How to Unpair Apple Watch

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You should unpair your Apple Watch if you’re planning to give it away or sell it or if you want to pair it with a new iPhone. When you unpair your Apple Watch, it is restored to its factory settings.

If you have the phone your Apple Watch is connected to, you can unpair the watch from the phone. But if you don’t have the iPhone the watch is connected to, you should erase the Apple Watch. However, this will retain the Activation Lock.

Here’s how to unpair Apple Watch with your iPhone.

Step 1: Keep Them Close

Bring your iPhone and Apple Watch close to each other.

Bring your iPhone and Apple Watch close to one another.

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Step 2: Open the Watch App

Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Then, tap the My Watch Tap. Go to All Watches.

Open your watch app.

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Step 3: Tap Info

Tap the info icon beside the watch you want to unpair. It looks like a small lowercase “i” in a circle.

Tap the info icon beside the watch you want to unpair.

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Step 4: Tap Unpair Apple Watch

Tap the Unpair Apple Watch option. You will be asked to confirm your action. Tap again on the Unpair Apple Watch option to unpair.

Tap the Unpair Apple Watch option.

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If you’re using the GPS + Cellular model of the Apple Watch, you will be asked if you want to keep the cellular plan. If you plan to pair your watch with the phone again later, you should keep the plan.

But if you’re selling the watch or won’t pair it again with your phone, remove the plan. If you will not use the cellular plan with another phone or watch, you should cancel it by contacting your network provider.

Step 5: Disable Activation Lock

The Activation Lock is a feature that prevents anyone else from using your Apple Watch without your permission. If you’re giving away or selling the watch, make sure to disable the Activation Lock.

If you’re giving away or selling the watch, make sure to disable the Activation Lock.

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Before it erases the settings and other content on your watch, your iPhone creates a backup of your watch. You can access this backup in the Apple Watch app on your phone. Then, you can use it to restore the settings on a new watch.

How to Erase Apple Watch Without an iPhone

You can still erase the Apple Watch, even if you don’t have the paired iPhone. To do this, you need to have your watch.

• Go to Settings and General on your Apple Watch.
• Tap Reset and select Erase All Content and Settings.

You can still erase the Apple Watch, even if you don’t have the paired iPhone.

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• Type your password to go to the next step.
• If you have a GPS + Cellular model of the Apple Watch, you can choose to keep or remove the carrier plan.
• Once you confirm the action, you can tap Erase All.
• Doing this will erase all the data and settings from your watch. 

Finally, make sure to disable the Activation Lock on your Apple Watch before you give it away or sell it. If you don’t, the new owner won’t be able to use the watch without your permission.

How to Disable Activation Lock Without an Apple Watch or iPhone

If you do not have an Apple Watch or iPhone, there is still a way you can disable the Activation Lock. Here’s what to do:

• Go to iCloud.com on your computer.
• Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
• Click on the “Find iPhone” option from the main menu.
• Select the device you want to erase. In this case, it’s the Apple Watch.
• Click on Erase Apple Watch.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to erase the device and its associated data.
• Then, click the remove (x) button next to the Apple Watch to remove it from your list of devices.

Once you have removed the Apple Watch, Activation Lock will be disabled, and you can set up your new device.

Why Unpair Your Apple Watch

There are a few reasons why you may want to unpair your Apple Watch. Here are some of them:

Lost or Stolen

First, if the watch is stolen or lost, it’s essential to make the device inaccessible to anyone else. Unpairing it will ensure that no one can access your data and information.

Selling It

If you want to sell your Apple Watch, you should unpair it from your phone, so the new owner can set it up with their own Apple ID.

Upgrading to a New Model

You may also want to unpair your Apple Watch if you’re upgrading to a new model. It will enable you to transfer data and settings from your old watch to the new one.

Since your phone makes a backup of your Apple Watch data each time you sync, you can get the same settings on the new watch without having to do everything manually.

Why Is My Apple Watch Not Unpairing? Troubleshooting Tips

If you’re having trouble unpairing your Apple Watch, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Check that both your watch and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi or Bluetooth network.
• If you’re using an iPhone, make sure that Find My is enabled on your phone and watch.
• Check that your watch and phone are both updated to the latest version of their respective operating systems.
• Restart both devices and try again.

How to Remove Transit Card From Apple Watch

If you’re planning to unpair your Apple Watch and give it away to someone or sell it, you should remove your transit card. Otherwise, the new user could use your card and potentially charge you for their trips. Here’s how to remove it:

• Go to the Wallet app on your Apple Watch.
• Choose the card you want to remove.
• Tap Remove Card and confirm.

Now, you can go ahead and unpair your Apple Watch. If you forget to remove the transit card from your Apple Watch before unpairing and giving it away, you can use Apple Pay’s security features to ensure that a new user can’t use it.

For instance, you can keep Wrist Detection turned on on the Apple Watch. In that case, a password will be required every time the new user attempts to use your card. Or, you can call the card issuer and tell them to remove or suspend the card associated with your Apple Watch.

What Does the Apple Watch Backup Include?

When you unpair your Apple Watch, a backup is created. You can restore this backup when you pair a new Apple Watch with your iPhone. Here’s what the backup includes:

• App Layout: The layout of apps on the Home screen and app organization in Folders will stay the same.
• App-Specific Data: The backup includes your preferences for built-in apps, such as Weather, Stocks, Calendar, Mail, etc. The distance, units, and maps will remain the same.
• General System Settings: Hepatic, sound, and brightness settings will be the same.
• Time Zone: When you unpair and pair your Apple Watch with a new one, the time zone will remain the same.
• Health and Fitness Data: Your Workout data, Activity, and Health information will be backed up for you.
• Notification Settings: If you have customized which notifications appear on your Apple Watch, that information will also be backed up.

Music Settings: All your albums, playlists, and personalized recommendations will be backed up.

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