You're staring at your wrist, and nothing is happening. Maybe the screen is frozen on a weird logo, or perhaps you're getting ready to sell the thing on eBay and don't want the next owner reading your old text messages. Whatever the reason, the question of how do you reset Apple Watch usually comes up right when you're the most frustrated. It's supposed to be simple. Apple makes everything seem like it's just one click away from perfection. But honestly? Sometimes it’s a total pain.
If you’ve ever tried to unpair the watch only to realize you forgot your Apple ID password, or if you've accidentally triggered the Emergency SOS while trying to force a reboot, you know it's not always a smooth ride. There are actually a few different ways to do this, and picking the wrong one can lead to "Activation Lock" nightmares.
Why a Simple Restart Isn't a Reset
Let’s get one thing straight. Turning it off and on again isn't a reset. That’s just a reboot. If your watch is just being a bit laggy—maybe the heart rate sensor is acting funky or the weather app won't update—just hold down the side button and the Digital Crown together. Hold them until the Apple logo pops up. That’s a forced restart. It solves 90% of daily glitches.
But a real reset? That's the "nuclear option."
When we talk about how do you reset Apple Watch, we’re usually talking about wiping the data clean. This is what you do when the software is truly broken or when the device is changing hands. You are essentially taking the watch back to the moment it sat in that white box at the store.
The "Proper" Way (Using Your iPhone)
If you have your phone handy, this is the gold standard. Why? Because doing it through the Watch app on your iPhone automatically creates a fresh backup. It also disables Activation Lock.
- Keep your watch and iPhone close together. Like, right next to each other.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap My Watch at the bottom left, then tap All Watches at the top.
- See that little "i" icon next to your watch? Tap it.
- Hit Unpair Apple Watch.
If you have a cellular model, the phone will ask if you want to keep or remove your data plan. If you're keeping the watch and just fixing a bug, keep the plan. If you’re selling it, get rid of it. You’ll have to enter your Apple ID password here. This is the part where most people get stuck. If you don't have that password, the watch stays locked to your account forever. It’s a security feature to stop thieves, but it’s a massive headache for forgetful owners.
How Do You Reset Apple Watch Without a Phone?
Sometimes the phone is gone. Maybe it fell in the ocean, or maybe it's just dead and you don't have a charger. You can still reset the watch directly from the wrist.
Go to Settings on the watch itself. Tap General, then scroll all the way down to Reset. You'll see an option that says Erase All Content and Settings.
It sounds scary because it is.
Once you tap this and confirm, the watch wipes itself. However—and this is a huge "however"—this method does not remove Activation Lock. If you do this and then give the watch to a friend, they won't be able to set it up. They’ll get a screen asking for your email and password. To truly clear it for a new owner without a phone, you have to log into iCloud.com on a computer, go to "Find My," and remove the watch from your devices list manually.
What if you forgot your passcode?
This is the "I’m locked out" scenario. It happens. You haven't worn the watch in a month, you try to put it on, and the four-digit code is just... gone from your brain.
Put the watch on its charger. This is mandatory. Hold down the side button (the flat one, not the circular crown) until you see the power off slider. Now, here is the secret: firmly press down on the Digital Crown. Don't just turn it. Press it. A hidden menu will pop up asking if you want to "Erase all content and settings."
Tap Reset, then tap it again to confirm.
Wait.
The watch will whir away, delete your life's history of standing hours and calories burned, and eventually return to the language selection screen.
The Backup Myth: What Actually Gets Saved?
People worry about losing their data when they ask how do you reset Apple Watch. Here is the reality: your watch is basically a mirror of your iPhone. Most of the "stuff" isn't actually stored only on the watch.
When you unpair using the iPhone app, it pushes a final backup to the phone. This includes:
- Your custom watch faces and layouts.
- General system settings (brightness, sound, haptics).
- Health and Fitness data (though this actually lives in the Health app on your iPhone).
- Playlists and photo albums you’ve synced.
What it doesn't save are your credit cards for Apple Pay. You’ll have to set those up again from scratch for security reasons. It also doesn't save your Bluetooth pairings for headphones. You'll be re-pairing your AirPods later.
Dealing With Activation Lock Issues
If you bought a used watch and the previous owner didn't know how do you reset Apple Watch correctly, you are likely staring at a screen that says the device is linked to an Apple ID.
There is no "hack" for this.
I’ve seen dozens of YouTube videos claiming they can bypass this with special software. They are almost all scams or malware. The only way to fix an Activation Lock is for the original owner to sign out. If you bought it from a random person on the street and they won't answer your texts, you essentially have a very expensive paperweight.
If you are the original owner and you’re stuck, you can take the watch to an Apple Store. You’ll need your original proof of purchase—the actual receipt with the serial number on it. They can sometimes reset the lock server-side, but they are very strict about it.
Troubleshooting Common Reset Failures
Sometimes you try to reset and it just hangs. The little white circle spins for three hours and nothing happens.
First, check your Wi-Fi. The watch needs a stable connection to talk to Apple's servers to verify the unpairing. Second, make sure the watch has at least 50% battery or is sitting on the puck. If it dies mid-reset, you risk "bricking" the software, which is a much bigger problem.
Another common glitch is the "Unpairing Failed" message. This usually happens because the iPhone and Watch lost their Bluetooth handshake. Toggle Airplane mode on both devices, turn it back off, and try again. It feels like 1990s tech support, but it works surprisingly often.
Dealing with Cellular Plans
This is the part that trips up people with the LTE models. When you follow the steps for how do you reset Apple Watch, the prompt about your cellular plan is vital.
If you are swapping to a new Apple Watch (like upgrading from a Series 9 to an Ultra), you want to keep the plan. When you set up the new watch, the setup assistant will ask if you want to transfer your existing plan. It's usually a one-tap process. But if you’re leaving Apple entirely or selling the watch, you need to contact your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) to actually cancel the line. Simply erasing the watch doesn't stop the carrier from charging you that $10 or $15 monthly "wearable" fee.
The "Everything Is Broken" Scenario
Is the screen completely black? Is it showing a red "!" icon?
If you see that red exclamation point, your software is corrupted. You can try the double-button force restart mentioned earlier. If that doesn't work, you're done. You can't reset a watch in that state at home. It needs to be "re-flashed" by Apple using a physical diagnostic port that is hidden inside the strap slot—a port you and I aren't allowed to touch.
Why You Might Want to Reset Even if it's Working
Honestly, I reset my watch about once a year just to "clean the pipes."
Over time, cached data from apps you don't even use anymore starts to bloat the storage. Battery life starts to dip. A fresh reset and then restoring from a backup often makes a two-year-old watch feel snappy again. It's like a spring cleaning for your wrist.
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If you've noticed that your "Other" storage is taking up 4GB for no reason, a reset is the only way to reclaim that space.
Actionable Steps for a Successful Reset
To make sure this goes off without a hitch, follow this specific order of operations:
- Check your Apple ID: Make sure you know your password. Reset it on your phone first if you're unsure.
- Back up your iPhone: Since the watch backup lives on the phone, run an iCloud backup of your iPhone right before you unpair the watch.
- Keep it powered: Plug both the phone and the watch into their chargers.
- Sign out of Find My: If you're selling the watch, go into your iPhone's iCloud settings and ensure the watch is removed from your "Find My" list after the reset is done.
- Clean the watch: If it's going to a new owner, give it a wipe with a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe. It’s just polite.
Resetting shouldn't be a chore, but Apple’s deep security layers make it a bit of a process. Just take it slow. If you rush through the prompts and ignore the warnings about Activation Lock or Cellular plans, you’ll end up spending an hour on the phone with support.
Once the reset is finished, the watch will restart and show the "Bring iPhone near Apple Watch" animation. That is your signal that you’ve succeeded. From here, you can either set it up as a new device or put it back in the box for its next adventure.
Regardless of your reason—be it a glitchy heart rate monitor, a forgotten passcode, or a sale to a stranger—knowing exactly how do you reset Apple Watch ensures your data stays your data and the hardware remains usable for the next person.
Go through the iPhone app whenever possible. It's the only way to be 100% sure the backup is saved and the security locks are disengaged. If you're stuck at the passcode screen, use the physical buttons while on the charger. Those are the two paths. Everything else is just noise.