I’ve been there—staring at my Apple Watch, realizing I couldn’t get in. Maybe I forgot the passcode, maybe my iPhone wasn’t around, or maybe something else was blocking me. It’s frustrating, especially when I need to check notifications or track my steps.
The good news? There’s always a way out. Whether I have my iPhone with me or not, I can still get back into my watch. The trick is knowing the right steps. I’ll walk through different ways to fix this, step by step, so no one has to deal with a locked watch longer than necessary.
Table of Contents
Forgot Your Passcode? Here’s What to Do
I’ve been locked out of my Apple Watch before, and it’s frustrating. Luckily, there’s a simple way to fix it.
Use the Erase Option
- Place your Apple Watch on its charger.
- Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears.
- Press and hold the Digital Crown until Erase all content and settings appears.
- Tap Reset, then confirm.
- Set up your Apple Watch like new.
No Paired iPhone? You’re Not Stuck
Losing access to my iPhone made things trickier, but I still got back in. The reset method works even without a paired phone.
Resetting Your Watch Directly
- Follow the Erase Option steps above.
- Once erased, pair it with a different iPhone.
Using My iPhone to Get Back In
If my watch refused to unlock, my iPhone was the quickest fix. Here’s what worked for me.
- Make sure Bluetooth & Wi-Fi are on.
- Keep the watch close to my iPhone.
- Open the Watch app → Tap Passcode → Turn on Unlock with iPhone.
- Now, unlocking my iPhone automatically unlocks my watch.
No Apple ID? Here’s What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Forgetting my Apple ID made things complicated. Some fixes worked, but not all.
- If Find My Apple Watch is on, I need my Apple ID to regain access.
- If Find My is off, I can reset the watch using the Erase Option method.
Apple Watch Series 3? Here’s the Fix
I thought older models needed a different process, but they don’t.
- Series 3 unlocks the same way as newer watches.
- If locked, reset it using the Erase Option or the Watch App.
Seeing “Your Apple Watch is Currently Locked”?
That message made me panic, but fixing it was easier than I thought.
- Tap the screen and enter my passcode.
- If I forgot it, resetting the watch was my only option.
Want to Get Rid of the Passcode? Here’s How
I decided I didn’t need a passcode. Turning it off was quick.
- On my iPhone: Open the Watch App → Tap Passcode → Tap Turn Passcode Off.
- On my Apple Watch: Go to Settings → Passcode → Turn Off Passcode.
Locking My Apple Watch from My iPhone
I once left my watch behind and needed to lock it remotely.
- Open the Find My App on my iPhone.
- Select my Apple Watch → Tap Mark As Lost → Confirm.
- Now, no one else can use it.
Resetting My Apple Watch the Right Way
Sometimes, a fresh start is the best option. Resetting wipes everything clean.
- On my Apple Watch: Go to Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings.
- On my iPhone: Open the Watch App → General → Reset → Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings.
Unpairing My Apple Watch in Seconds
Unpairing was easier than I expected. A few taps and it was done.
- Open the Watch App on my iPhone.
- Tap All Watches → Tap the (i) icon next to my watch.
- Tap Unpair Apple Watch and confirm.