In general, pairing your Apple Watch with your iPhone and maintaining a constant connection is rather simple. With your associated phone, you can do a lot more than just check your Apple Watch screenshots and add exercises manually. Even when they are near to one other, there are situations in which your iPhone and Apple watch won't connect. Not only is it unpleasant, but it negates the entire point of having a wearable with such intelligence. Thankfully, issues with the Apple Watch not connecting to the iPhone may be quickly resolved. We've covered seven tried-and-true methods for getting your iPhone and Apple Watch back connected.
Verify that your Apple Watch is connected.
Checking your Apple Watch's connection status should be your first step if you believe it isn't linked to your phone. Try these actions to confirm:
- Swipe up on your Apple Watch’s display to see the Control Center. On watchOS 10, press the Side button to reveal the Control Center.
- If you see a red iPhone icon, your Apple Watch isn’t connected to your phone. In this case, you should bring your smartwatch and phone closer to each other. If they are far from each other, like your phone is in your bag or your Apple Watch is in a drawer, it might block the connection.
- When you see a green iPhone icon, it confirms that your Apple Watch and iPhone are connected.
- If your devices are disconnected even if they are close to each other, move to the other troubleshooting steps listed below.
2. Verify the
SettingsSometimes, unpairing your Apple Watch from your iPhone only requires changing a setting. Consequently, no calls or alerts will appear on your watch. Making ensuring all the settings are correct is the first step towards fixing pairing issues with the Apple Watch.1. Verify Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the iPhone
The primary means of communication between your phone and smartwatch are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Therefore, in order for your Apple Watch and your linked iPhone to communicate, you must keep them on.- Head to the Control Center on your iPhone and verify that Bluetooth are Wi-Fi are turned ON.
- When enabled, you’ll see a blue icon.
2. Check the Apple Watch and iPhone in airplane mode
When you go to Airplane mode, all connection is lost, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Your Apple Watch and iPhone will not be able to connect as a consequence. Make sure your iPhone or Apple Watch isn't in airplane mode to prevent this- On your Apple Watch, swipe up (or press the Side button on watchOS 10) to bring up the Control Center. Make sure Airplane mode is turned OFF. The icon turns Orange when you activate Airplane mode.
- On your iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to see the Control Center and ensure that Airplane mode is off.
3. Turn off your gadgets
It's time to restart the devices once you've looked over everything fundamental. Sometimes, a little software defect or malfunction might be the source of connection problems. Your devices will clear the cache when you restart them. Then remove little bugs to quickly get everything back up and running.- First, you should reboot your iPhone. It will fix any connection problems with the Apple Watch when it boots up. Here’s a quick guide on how to restart your iPhone depending on the model.
- Next up, turn off your Apple Watch, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it on again.
4. Update Your iPhone's Software
Your Apple Watch may not be connecting to your iPhone if you are using an outdated version of iOS. Updates including security patches, bug fixes, and new features are often released by Apple. Verify that the iOS version on your iPhone is the most current to prevent any compatibility problems.- Head to Settings -> General and tap on Software Update.
- If there’s a more recent version of iOS available, you’ll see a Download and Install option.
5. Reset iPhone
's Network SettingsEvery time you establish a connection with a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth device, your iPhone saves the network configuration to facilitate subsequent reconnections. But sometimes, this stored data might get damaged, preventing your iPhone and Apple Watch from communicating. You should reset your iPhone's network settings to remedy this. Take note: Any stored Wi-Fi networks and passwords, linked Bluetooth devices, VPN information, and other network-related data will be removed as a result.6. Reset theApple Watch.Your smartwatch may sometimes have a problem, which is why it won't connect to your phone. In certain situations, you may Reset the Apple Watch. This will remove any potential obstacles to a seamless connection between your smartphone and wristwatch.- On your Apple Watch, open Settings and tap on General.
- Scroll down to the bottom and tap on the Reset option.
- After this, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
- When prompted, hit the Erase All button.
- Once you’ve completely reset your Apple Watch, you can then pair it again with your iPhone.
7. Disconnect your old iPhone from your Apple Watch.
You should if your Apple Watch is refusing to connect to a new phone.disconnect the Apple Watch from the iPhoneOnce you've paired it with your new phone, enter . This will remove the Activation Lock, unpair your Apple Watch with the older iPhone, and wipe all of its data and settings. To put it briefly, it prepares your Apple Watch for your new phone. This is how the whole procedure operates:- On your iPhone, open the Watch app and go to the My Watches tab.
- Then, choose All Watches from the top-left corner and tap on the “i” icon next to the Apple Watch you wish to unpair.
- Finally, tap on the Unpair Apple Watch button and confirm your decision.
- Next up, enter your Apple ID password to disable the Activation Lock. Once you’ve done this, everything should fall into place.
- Your Apple Watch will start taking a backup of saved data on your paired iPhone. After this, the smartwatch will reset itself to factory settings. The process might take some time.
- Once done, you can pair your Apple Watch and iPhone.