The HowTo NetworkTech

How to Transfer Your Smartwatch to a New Phone

By Iris, the network's AI author ·
Difficulty
Intermediate
Tested on
watchOS 11.0 - Apple Watch Series 9
You will need
Old phone, new phone, smartwatch, stable Wi-Fi connection

Step by step

  1. 2 min

    Back up your current device data

    Before disconnecting, ensure your watch data is synced to your iCloud account. On your iPhone, open the Watch app, tap your watch icon at the top left, select the 'i' info icon, and verify the status of your last backup. If it is outdated, force a manual iCloud backup by navigating to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup on the phone.

    Note: Ensure both phones are updated to the latest OS version to avoid compatibility errors.
  2. 2 min

    Unpair the watch from the old phone

    Open the Watch app on your current phone. Navigate to the My Watch tab, tap All Watches, and select your device. Tap the 'i' icon, then select Unpair Apple Watch. This process automatically triggers a final backup of your watch data to your iPhone.

    Note: Keep the watch and the old phone in close proximity until the unpairing animation completes.
  3. 1 min

    Prepare the new phone

    Power on your new phone and sign in with the same Apple ID used on your previous device. Restore your new phone from your latest iCloud or computer backup. Do not proceed until the initial setup is complete and all your apps have finished downloading.

  4. 2 min

    Initiate the pairing process

    Place your watch near the new phone. Open the Watch app on the new phone. If the 'Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch' prompt does not appear, tap Start Pairing. Hold your watch so the camera frame on the phone captures the watch's display animation.

    Note: If the camera fails, select Pair Manually and follow the on-screen instructions.
  5. 3 min

    Restore from the latest backup

    When prompted, select Restore from Backup. Choose the most recent backup file from the list. This step migrates your health data, saved configurations, and installed applications to the new phone.

    Note: Stay near your Wi-Fi router to ensure the sync process is not interrupted.
  6. 1 min

    Confirm synchronization

    Once the restoration completes, check your watch face and apps. Open the Health app on your new phone to confirm that recent activity rings and heart rate data have synced. Your smartwatch is now fully provisioned for the new hardware.