So, you’ve just upgraded to a new iPhone but want to keep using your existing Apple Watch. You might have noticed that restoring your iPhone from a backup doesn’t automatically transfer your Apple Watch. So, how do you bring your watch along for the ride? Here’s how to seamlessly pair your Apple Watch with your new iPhone.
How Apple Watch Backups Work
Unlike the iPhone, the Apple Watch doesn’t have a standalone backup system. Instead, its data—including health stats and app information—is stored within your iPhone’s backup.
If you’ve backed up your iPhone to iCloud, your Apple Watch data is already saved. However, since these backups aren’t visible in Settings, many users don’t realize they exist. The good news is that when you restore your iPhone from iCloud, your Apple Watch data comes along. If you’re doing a fresh install or missed the automatic pairing prompt, don’t worry—you can still manually unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch.
Before You Begin
To ensure a smooth transition, follow these steps on your old iPhone:
Update Your Software
Go to Settings > General > Software Update to update your iPhone.
Open the Watch app > General > Software Update to update your Apple Watch.
Enable iCloud Health Sync
Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and toggle on Health to ensure your health data is backed up.
Manually Back Up Your iPhone
Navigate to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now to create an up-to-date backup before switching devices.
Method 1: Automatically Pair Your Apple Watch with iCloud Backup
If you’re setting up your new iPhone from an iCloud backup, Apple makes it easy to pair your Apple Watch automatically.
Steps:
During the iPhone setup process, on the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, choose to restore from iCloud Backup or use your old iPhone for data transfer.
Ensure your Apple Watch is on your wrist, unlocked, and powered on.
After the iPhone restore is complete, a message will appear:
“If you have an Apple Watch, you can pair it with your iPhone here.”
Tap Continue, and your Apple Watch will automatically sync with your new iPhone.
If You Don’t See the Prompt:
Open the Watch app on your new iPhone.
Your iPhone will ask if you want to pair your Apple Watch—tap Confirm and follow the on-screen instructions.
Method 2: Manually Pair Your Apple Watch (If Automatic Pairing Fails)
If you didn’t restore from a backup or set up your iPhone as new, you’ll need to manually unpair and re-pair your Apple Watch.
Step 1: Reset Your Apple Watch
Since your watch is still linked to your old iPhone, resetting it will allow you to pair it with the new device.
On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm by tapping Erase All.
If you have a cellular Apple Watch, choose to keep your plan before resetting.
Your Apple Watch will now be restored to factory settings.
Step 2: Pair Your Apple Watch with Your New iPhone
Turn on your Apple Watch by pressing the side button.
Place it near your new iPhone, and wait for the “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch” message.
If this message doesn’t appear, open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to All Watches > Add Watch.
Tap Continue, then select Set Up for Myself.
Follow the on-screen instructions and align your iPhone’s camera with the animation on the Apple Watch screen.
Step 3: Restore from Backup
After pairing, Apple will ask if you want to set this up as a new watch or restore from a backup.
Tap Customize Settings, then choose your most recent backup.
Follow the on-screen steps to complete the setup.
Final Thoughts
That’s it! Whether you used the automatic method or manually unpaired and re-paired your Apple Watch, your data should now be successfully transferred to your new iPhone. If you run into any issues, double-check your backups and software versions, and restart both devices if necessary.
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