt be able to use the watch.

What happens to your data when you disconnect your Apple Watch?

When you unpair your Apple Watch using your iPhone, the watch creates a
backup that includes app data, settings and most health and fitness
information. This backup is stored on your iPhone and will transfer to iCloud
if you have backups turned on. That makes it easy to restore everything on a
new watch.

If you reset from the watch without your iPhone, a backup is not created.
Your data will be erased and the watch will be wiped clean, but Activation
Lock remains.

Activation Lock is tied to your Apple Account and helps keep your watch
secure if itΓÇÖs lost or stolen. It turns on automatically when you pair your
watch with your iPhone. ThatΓÇÖs why unpairing isnΓÇÖt the same as a simple
reset. You need the Apple Account and password associated with the watch to
turn off Activation Lock.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/wearables/how-to-unp...
iphone-120052222.html?src=rss

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