How to Fix an Apple Watch That's Not Updating

This article explains what may cause your Apple Watch updates to stall or fail, and what you can do about it.

Why Is Apple Watch Update Taking so Long?

Sometimes, when updating your Apple Watch, the update can seem to be running very slowly and taking a long time. Here's a look at how you can affect this and potentially speed things up.

1. Check your connection. If your internet connection is running slowly, the update can take longer to download. Stop any downloads running on other devices on the network to speed things up.

2. Switch off Bluetooth. On your iPhone, switch off Bluetooth to potentially increase the speeds of the update and data transfer.

3. Be patient. If your Apple Watch is an older device, in particular, updates can be slow. Set aside some time to wait for the update and don't start it just before you need to use the watch. 

How Do I Fix My Stuck Apple Watch Update?

If your Apple Watch update is stuck, this can be for a number of reasons. If it won't initiate or it seems to be stuck partway through, there are different methods involved in fixing it. The best option is to work your way through these troubleshooting tips to get it working again.

1. Connect your Apple Watch to its charger. The Apple Watch needs to be charged sufficiently to be able to accept an update. Plug it in to be sure of this. 

2. Check your connections. Check both your Apple Watch and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network to complete the update. 

3. Restart your Apple Watch. If the Apple Watch update won't begin, try restarting your Apple Watch to force the update. Never force a restart if your Apple Watch is midway through an update. 

4. Restart your iPhone. Try restarting your paired iPhone to force the update. 

5. Check that you have enough space. Check you have enough space on your Apple Watch and iPhone to be able to download the update. If you don't, remove some apps and files to create the room.

6. Delete the update file. If the update won't initiate, open the Watch app on your iPhone then tap General > Usage > Software Update and delete the update file so that the update is automatically re-downloaded

7. Unpair and resync your Apple Watch. If your Apple Watch still fails to detect or install an update, try resyncing your Apple Watch and iPhone. It's a more advanced fix but it can work.

Is My Apple Watch Too Old to Update? 

If you have an older Apple Watch, you may no longer be able to update it because it's no longer supported.

To use watchOS 8, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 3 or above. Anything older isn't able to run the latest OS so you may be stuck with an older version which is more limited. Check the age of your Apple Watch before updating.