How to Force Restart Your Apple Watch

Step by step

1. 10 sec

   Verify the screen status

   Attempt a standard power off by holding the side button. If the Power Off slider does not appear or the screen remains unresponsive to touch, proceed to the force restart sequence.

   Note: Only perform a force restart if the device is unresponsive, as unexpected data loss can occur during active background tasks.
2. 15 sec

   Locate the side button and Digital Crown

   Identify the side button, which is the long, flat button located beneath the Digital Crown on the side of the watch casing. You will need to press and hold both the Digital Crown and the side button simultaneously.

3. 15 sec

   Initiate the force restart

   Press and hold both the side button and the Digital Crown at the same time. Keep holding both buttons firmly for at least 10 seconds. Do not release the buttons until the screen goes black.

4. 5 sec

   Observe the display

   Keep your fingers on the buttons until the screen turns off completely. Release both buttons the moment the Apple logo appears on the display. This confirms the device has successfully initiated a hard reboot.

   Note: If the Apple logo does not appear after 15 seconds, repeat the process from the beginning.
5. 30 sec

   Confirm system recovery

   Wait for the watch to load the watch face. Once the system finishes booting, test the touch interface and side button functionality to ensure the device is fully responsive.

   Note: If the device remains stuck on the Apple logo, connect it to its magnetic charger for 30 minutes before attempting the process again.