How to Resync an Apple Watch

Reconnect your devices

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on December 6, 2022
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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What to Know

  • Re-sync: Open Watch app > General > Reset > Reset Sync Data to re-sync your Apple Watch.
  • Unpair: Open Watch app > All Watches > info button > Unpair Apple Watch twice > enter password > Unpair.
  • Pair manually: Open Watch app > Start Pairing > Set Up for Myself > Restore from Backup > choose Watch.

This article teaches you how to resync and manually pair an Apple Watch to an iPhone. It also looks at what to do if your Apple Watch isn't correctly syncing.

How to Re-sync an Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch should automatically re-sync with your iPhone any time the two devices are nearby. Here's what to do if you need to re-sync the two devices manually.

If your devices aren't syncing, a quick fix is to double-check Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both enabled on your iPhone. This check will fix most syncing issues.

  1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.

  2. Select General.

  3. Scroll down and select Reset.

  4. Select Reset Sync Data.

    Steps required to reset sync data on Apple Watch

  5. Your iPhone will now erase all contacts and calendar data on your Apple Watch along with sync settings before starting the sync process again and re-syncing all your data.

How to Unpair Your Apple Watch

If your Apple Watch still doesn't pair correctly with your iPhone, you may need to unpair it and re-pair it with your phone. Here's how to unpair it before you re-sync it.

  1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.

  2. Select All Watches.

  3. Select the info button next to the watch name.

    Steps required to find info on Apple Watch via Watch app

  4. Select Unpair Apple Watch.

  5. Select Unpair Apple Watch again.

    Steps required to unpair Apple Watch via Watch app

  6. Enter your password and then select Unpair.

  7. Wait for the unpairing process to complete. 

How to Pair Apple Watch Manually

Once you've unpaired your Apple Watch from your iPhone, here's how to pair it successfully again.

You'll need to wait for your Apple Watch to finish resetting itself to do so.

  1. On your iPhone, open the Watch app.

  2. Select Start Pairing.

  3. Select Set Up for Myself.

    Steps required to set up Apple Watch

  4. Hover your iPhone's camera over your Apple Watch to pair the devices.

  5. Select Restore from Backup to restore your Apple Watch from an earlier backup. 

    Steps required to restore Apple Watch from backup

  6. Select the name of the Apple Watch then choose Continue.

  7. Keep both iPhone and Apple Watch near each other then wait for the device to restore.

Why Is My Apple Watch Not Syncing?

If you've tried resetting your Apple Watch sync data and tried re-pairing the two devices, and it still doesn't work, there are some other options. Here's a look at the main reasons why your Apple Watch might not be syncing correctly. 

  • Check your Apple Watch connection. Make sure your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone. If a red X or iPhone icon is displayed on the Watch, the connection may have dropped. Make sure the two devices are nearby.
  • Check your iPhone is connecting correctly. Verify that both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are switched on via your iPhone. 
  • Turn Airplane Mode off. If Airplane Mode is activated on your iPhone, it can't connect to your Apple Watch. Switch Airplane Mode off. 
  • Restart your Apple Watch and iPhone. Try restarting both devices to see if you can force a connection. 
FAQ
  • How do you resync music on an Apple Watch 2?

    Open your iPhone's Settings > Bluetooth and make sure Bluetooth is on, then try to sync your music again. Open the Watch app > My Watch, select the plus sign (Add Music) next to Music. Find the music you want and select the plus sign.

  • How do you sync photos to an Apple Watch?

    Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone to sync photos to your Apple Watch, then tap My Watch > Photos. In the Photo Syncing section, choose Select Photo Album, then pick the album you want to sync. Select Photos again, then Photos Limit, and choose the number of photos you want to display.

  • How do you sync contacts to an Apple Watch?

    Contacts automatically sync when you pair your Watch and iPhone. Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone and select My Watch > Contacts to adjust how you see contacts. Select Mirror my Phone to use your iPhone's contact sort and display order, or select Custom to set your preferred order.

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