manually pair apple watch

How do you manually pair an apple watch

You can manually pair your Apple Watch by keeping it close to your iPhone, pressing "Continue" on the prompt that appears, and then tapping "Pair Manually". Tap the "i" icon on the Apple Watch, select your Watch from the list on the iPhone, and finally enter the code shown on the Apple Watch into the iPhone.

When I bought the Apple Watch before my current one, the automatic Apple Watch pairing screen didn't work. I knew I had to find a way to manually connect my Apple Watch because the iPhone camera just wasn't getting it done! Fortunately, I found out how to do this, and it was easier than I thought.

If you want to know how to pair Apple Watch manually, I've put this guide together for you. Trust me, it will help you get it done with ease. Let's get right into the process.

How Do I Pair My Apple Watch Manually Again?
How to Connect with Apple Watch App if Pairing Screen Doesn't Show?
Why Is My Apple Watch Not Pairing Manually?
Apple Watch is Paired with Another iPhone
The Apple Watch Has an Activation Lock
Bluetooth and WiFi Are Not Enabled
Apple Watch Battery Is Low
iPhone OS is Outdated
Final Words

How Do I Pair My Apple Watch Manually Again?

If you are trying to pair your Apple Watch to your iOS device, but your iPhone camera doesn't seem to detect the pairing animation, you will need to manually pair the Apple Watch and iPhone.

The good thing is that this process is relatively easy, and has just a few steps to follow. It's different from the regular pairing process for the Apple Watch.

Follow the steps below to go through the Apple Watch pairing process manually:

Wear your Apple Watch on your wrist.
Switch it on by holding the side button. This is a different button from the Digital Crown. You can release the button once you see the Apple logo appear on the screen.
Bring the Apple Watch and iPhone in close proximity.
The Apple Watch pairing screen should appear on your iPhone. Tap "Continue".
Tap "Pair Apple Watch Manually", which appears at the bottom of the screen.
On your Apple Watch, tap the info icon, which looks like an "i".
Now, on the Apple Watch app open on your iPhone, tap the name of your Apple Watch when it appears.
A six-digit code will appear on the screen of the Apple Watch. Enter this six-digit code into the Apple Watch app.

Just like that, you have been able to connect the Apple Watch. You can continue the setup, either restoring from a backup or setting it up as a new Apple Watch.

How to Connect with Apple Watch App if Pairing Screen Doesn't Show?

In some rare instances, when you bring your Apple Watch and iPhone close together, the pairing animation and screen don't even show up in the first place.

In cases like this, you're not out of hope as you can use the Apple Watch application to try to set up your Apple Watch.

Open the "Watch" app on your iPhone.
Tap the "All Watches" text at the top-right corner of the screen.
Tap "Pair New Watch" or "Add Watch" depending on the option the app on your iPhone shows.
Wear your Apple Watch and press and hold the side button to turn it on, until you see the Apple logo appear. The side button is different from the Digital Crown.
Now, choose the option to connect manually.
Tap the info icon on the Apple Watch. It should be in the bottom-right corner.
On your iPhone, tap the name of your Apple Watch.
A six-digit code will appear on your Watch. Type in this code into the app on your iPhone.
Now, you can follow the rest of the steps.

Why Is My Apple Watch Not Pairing Manually?

If your Apple Watch does not connect with your iPhone, there are a few reasons for this.

Apple Watch is Paired with Another iPhone

If the Apple Watch that you're trying to connect to your iPhone is already paired to another iOS device, you won't be able to connect them.

An Apple Watch can only be paired to one iPhone at a time, despite the fact that a single iPhone can have multiple Apple Watches paired to it.

To unpair the Apple Watch from the original phone, follow these steps:

Open the "Watch" application.
Select the "My Watch" tab from the bottom of the display.
Tap the "All Watches" text at the top of the display.
Tap the info icon beside the watch that you want to unpair.
Tap "Unpair Apple Watch".

If you are planning to sell the Apple Watch, it is best for you to reset it entirely:

Go to the "Settings" app on your Apple Watch.
Select "General".
Tap "Reset".
Now, tap "Erase All Content and Settings", and confirm the action.
Enter your Apple ID username and password, and watch as your Watch resets.

Related Reading

How To Reset Apple Watch Without Apple ID (Easy Methods!)

The Apple Watch Has an Activation Lock

If there's an activation lock enabled on the Apple Watch that you're trying to connect to, you won't be able to proceed until the activation lock has been disabled.

This can only be done by the person who owned the Watch originally, so ask them to disable it. This way, you can continue with the pairing process on your iPhone.

Bluetooth and WiFi Are Not Enabled

Your Watch communicates with your iPhone using both Bluetooth and WiFi, so it is a prerequisite that these are enabled on the iPhone before pairing can continue.

To enable them, follow these steps:

Swipe down from the upper-right corner of your iPhone display to open Control Center.
You will see a tile with the Bluetooth icon, and another with the WiFi logo. Ensure that these are blue.
Tap these tiles to enable Bluetooth and WiFi if they are not.

Apple Watch Battery Is Low

When the battery for your Apple Watch is low, it can impair pairing.

Place it on the charger to juice up for a bit, or completely if you can. Then you can try to connect it to your iPhone again.

iPhone OS is Outdated

When your Apple Watch is on a newer version of software than your iPhone, it can cause issues with pairing.

Updating your iPhone to the latest version of the software can help with this process:

Open the "Settings" app.
Tap "General".
Now, press "Software Update". Your phone will search for any available updates.
If one is available, press "Download and Install".
Enter your password if prompted.
Press "Install Now" to start the update.
Once done, you will see the Apple logo as the device restarts.

Check out other related guides

Final Words

You can get your iPhone setup manually when you wear the watch, bring your iPhone near, tap "Continue" on the prompt on your iPhone, and then choose to pair manually. Tap the "i", enter the six-digit code, and you're good to go!

Note that an Apple Watch coupled to another iPhone, or an iPhone without Bluetooth or WiFi enabled, will not be able to pair. Also, update your iOS device to the latest version.

Did this guide help you manually connect your Apple Watch and Apple devices? If so, take a look at our related articles for more helpful information.

How do I pair my Apple Watch manually again?

Before you can pair Apple Watch again, enter the Apple ID and password that was used to set it up..

Open the Settings app on your watch, then tap General > Reset..

Tap Erase All Content and Settings, then tap again to confirm..

Wait for the watch to unpair..

After Apple Watch unpairs completely, you can pair again..

Why is my Apple Watch not pairing manually?

Check the settings on both devices If your phone has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth turned off — or if either of your devices are in Airplane Mode — they won't be able to pair. Make sure all settings are set properly to facilitate the connection. On the iPhone, you can quickly check this in the Control Center.

How do you pair Apple Watch manually to new phone?

Use the steps below to unpair:.

Erase your Apple Watch..

Set up your new iPhone and sign in to iCloud. ... .

Open the Apple Watch app on your new iPhone, then pair your watch with your new iPhone..

Try to restore from a backup. ... .

Follow the onscreen steps to finish setting up..

Start using your Apple Watch with your new iPhone..

How do you pair a Apple Watch that is already set up?

Tap Set Up for Myself. Hold your Apple Watch up to the Camera as instructed. If nothing happens after a few seconds, tap Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the on-screen instructions. As long as you created the iCloud backup of your iPhone correctly, you will see the option to Restore from Backup; tap it.