Whether you are selling your Apple Watch or handing it down to a loved one, it is important you unpair the Apple Watch from your iPhone following the steps below to remove Activation Lock as well as erasing all its content and settings, leaving it completely factory reset for whoever has it next.
Like the iPhone, the Apple Watch has Activation Lock enabled – a feature that’s designed to prevent anyone else from using your device if it’s ever lost or stolen. Because of this, if you don’t properly unpair the wearable from your iPhone before selling it or handing it down to someone else, they won’t be able to set the Apple Watch up as their own without you signing into your Apple ID prior.
Before erasing all content and settings on your Apple Watch, your iPhone creates a new backup of your Apple Watch. You can use the backup to restore a new Apple Watch.
How to unpair an Apple Watch from an iPhone
- Bring your iPhone and Apple Watch side-by-side and open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone
- Go to the My Watch tab and tap All Watches
- Tap the info button next to the watch you want to unpair
- Tap Unpair Apple Watch
- Press the Unpair button
- Type your Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock, then tap Unpair
After your Apple Watch unpairs, you’ll see the Start Pairing message for the next owner. Press and hold the side button until the power button appears in the top right-hand corner of the display. Tap the power button and drag the Power Off slider to turn the Apple Watch off.
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