Learn how to unpair an Apple Watch and back up its data so that you can pair it to your chosen phone.
By Conner Carey
Updated 02/22/2022
It’s easy to pair an Apple Watch with your iPhone—nearly as simple as connecting any other Bluetooth-enabled device. But what if you’ve bought a new phone? We’ll cover the steps to unpair your Apple Watch from your original device and how to connect your Apple Watch to a new phone.
Why You’ll Love This Tip
- Easily unpair and connect your Apple Watch to a new iPhone.
- Avoid creating a separate Apple Watch backup by properly unpairing from your old device.
First, we’ll cover how to unpair the Apple Watch from your old device. If you’ve already unpaired, jump to how to pair the Apple Watch with the new phone in order to begin using it.
How to Unpair Apple Watch From Old Phone
Using your old iPhone, you first need to back up and unpair the Apple Watch. The good news is that you don’t even need to create a separate backup. When you follow the steps below to properly unpair your Apple Watch, your latest data will be saved on your iPhone. Here’s how to unpair an Apple Watch:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
![Open the Watch app]()
- Tap the My Watch tab at the bottom of the screen.
![Tap on the My Watch tab at the bottom left corner]()
- Select All Watches in the upper-left corner.
![Tap on All Watches in the upper-left corner]()
- Tap on the info icon (the letter “i” with a circle around it).
![Tap on the info icon]()
- Tap Unpair Apple Watch.
![Select Unpair Apple Watch]()
- Tap Unpair [Your] Apple Watch to confirm and create a backup of the latest data.
![Confirm that you want to unpair your Apple Watch]()
Next, create an iCloud backup of your old iPhone then transfer that content to your new iPhone. If you decide to use an iTunes backup instead, make sure to encrypt it so your Health and Activity data is saved and transferred. If you are interested in more tips on iPhone settings, iCloud backups, Apple Watch use, and more, you’ll enjoy our Tip of the Day Newsletter.
Related: 12 Ways to Save Apple Watch Battery Life
How to Pair Apple Watch to New Phone
Now, let’s pair your Apple Watch with your new iPhone. All you need to do is open the Watch app and follow the instructions to customize notifications, settings, and features such as Workout tracking. Here’s how to pair the Apple Watch:
- Open the Watch app on your new iPhone.
![Open the Watch app]()
- Follow the on-screen directions to set up your Apple Watch.
- When asked, make sure to select Restore from Backup and select the most recent backup to transfer your content back to Apple Watch.
Ta-da! You’ve paired your Apple Watch with a new iPhone!
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Author Details
Conner Carey’s writing can be found at conpoet.com. She is currently writing a book, creating lots of content, and writing poetry via @conpoet on Instagram. She lives in an RV full-time with her mom, Jan and dog, Jodi as they slow-travel around the country.
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