How to backup and restore your Apple Watch
There are times when you may need to backup, erase and restore your Apple Watch, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the three processes.
You should always ensure that your Apple Watch is backed up, this can be done automatically to make sure that all of your data is saved on a regular basis. If you are changing your Apple Watch, selling it or giving it to a family member then you will want to erase it before you do this. If you are getting a new Apple Watch then you may want to restore the data from your previous watch to your device.
How do I backup an Apple Watch?
Your Apple Watch will automatically back itself up from the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, you can also do a manual backup on your device, although this is not something that you should do on a regular basis.
If you want to do a manual backup on your Apple Watch, this can be done from the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. This is not the easiest way to backup your device, Apple could have made it simpler, in order to back it up you will need to unpair the device from your iPhone. When you do this it will automatically back the device up in the process, you can see the instruction below on how to do this.
It is important to note that not everything is backed up on your Watch when the watch is backed up. Credit or debit cards used with Apple Pay on your watch are not backed up, the passcode for your device is also not backed up and you will need to set up a new one when you set the device up. You can find out more details about what is and what is not backed up over at Apple’s website.
How do I erase an Apple Watch?
To erase your Apple Watch, you will first need to unpair it from your iPhone, this will automatically back the device up at the same time. The first thing you need to do is unpair the device.
To unpair your Apple Watch you need to select your device from the menu in the Apple Watch app and select the ‘i’ next to the device’s name. Now click Unpair and it will then ask for your Apple ID Password.
When you put your password in, the Apple Watch will be removed from your account and removed from the Find My app on your iPhone. The device will be then erased and restored to factory settings, you can then choose to set it up as a new Apple Watch.
How do I restore an Apple Watch?
There are times when you will want to restore your Apple Watch, if you have purchased a new one and want to set it up like your previous Apple Watch, or if there has been an issue with your device and you need to restore it completely.
To restore your Apple Watch you can choose the restore option when you are setting up your device, if you are using it with the same iPhone, this will appear in the menu when you are setting it up.
To do this you need to select Start pairing on your Apple Watch, you can then choose to setup as a new Apple Watch or to Restore from Backup. Choose the Restore from Backup option and your device will be restored.
We hope that you will find this guide on how to backup erase and restore your Apple Watch useful, if you have any questions or tips, please leave a comment below and let us know. This guide was written using the latest version of watchOS which is watchOS 8.6 and iOS 15.5 at the time of writing.
Filed Under: Apple, Gadgets News, Guides