How to connect Apple Watch to iPhone

The Apple Watch® lets you check texts, screen calls, and monitor your health right from your wrist. But if you get a new iPhone®, you'll have to pair your watch to it to enjoy many of its most convenient features. Don't remember how? We've got you covered.

Here at Asurion, we help you get the most out of your tech—whether you want to update your iPhone apps or learn about some surprising things your phone can do. Here’s our guide to pairing your Apple Watch with your new iPhone.

Unpair your Apple Watch from your old iPhone

First, make sure to unpair your watch from your old iPhone.

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the My Watch tab, then tap All Watches in the top-left corner.
3. Tap the information icon next to the watch you're unpairing.
4. Tap Unpair Apple Watch, then tap again to confirm.

Back up your old iPhone to iCloud

Don't forget to back up your old phone to iCloud® so you don't lose your messages, contacts, photos, etc.

1. Connect your iPhone to your Wi-Fi network, then open Settings and tap [your name].
2. Tap iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.

Stay connected to your Wi-Fi network until the process completes. To make sure the backup finished, tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. The time of the last successful backup should appear.

Set up your new iPhone

Once you've backed up your old device, it's time to get your new one up and running. Follow the onscreen instructions or check out our guide to setting up a new iPhone.

Activate cellular plan

If you have an Apple Watch with cellular, you can activate cellular service during setup. You can also activate it later in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone if you prefer. Your iPhone and Apple Watch must use the same cellular carrier to pair.

Pair your Apple Watch to your new iPhone

When your new phone is set up, follow these steps to complete the pairing process:

1. Turn on your Apple Watch by holding the watch's Side button until you see the Apple® logo. Then put it on.
2. Hold your watch near your phone and wait for your iPhone to bring up the Apple Watch pairing screen. When you see a prompt that says “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch" tap Continue on the iPhone—you can also start the process manually by opening the Watch app on your iPhone, then tapping All Watches > Pair New Watch.
3. Tap Set Up for Myself. Keep your watch and phone near each other while you complete these steps.
4. When prompted by the Watch app, point your iPhone's camera at the Apple Watch face to pair the two devices.
5. Tap Restore from Backup to carry over your watch's data. Your Apple Watch might require a software update.
6. Follow the prompts on your phone to complete the setup.