How to Set Up an Apple Watch as a New Device

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Unpair the existing device

   Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone. Navigate to the My Watch tab, tap All Watches in the top-left corner, and tap the information icon next to your watch. Select Unpair Apple Watch to clear the current configuration.

   Note: Unpairing automatically creates a final backup of your data to the cloud.
2. 30 sec

   Power on the watch

   Press and hold the side button on your Apple Watch until the Apple logo appears. Keep the watch near your iPhone once the pairing animation triggers on the phone display.

3. 1 min

   Initiate the setup process

   When the Set Up Apple Watch prompt appears on your iPhone, tap Continue. Hold your iPhone over the animation on the watch screen until the devices pair successfully.

4. 30 sec

   Select fresh setup

   Follow the on-screen prompts regarding user details and safety features. When the iPhone displays the Restore from Backup screen, select Set Up as New Apple Watch instead of selecting a previous backup.

   Note: This is the critical step that prevents the installation of old settings and cached data.
5. 2 min

   Finalize sync settings

   Continue through the remaining screens to configure your passcode, Apple Pay, and Activity settings. Once the progress bar completes, your watch will be active with factory-default configurations.

   Note: Ensure your watch stays on the charger until the syncing process finishes.