I never thought I’d need to erase my Apple Watch. But one day, I had to. Maybe you’re in the same boat—selling it, fixing a glitch, or just starting fresh. Whatever the reason, it’s easier than you think.
There are a few ways to erase it. You can unpair it from your iPhone, reset it without a phone, or erase everything right from the watch. Before doing anything, it’s smart to back up your data. Once it’s gone, there’s no getting it back. Let’s go through the steps together.
Table of Contents
Unpairing My Apple Watch the Right Way
I’ve learned that unpairing isn’t just about disconnecting. It also removes the Activation Lock, making it easy to pair again. Skipping this step can cause problems later.
Why Unpair Before Erasing?
- It removes the Activation Lock, so the watch isn’t tied to my Apple ID.
- It clears the way for pairing with a new phone.
How I Unpaired My Apple Watch from My iPhone
- Opened the Watch app on my iPhone.
- Tapped My Watch, then All Watches.
- Selected the (i) icon next to my watch.
- Chose Unpair Apple Watch.
- Entered my Apple ID password when asked.
What If I Don’t Have My iPhone?
No iPhone? No problem. I reset it directly from the watch (covered next).
How I Reset My Apple Watch Without My iPhone or Passcode
Forgetting a passcode is frustrating. Losing access to my iPhone makes it worse. But resetting my Apple Watch without them was easier than I thought.
When Would You Need This?
- I forgot my passcode and got locked out.
- I didn’t have my paired iPhone nearby.
How I Reset My Apple Watch Without a Passcode
- Kept my Apple Watch on the charger (this step is important).
- Held the side button until the power-off screen appeared.
- Pressed and held the Digital Crown until “Erase all content and settings” showed up.
- Tapped Reset, then confirmed.
After that, my watch was wiped clean and ready to start fresh.
Pairing My Apple Watch with a New iPhone
Setting up my Apple Watch with a new iPhone felt like starting fresh. But before pairing, I had to make sure everything was ready.
Before Pairing, I Checked:
- The Apple Watch was completely erased.
- Bluetooth was turned on on my iPhone.
How I Paired My Apple Watch with My New iPhone:
- Turned on my Apple Watch.
- Brought it close to my iPhone.
- Waited for the pairing animation to appear.
- Tapped Set Up as New or Restore from Backup.
- Followed the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Once done, my Apple Watch was back in action with all my settings.
Restarting vs. Resetting: What’s the Difference?
At first, I thought restarting and resetting were the same. But they serve different purposes.
Restarting: Fixes Small Issues
- Held the side button and slid to power off.
- Waited 10 seconds, then turned it back on.
Resetting: Wipes Everything
- Erased all data and settings.
- Needed when switching devices or fixing major issues.
Restarting is like a quick refresh. Resetting is a full reset to factory settings.
Final Checklist Before Erasing My Apple Watch
Before erasing, I made sure to avoid any mistakes.
- Backed up my data if I needed it later.
- Removed Activation Lock to prevent pairing issues.
- Unpaired properly to avoid connection problems.
- Charged my watch so it wouldn’t shut down mid-reset.
Once I checked everything, I was ready to erase my Apple Watch with confidence.