How to Restart Apple Watch

Apple Watch not working properly? Restart it!

by
Tyler Hayes
Tyler Hayes
Writer
Tyler Hayes is a former Lifewire writer covering Apple, Google, Spotify, and more. Tyler has written for Fast Company, Digital Trends, and Paste, and others.
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Tyler Hayes
Updated on October 27, 2020

What to Know

  • Press/hold the side button, then swipe Power Off. Press/hold the side button again, then release when the logo appears.
  • There's no restart button so don't bother looking for it.

This article provides step-by-step instructions for restarting an Apple Watch.

There is no restart button or function for the Apple Watch—only a two-step process of turning the Watch off an then on again.

How to Turn Off the Apple Watch

Follow these steps to power the Apple Watch down. 

  1. Press and hold the Apple Watch’s side button, found below the Digital Crown, until you see three choices.

    The side button on Apple Watch.

  2. Swipe the POWER OFF toggle.

  3. The Apple Watch will turn off when the animation disappears.

How to Turn the Apple Watch On

Follow these steps to turn the Apple Watch back on again.

  1. Press and hold the Apple Watch’s side button.

  2. Release the side button when the Apple logo appears.

  3. Manually unlock the watch by entering in your pin code, provided you have one.

Why You Should Restart Apple Watch

Turning off or restarting an Apple Watch isn't needed on a regular basis. In fact, if everything is performing as intended, you may never need to reboot the Apple Watch. If something isn't working correctly, however, a quick restart can clear up some common issues.

Restarting an Apple Watch can help with the following problems:

  • Apps are slow to launch or don’t launch at all.
  • An app appears to be installed, but isn’t appearing.
  • A complication is missing from the watch face.
  • The battery is depleting much faster than normal or faster than expected.

Restart Apple Watch vs. Reset Apple Watch

Restarting an Apple Watch is different than resetting it. Resetting an Apple Watch will erase all the watch's content and return it to factory settings.

If you're getting rid of an Apple Watch and need to erase all the data, you'll want to reset it. You might also need to reset it if there are larger problems occurring. However, a simple restart can alleviate many of the random issues that occasionally crop up from.

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