How To Restart or Reset an Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is arguably the best Apple product released in years. However, from time-to-time, there are issues that you can run into and are left wondering what to do.

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As is the case with all different pieces of technology, the best fix may just be to restart your Apple Watch. However, there are a few ways you can do this, and here is how you can do so.

Restart Apple Watch

If you need to perform a basic restart on your Apple Watch, the steps are easy. Here is what you need to do:

1. Press and hold the Side Button until the Power Off slider appears
2. Drag the slider to turn off your device
3. After your Apple Watch has turned off, press and hold the Side Button

Force Restart Apple Watch

Unfortunately, a basic restart may not be the best option, especially if your Apple Watch is frozen. From there, you will need to perform a Force Restart on your Apple Watch.

Here are the steps:

1. Press and hold the Side Button and Digital Crown for 10 seconds
2. After 10 seconds, release both buttons when the Apple logo appears

It’s extremely important to note that you do not Force Restart Apple Watch if you are performing an update. This will affect the watchOS update, and could cause more problems forcing you to reset the Watch altogether.

Reset Apple Watch

The final option to consider when dealing with issues with your Apple Watch is to reset it altogether. This will wipe all of your data and settings, but you can restore from a backup afterward.

Using your iPhone

If you want to restore your Apple Watch using your iPhone, here are the steps:

1. Open the Watch app
2. Select your Watch from the My Watch tab
3. Click the ‘i’ info button
4. Select Unpair Apple Watch
5. Follow the instructions

This will go through and reset your Apple Watch to factory settings. Additionally, using your iPhone will disable Find My iPhone and Activation Lock in the process.

Using your Apple Watch

If you want to reset your Apple Watch directly from the Watch, here is what you will need to do:

1. Put your Apple Watch on the charger
2. Press and hold the Side button until the Power off slider appears
3. Use 3D Touch to press down on the Power Off Slider
4. Tap Erase Content and Settings

This will reset your Apple Watch to factory settings. When completed, you will need to use your iPhone and the Watch app to get everything set up again. Additionally, you will be able to restore from a backup if you don’t want to lose any of the apps or settings you had.

Contact Apple

If all else fails and you have had your fill, you can reach out to Apple. Provided that your Watch is still covered by a warranty, the company will help ensure that your Watch is fixed.

This may require you to ship your Watch back to Apple for repair. However, if you have a local Apple Store near you, then you can make an appointment at the Genius Bar.

Then you will just have to wait and see what Apple determines is wrong with your Watch. Hopefully, they won’t have to replace the watch altogether, but that can occasionally happen.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.