How to Unpair Apple Watch with or Without Your iPhone

Elina Smith
May 5, 2025

Have you ever wondered when it is time to change your Apple iPhone, or how you will manage your Apple Watch? Whether you are buying a new iPhone or you are selling your old Apple Watch, you need to remove your Bluetooth connection from it. However, this is a necessary step to know how to unpair Apple Watch. Without understanding or knowing this, you can not move further.

In this blog, we will explain the methodology on how do you disconnect an Apple Watch from your new or old iPhone. In fact, we will tell you what the prerequisites should be that you must follow before un pairing the Bluetooth connection. After that, we would like to grab your attention on some common mistakes that you may make. So, let’s get started without getting delayed.

9 Things to Consider Before Unpairing Your Apple Watch Correctly

If you disconnect your Apple Watch correctly and appropriately before selling, giving away, or trading it, it ensures a smooth transition and safeguards your data.

Keeps Your Watch Secure: When you unpair your watch, it removes your Apple ID. This means no one else can use your watch without your permission.
Clears Your Personal Info: Unpairing deletes everything on your watch, like messages, apps, and settings. It keeps your private stuff safe.
Makes Switching Easy: If you’re using a new iPhone or Apple Watch, unpairing helps start fresh. This is the best way to avoid problems with setting up new devices.
Saves Your Data: Your iPhone makes a backup when you unpair your watch. This means you can restore your info later without losing anything.
Removes the Mobile Plan (If You Have One): If your watch has a mobile plan, unpairing lets you remove it. This helps you stop paying for a plan you don’t need anymore.
Erases Your Data: This deletes your info and removes Activation Lock.
Remove Travel Cards: You can remove travel cards from your Wallet before unpairing.
Don’t Insert Objects: Don’t stick anything into the watch’s holes.
No warning on iPhone: You can delete the watch even if you don’t have an iPhone, but the activation lock is on.

How To Unpair Apple Watch?

Here, we will list down what we are going to have a discussion on:

For Having Your iPhone
For not Having Your iPhone
Reset Your Apple Watch without opting for a passcode
Returns the Apple Watch when the mating process is on.

Now, we will elaborate on each section.

#1. For Having Your iPhone

If you want to hand out, sell, or reset your Apple Watch, you must unpair first. However, this will erase your data and turn off Activation Lock.

Follow these steps to disconnect the Apple Watch from your old phone.

Make sure to open the iWatch and iPhone near each other.
After that, unlock your application of your watch on your iPhone.
Next, hit My Watch to activate it. Following, you need to click the i icon, which is beside your iWatch.
Subsequently, click the Unpair Apple Watch option and then Unpair (Your Watch Name) to proceed further.
If your Apple Watch has cellular mode, you can opt for:
- Keep the similar plan if you’ve decided to use it again.
- Eliminate the subscription if you are not in the mood to use it again.
You need to write down the credentials of your current Apple account. However, it will help you to clear the lock.
Proceeding further, you can see that your watch will automatically be reset. And, you can now start pairing with your iPhone.

So, in simple words, that’s how you can simply unpair your Apple Watch.

You have the option:

Set it up once more,
Connect it with another iPhone,
Or, pass it on to someone.

#2. Apple Watch Unpair Without iPhone

You may have a doubt about how do I unpair an Apple Watch without having your iPhone. So, just need to read the upcoming section to resolve your query.

Initially, you need to open Settings on your Apple Watch.
Thereafter, pick the General options to opt for the Reset button.
Next, erase the entire content and move back to the settings app.
Now, if you are trying for the first time, it will ask you to mention the passcode. You have to type it down.
If your watch is based on GPS+Cellular, you have the option to choose:
- Keep the watch and use it further.
- Discard it if you don’t want.
Click the Erase All button so that you can move ahead.
Now, you need to disconnect the Apple Watch from your desired iPhone to deactivate it.

It will help you to have a backup if your iPhone is nearby.

We have delivered a few instructions on how to disconnect the Apple Watch from the old phone. Further, we will discuss some other methods that will clear all your doubts.

#3. Reset Your Apple Watch Without Opting for a Passcode

You’ll need your Apple ID and password to pair it again. Here’s how to reset:

Initially, place your watch on the charger to make sure it has enough battery.
Press and hold the side button. When the On/Off switch appears, let go of the side button.

Note: If you are using an older watch, look at the slider.

Press and hold the digital crown until the reset button appears. Then, tap Reset and confirm by tapping it again.
Your watch will start resetting.
The Apple Watch will not be supported as soon as you close it. You will need to turn off the activation lock before recombining it.

That’s it! You’ve reset your Apple Watch. Just have your Apple ID ready when you pair it again. In fact, we have already provided you with the solution on how to unpair Apple Watch. To know this, read the above section.

#4. Returns the Apple Watch When a Mating Procedure is Provided

If your Apple Watch won’t pair and is stuck, don’t worry. You can fix it by doing a quick reset.

First, make sure your iWatch is in mating mode.
Moving ahead, press and hold the digital crown until the reset button appears. When you see “Reset” on the screen, tap it.
Tap Reset again to confirm.
After the reset, try pairing your watch with your iPhone again.
It should work now!

6 Common Mistakes When Unpairing Your Apple Watch

While getting to know how to unpair Apple Watch, you make several mistakes. You just need to avoid them. Read the following blunders to know whether you are making these or not.

Not Looking for Compatibility Issues: Make sure to update your iPhone’s version with your Apple Watch before pairing or disconnecting them.

Forgetting to Restore from Backup: When you pair your Apple Watch, take a backup. Sometimes, you may want to retrieve the entire data.

Not Erasing All Content and Settings: Unpairing your Apple Watch does not simply mean that whatever you’ve deleted, the data is now you can sell them. You need to remove the Activation Lock. Apart from that, you need to cross-verify that your Apple Watch and iPhone should not be connected.

Forget to Remove your iPhone’s Account: Sometimes, when you disconnect the Apple Watch from your iPhone, it shows you “Apple Watch listed” again and again. So, in that scenario, you need to delete it from your account. Otherwise, it seems like your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone.

Not Keeping Devices Close: If you put your iPhone and Apple Watch too far apart, you will not be able to unpair the Apple Watch from the iPhone.

Not Pausing/Restarting the Process: Your internet connection is too poor. That’s why your unpairing process seems to be stuck in between. To get it done, you need to restart the process.

Summing Up!

Whether you are a newbie or you know the functioning of the Apple Watch, you must know how to unpair the Apple Watch. This guide focuses on how we can help you out at each step. Apart from that, we have provided you with some common mistakes that we should avoid while unpairing the Bluetooth connection from your iWatch.