To unpair your Apple Watch from an old phone, the fastest and most reliable method is to use the Apple Watch app on the iPhone that the watch is currently paired with. This process erases the watch, creates a backup of your data, and automatically removes Activation Lock, so the watch is ready for a new iPhone or a new owner.
How to unpair your Apple Watch from an old phone: The standard method
The recommended way to unpair an Apple Watch is through the paired iPhone. This is the cleanest method because it handles everything in one pass: it erases the watch, restores it to factory settings, creates a backup you can restore later, and removes Activation Lock. You'll want to keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together throughout the entire process, and make sure both devices have a stable connection.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Go to the "My Watch" tab.
- Tap "All Watches" at the top of the screen.
- Tap the info button (i) next to the watch you want to unpair.
- Tap "Unpair Apple Watch."
- Confirm by tapping "Unpair [your Apple Watch name]."
If your Apple Watch has a cellular plan, you'll be prompted to choose whether to keep or remove it. If you plan to pair the watch with the same iPhone again, keep your cellular plan. If you're selling or giving away the watch, remove the plan so the next owner can set up their own.
During the unpairing process, the watch will show a progress indicator. Once it finishes, the watch will display its welcome screen, ready to pair with a new iPhone. The backup created during this process is stored on your iPhone, so you can restore your watch data, like app layouts, settings, and health data, when you pair it with a new phone.
How to unpair your Apple Watch without your old phone
If you don't have access to the old iPhone, you can still unpair the Apple Watch by erasing it directly from the watch itself. This is the fallback method when the paired iPhone is lost, broken, or already wiped. The watch will be restored to factory settings, but there's a critical catch: erasing the watch this way does not remove Activation Lock.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap "General."
- Tap "Reset."
- Tap "Erase All Content and Settings."
After the watch erases, it will restart and show the setup screen. But before you can pair it with a new iPhone, you must remove Activation Lock. This is a security feature that prevents anyone else from activating and using your Apple Watch if it's lost or stolen. If you skip this step, the watch will remain locked to your Apple ID, and the next person won't be able to use it.
To remove Activation Lock when the iPhone is unavailable, use iCloud.com/find. This is the only official way to unlock the watch remotely without the paired iPhone.
- Go to iCloud.com/find on a computer.
- Sign in with your Apple ID.
- Select "All Devices."
- Click your Apple Watch.
- Click "Erase Apple Watch."
- Click "Remove from Account."
You may need to enter your Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock. Once you've removed the watch from your account, it's fully unpaired and ready to be paired with a new iPhone or passed on to someone else.
What to do if you can't remove Activation Lock
If you cannot access the Apple ID password or the watch is still locked to someone else's account, your final recourse is to contact Apple Support with proof of purchase. This is the only way to have Activation Lock removed when you don't have the credentials or when the watch is tied to an account you can't access. Apple Support will verify that you own the watch and then unlock it for you. Without proof of purchase, they won't be able to help, so have the original receipt or invoice ready before you reach out.
