The most common reason your watch won't connect is that Bluetooth is turned off on one device, or the two devices have drifted out of range and lost their pairing
When a smartwatch stops connecting to your phone, it is almost always one of four things: Bluetooth is off, the devices are too far apart, the watch app on your phone needs to be restarted, or the pairing has broken and needs to be set up again. Most of the time, turning Bluetooth off and back on fixes it within seconds. If that does not work, the steps below will walk you through the rest in order of how likely they are to solve the problem.
Before you start, make sure both devices have battery. A watch with less than 10 percent battery often disconnects even if it appears to be on. Charge the watch for at least 15 minutes, then try again.
Key Takeaways
- Toggle Bluetooth off and back on on both your phone and watch — this fixes most connection problems in under a minute.
- Keep your phone and watch within 30 feet of each other; Bluetooth range is shorter than you think and walls weaken the signal.
- Close and reopen the watch app on your phone (the app made by the watch manufacturer, not your phone's settings), then wait 10 seconds for it to reconnect.
- If the watch still will not connect after these steps, unpair it completely and set it up again from the beginning, which usually takes 5 to 10 minutes.
- Some watches need a software update before they will connect to a new phone or after a major phone update; check the watch manufacturer's website if basic troubleshooting fails.
Turn Bluetooth off and back on on both devices
This is the fastest fix and works about half the time. On your phone, swipe down from the top of the screen (iPhone) or swipe down twice from the top (Android) to open the quick settings menu. Find the Bluetooth icon and tap it to turn Bluetooth off. Wait 5 seconds, then tap it again to turn it back on.
On your watch, go to Settings, find Bluetooth, and turn it off. Wait 5 seconds and turn it back on. Some watches have a Bluetooth toggle in the quick settings menu instead — swipe down from the top of the watch face to check. Once Bluetooth is back on on both devices, wait 10 seconds and see if they reconnect automatically. If they do, you are done.
Check that your phone and watch are close enough
Bluetooth has a range of about 30 feet in open space, but walls, metal, and other obstacles cut that range in half or more. If your watch is in another room or you are at the far end of your house from your phone, move them closer together and wait 10 seconds. This is especially common if you charge your watch overnight in a different room.
Once they reconnect, they should stay connected even when you move apart, as long as you stay within range. If they disconnect again when you move to a different room, your house may have too much interference — thick walls, metal studs, or a lot of Wi-Fi devices in the same area. Try keeping your phone and watch in the same room when you first set them up, then test the range once they are paired.
Close and reopen the watch app on your phone
The watch app (made by the watch manufacturer — Apple Watch uses the Watch app, Wear OS watches use Google Wear OS, Fitbit uses the Fitbit app) sometimes gets stuck and stops looking for the watch. Close the app completely by swiping it away from your recent apps list, then wait 10 seconds and open it again. The app should start searching for your watch and reconnect within 30 seconds.
If you are not sure which app controls your watch, check the box or paperwork it came in, or search your phone's app store for the watch brand name. Once you find it, make sure it is updated to the latest version — go to your phone's app store, search for the app by name, and tap "Update" if one is available. An outdated app is a common reason watches stop connecting after a phone update.
Unpair and set up the watch again
If the steps above do not work, the pairing between your phone and watch has likely broken and needs to be reset. On your phone, open the watch app, go to Settings or Devices, find your watch in the list, and tap the option to unpair, remove, or forget it. The exact wording depends on which watch you have, but it will be something like "Unpair [Watch Name]" or "Remove Device." Confirm when the app asks if you are sure.
Once the watch is removed from your phone, restart both devices. Turn your phone off completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Do the same with your watch. Then open the watch app on your phone again and follow the setup steps as if the watch were brand new. The app will search for your watch, find it, and walk you through pairing. This usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. Once setup is complete, test the connection by moving the watch and phone to different rooms and back.
Check for software updates on your watch
If your watch still will not connect after unpairing and setting up again, it may need a software update. Some watches will not connect to a phone running a newer version of Android or iOS until the watch itself is updated. Check the watch manufacturer's website or support page for your specific model and look for a firmware or software update.
Updates are usually downloaded through the watch app on your phone, not directly on the watch. Open the watch app, go to Settings or About, and look for an option like "Check for Updates" or "Software Update." If an update is available, connect your phone and watch, make sure both have good battery, and let the update run. Do not use the watch or phone while the update is happening. This can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on the update size.
Restart your phone if nothing else works
If you have tried all the steps above and your watch still will not connect, restart your phone completely. This clears out temporary files and resets the Bluetooth connection on your phone's side. Turn your phone off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Once it is fully booted up, open the watch app and try to pair your watch again.
If restarting your phone does not work, try restarting your watch as well. The restart process is different for each watch — check the manufacturer's website or the watch manual for the exact steps. For most watches, you hold down the power button for 10 to 15 seconds until you see a restart menu, then confirm. After both devices have restarted, try pairing them again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my watch keep disconnecting even though it is paired?
This usually means your phone and watch are too far apart, or there is too much interference between them. Keep them in the same room for a few hours to see if the disconnections stop. If they do, your house has a range problem. If they continue, the watch app on your phone may have a bug — try updating the app or restarting your phone.
Can I pair my watch with two phones at the same time?
Most watches can only be paired with one phone at a time. If you want to switch your watch to a different phone, you have to unpair it from the first phone completely before pairing it with the second. Some watches let you pair with a backup phone, but this is a feature you have to turn on in the watch settings, and it is not available on all models.
My watch pairs but the app says it is disconnected — what does that mean?
The watch and phone are connected via Bluetooth, but the watch app on your phone is not communicating with the watch. Close and reopen the watch app. If that does not work, restart your phone. If the problem continues, unpair the watch and set it up again.
Do I need Wi-Fi for my watch to connect to my phone?
No. Bluetooth works without Wi-Fi. However, some watches use Wi-Fi to sync data or read updates when they are not near your phone. If your watch is not connecting to Wi-Fi, that is a separate problem from the Bluetooth connection.
What if my watch is too old to connect to my new phone?
Older watches sometimes stop working with new versions of Android or iOS. Check the watch manufacturer's website to see if your model is still supported. If it is, make sure both the watch and the watch app on your phone are fully updated. If the manufacturer has stopped supporting your watch model, you may need a newer watch to use with your new phone.