How to confirm pairing on apple watch

For people upgrading to a new iPhone, it may seem like a daunting task to transfer their existing Apple Watch to their latest device. After all, after the initial setup process, most people never have to worry about their Apple Watch's connection to their iPhone. To make the process easier, Apple created Quick Start — a simple setup tool that can transfer data from an old device to a new one — and the feature is available on iOS 11 or later devices. Unfortunately, there is no similar feature for the Apple Watch since a large part of the device's functionality is tied to a paired iPhone. In some cases, an Apple Watch can be transferred to a new iPhone with Quick Start, but there are important things to know before starting the process.

Apple introduces new iPhones each year, and select cellular carrier trade-in deals can make it possible for people to upgrade on a routine basis. At the company's 'Far Out' event in Sept. 2022, it announced four new iPhones to replace the outgoing iPhone 13 lineup. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are marginal improvements over last year's iPhone 13 and 13 mini, but for users upgrading from prior generations, it can make a noticeable difference in daily use. Apple's higher-end iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max add the Dynamic Island, a fluid user interface that adapts based on currently running apps. With these new models on the market, users will need to transfer their Apple Watch to a new iPhone.

Before a user can pair an Apple Watch with a new iPhone, a few steps need to be taken. First, Apple Watches are protected by Activation Lock — a security measure that ties an Apple device to an Apple ID — so users will need their Apple ID and password to continue. Both the new and old iPhones must be charged to 50 percent and connected to WiFi, and the Apple Watch must be unlocked and connected to WiFi. Most importantly, users should update their old iPhone and Apple Watch before starting the transfer process. If an Apple Watch is not up-to-date before it is unpaired from an older iPhone, it will prevent it from being set up with a new iPhone. The process could take hours to complete, so Apple recommends the process be completed overnight — perhaps in the days before a new iPhone is ordered.

How To Transfer An Apple Watch & What Could Go Wrong

Sometimes, an Apple Watch will not be transferred properly to a new iPhone. To ensure the user's health and fitness data are saved, open the Settings app on the old iPhone and tap the 'iCloud' tab at the top of the screen. Then, turn on the 'Health' toggle in the list to sync health data through iCloud. Next, ensure that the old iPhone is backed up in iCloud or on a computer. Anytime an iPhone is backed up, it also saves a backup of a paired Apple Watch.

After everything is updated to the latest software and backed up, users can set up their new iPhone. On devices running iOS 11 or later, users can hold their old and new iPhones near each other to use Quick Start. Then, follow the on-screen prompts to transfer the data from the old iPhone to the new one. During this process, Quick Start may ask users to confirm they want to move their Apple Watch to their new device. Tap 'Continue' to transfer the watch to the new iPhone. If this prompt does not appear, open the Apple Watch app on the new iPhone and press 'Confirm' to transfer the Apple Watch.

Sometimes an Apple Watch will not transfer during the setup process, resulting in the Apple Watch app showing the 'Start Pairing' screen. If this appears on a user's new iPhone, the only way to transfer the Apple Watch is to unpair it and completely restart the setup process. After the Apple Watch is erased and restarted, users can follow the on-screen prompts to pair the smartwatch to the new iPhone. During the process, users can choose to restore the Apple Watch with the backup saved earlier. Though it may not always be an easy process, it is possible to transfer an Apple Watch to a new iPhone without data loss.

Source: Apple Support

Next: Apple Watch SE 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 8: Which One Should You Buy

If you've just updated your iPhone, you may be wondering what to do about your Apple Watch. Here's how to move your current wearable to your new iPhone.

Alternatively, want to find out how to pair a new watch with an existing iPhone? Here's how to set that up. With the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch 8 coming soon, you're likely to be doing one or the other soon.

How to prepare to transfer an Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Unlike the best iPhones, there's no easy way to make a backup of your Apple Watch 7 or other Apple Watch to iCloud manually, even in watchOS 9. That's because Apple Watch backups aren't even really backups at all. Your watch borrows most of its data from its paired iPhone, and as such, that data is all saved to your iPhone's iCloud or iTunes backup.

Your watch will regularly sync Health and app data it gathers to your iPhone (and, via your phone, iCloud) when connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. But you can't choose when you'd like to sync that information — it happens in the background — unless you manually unpair your Apple Watch, which will automatically sync its latest data to your iPhone.

When moving an existing Apple Watch to a new iPhone, there are two ways to prepare.

iCloud and Automatic Setup

Apple allows you to use Automatic Setup to move your iPhone backup and your Apple Watch to a new iPhone without the unpairing-repairing dance. But to make sure your Apple Watch and iPhone get moved over correctly, do the following:

• Make sure your watch is up-to-date is by enabling iCloud Health sync
• Make a backup of your existing iPhone right before you plan to transfer to your new iPhone

Unpair/repair

If you're not restoring your new iPhone from your old iPhone's backup, the best way to move your watch is to force a backup. You do this by unpairing your watch from your existing iPhone; follow the instructions in our backup article to do so (don't forget to make sure you've enabled Health data to sync in iCloud first).

How to switch your Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Depending on which method you use to set up your new iPhone, you'll follow slightly different steps to set up your Apple Watch.

If you choose Automatic Setup

1. Follow the steps from our iPhone Automatic Setup guide.
2. Press Continue when you see the prompt, "Do you want to use (name of Apple Watch) with this iPhone?"

If you choose Unpair/repair

1. Make sure you've unpaired your watch from your existing iPhone.
2. Set up your new iPhone from an iCloud or iTunes backup or from scratch.
3. Once your iPhone has finished the setup process, open the Watch app. (You can also bring your Apple Watch near your iPhone to bring up a similar interface to the AirPods pairing screen, which will then launch the Watch app.)
4. Set up your Apple Watch from scratch or from an existing backup.

Warning: If you don't have iCloud Health sync enabled and set up your iPhone and Apple Watch from scratch, you will lose your Health data.

How to change your LTE Apple Watch to a new iPhone

If you've purchased an LTE Apple Watch, you'll likely have a cellular plan for that Apple Watch attached to your iPhone's account. Good news: You shouldn't need to move the plan over when you move to your new iPhone. Just follow the steps above and you should be all set. That's because your iPhone's phone number and plan stay the same, even if you switch to a new iPhone (with a new SIM card inside it).

How to change your Apple Watch with a new cellular carrier to a new iPhone

However, if you're moving to a new carrier along with your new iPhone, you'll need to check in with your new carrier for the easiest way to switch. Most likely, you'll need to do the following:

1. Cancel your existing Apple Watch plan by calling your current carrier (but don't cancel your iPhone plan just yet).
2. Follow your new carrier's instructions to set up your new plan and iPhone and transfer your old number over (if applicable).
3. Set up your Apple Watch by following the steps above.
4. Add a new cellular account to your Apple Watch.

How to transfer your Apple Watch to a new iPhone with no backup

If you're thinking about starting over on your new iPhone from scratch, without a backup, you have two options.

Option one: If you don't care about your Health data and the like, you can start from scratch on both devices. You'll lose your downloaded apps and Health data, including all saved workouts, GPS routes, heart rate data, and achievements.

Option two: If you want your Health data, you can transfer it to a clean-install iPhone and Apple Watch — but only if you use iCloud and iOS 11 or later. You'll want to have the Health toggle switched on in Settings > iCloud. If you have a lot of Health data, you may need to wait for a good while before everything syncs, so make sure not to erase your old iPhone before this is done.

Once your Health information has synced, follow the steps below to set up your Apple Watch:

1. Follow the unpair/repair instructions above to unpair your watch.
2. Once you've finished setting up your iPhone, open the Watch app. (You can also bring your Apple Watch near your iPhone to bring up a similar interface to the AirPods pairing screen, which will then launch the Watch app.)
3. Follow the instructions: How to set up and pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone

Troubleshooting tips for transferring your Apple Watch to a new iPhone

Are you running into issues moving your Apple Watch over from one device to another? Here are a few suggestions.

I can't pair my Apple Watch with my new iPhone

You may still need to disable the Activation Lock on your old iPhone. Check if your old device is still paired; worst case, try to reset your Apple Watch from the watch itself.

My Health data disappeared

Did you back up via iCloud or encrypted iTunes backup or sync your Health data separately via iCloud? If not, your data hasn't been saved to your backup or your iCloud account. Fixing this requires either making a new backup of your iPhone and watch (and restoring your new iPhone from that backup), using a third-party option like Health Data Importer, or waiting on iCloud to finish backing up your Health data.

Other problems

Apple itself has a pretty good troubleshooting page (opens in new tab) for moving your Apple Watch over if you have any other issues.

Lots to see

When it comes to transferring your Apple Watch to a new phone, there are different steps you must take to find success. Hopefully, this article made the process for you carefree. Enjoy your watch!

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.