The basic process: unpair first, then pair to the new device

To move your Apple Watch to a new phone, you must unpair it from the old phone first. Apple Watch pairs to only one phone at a time, and the old pairing blocks the new one. The unpair step erases the watch's settings and data, so back up anything you want to keep before you start.

The full process takes about 15 to 30 minutes and happens in three stages: back up the watch on the old phone, unpair it, then pair it to the new phone. If you skip the backup, you lose your activity history, saved playlists, and custom watch faces. If you try to pair without unpairing first, the watch will reject the new phone.

You will need the new phone powered on and nearby, your Apple ID password, and the old phone (at least for the unpair step). If you no longer have the old phone, there is a workaround, but it is slower and requires your Apple ID.

Key Takeaways

  • Always unpair the watch from the old phone before pairing it to a new one, because a watch can only pair to one phone at a time.
  • Back up your watch data on the old phone before unpairing, or you will lose activity history, playlists, and custom watch faces.
  • The pairing process requires your Apple ID password and takes 15 to 30 minutes from start to finish.
  • If you no longer have the old phone, you can still pair the watch to a new phone by signing in with your Apple ID, but the process is longer.

Back up your watch data on the old phone

Open the Watch app on the old iPhone. Tap the My Watch tab at the bottom, then tap your watch name at the top. Scroll down and tap About, then scroll to the bottom and tap Backup. The phone will create a backup file tied to your Apple ID account.

Wait for the backup to finish — you will see a progress bar. This usually takes 2 to 5 minutes. Do not close the Watch app or put the phone to sleep while the backup is running. Once it finishes, you can move to the unpair step.

Unpair the watch from the old phone

Stay in the Watch app on the old iPhone. Go to My Watch and tap your watch name. Scroll down and tap Unpair Apple Watch. The app will ask you to confirm — tap Unpair [Watch Name] again.

The watch will restart and show an Apple logo. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. The watch is now blank and ready to pair to a new phone. You can now set up the new phone, or do it later — the watch will stay unpaired until you pair it again.

Pair the watch to the new phone

On the new iPhone, open the Watch app and tap Start Pairing. Hold the new phone's camera up to the watch face — the phone will scan a code on the watch screen. If the camera does not pick it up, tap Pair Apple Watch Manually and enter your watch's serial number instead (found on the back of the watch).

The phone will ask you to sign in with your Apple ID. Enter your password. Then choose whether to restore from your backup (the one you made on the old phone) or set up as new. If you restore from backup, your activity history, playlists, and watch faces will return. If you set up as new, the watch starts blank.

The phone will read apps and settings to the watch. This takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on how many apps you have. Keep the watch and phone close together and do not close the Watch app until it finishes. You will see a progress bar and a checkmark when pairing is complete.

What to do if you no longer have the old phone

If the old phone is lost, broken, or sold, you can still pair the watch to a new phone, but you cannot back up the old data. On the new iPhone, open the Watch app and start pairing as usual. When asked to sign in, use the same Apple ID you used on the old phone.

The watch will pair to the new phone, and the phone will restore some settings from your Apple ID account — like which apps are installed and your Apple Pay cards. Your activity history and custom watch faces will not return because they were not backed up. This process takes the same 15 to 30 minutes as a normal pairing.

Troubleshooting: watch won't pair to the new phone

If the watch does not appear in the pairing screen, restart both devices. Turn off the new iPhone completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then restart the watch by holding the side button until you see the power-off slider, then slide to power off. Wait 10 seconds and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.

If the pairing still fails, check that Bluetooth is on in the new phone's settings. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and make sure the toggle is green. Also check that the watch is actually unpaired — if it still shows a connection to the old phone in the old phone's Watch app, the unpair did not complete. Go back and tap Unpair again.

If you see an error message about your Apple ID, sign out of the Watch app on the new phone and sign back in. Go to Settings > iCloud on the iPhone and make sure you are signed in with the correct Apple ID. The watch must pair to the same Apple ID account you used on the old phone.

Moving to an Android phone: what changes

Apple Watch does not work with Android phones. If you are switching from iPhone to Android, the watch will not pair to the new phone at all. You will need to switch to a different smartwatch that works with Android, such as a Wear OS watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Before you switch, unpair the watch from your iPhone using the steps above. This erases the watch and makes it safe to sell or give away. Your Apple ID data stays in your Apple ID account and will not transfer to an Android device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my activity history if I pair to a new phone?

No, if you back up the watch on the old phone before unpairing. The backup saves your activity history, workouts, and custom watch faces. When you pair to the new phone, choose Restore from Backup and everything returns. If you set up as new instead, the history is lost.

Can I pair the same watch to two phones at once?

No. An Apple Watch pairs to only one phone at a time. If you try to pair it to a second phone without unpairing from the first, the watch will reject the new phone. You must unpair from the old phone first.

How long does the whole process take?

From backup to finished pairing, expect 15 to 30 minutes. The backup takes 2 to 5 minutes, unpairing takes 2 to 3 minutes, and the new pairing takes 5 to 15 minutes depending on how many apps you have installed.

What if I forgot my Apple ID password?

You will need it to pair the watch to the new phone. Go to iforgot.apple.com on any computer or phone and follow the steps to reset your password. You can also go to Settings > iCloud on the new iPhone and tap Forgot Password to reset it there.

Do I need to unpair if I'm getting a new watch, not a new phone?

No. If you are keeping the same iPhone and getting a new watch, you do not need to unpair the old watch first. Just open the Watch app, tap Start Pairing, and follow the steps to pair the new watch. The old watch will automatically unpair when the new one pairs.