If you’re planning to purchase a new Apple Watch or intend to sell, trade, or gift your current device, you’ll need to unpair and reset the old watch before passing it on. Since Apple Watches are more like companions to iPhones rather than standalone devices, the factory reset process differs from resetting iPhones or iPads. Here’s how to prepare an Apple Watch for a new owner:
Unpairing and resetting the Apple Watch (which also factory resets it) instructions vary depending on whether you have an iPhone and Apple Watch with you. If you don’t have the Apple Watch with you, you can still reset and turn off Find My / Activation Lock, allowing the new owner to set it up on their account. (It’s just a bit more complicated.) Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, having both your iPhone and Apple Watch with you.
2. Make sure you’re on the “My Watch” tab at the bottom of the screen, then tap “All Watches” at the top.
3. Tap the “i” button next to your Apple Watch. (If you have more than one watch paired with your iPhone, make sure you select the one you want to unpair.)
4. Select the option “Unpair Apple Watch” at the bottom of the screen displaying information about your Apple Watch. When prompted for confirmation, tap “Unpair Apple Watch.”
This will initiate the unpairing process of the Apple Watch from your iPhone and Apple ID, removing the Find My and Activation Lock. Once the process is complete, you can safely sell, trade, or gift the old model.
If you don’t have an iPhone with you but have an Apple Watch, the procedure is slightly different:
1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch, then go to General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
2. Enter the passcode for the Apple Watch when prompted.
3. If you have a cellular-capable model, you’ll be asked whether you want to keep or remove the watch’s wireless plan. (If you don’t plan to use the watch again, select “Remove,” and you’ll be able to add it to a new model if you set one up.)
4. Select the option “Erase All” to clear the watch’s data.
To prepare the Apple Watch for a new owner, you still need to perform one step in a web browser:
1. Go to the Find My website on iCloud.
2. Sign in using your Apple ID (username) and password (or use Touch ID or Face ID if prompted and using an Apple device).
3. Select the Apple Watch you want to prepare for a new owner.
4. Choose the option “Remove from Account.”
If you encounter any issues with removing Activation Lock for the Apple Watch (or any other steps in the process), contact Apple for assistance. Visit the Apple “Activation Lock Removal” page and select “Get Started” under the “Need Additional Help?” section.
Resetting an Apple Watch doesn’t unpair it, but resetting it without unpairing it from the Apple Watch app on your iPhone will require you to go to the Find My website on iCloud, select the device, and choose “Remove from Account” to unpair it for the new owner. However, if you have access to both devices, unpairing it through the Apple Watch app on your iPhone is the fastest and most direct way to clear it.
To learn more about the latest Apple Watch, you can read the review of the Apple Watch Series 9 and our impressions of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on the Engadget website.
(Note: This article contains affiliate links; if you click on such a link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission.)
FAQ Section based on the main topics and information presented in the article:
1. How to reset an Apple Watch?
– If you have an iPhone and Apple Watch: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to the “My Watch” tab, tap the “i” button next to the Apple Watch, and select the option “Unpair Apple Watch.”
– If you don’t have an iPhone but have an Apple Watch: Open the Settings app on the Apple Watch, go to General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
2. How to remove Find My / Activation Lock from an Apple Watch?
– If you have an iPhone: You can remove the Find My / Activation Lock by following the Apple Watch reset instructions on the iPhone.
– If you don’t have an iPhone: You need to unlink the Apple Watch from your account by visiting the Find My website on iCloud, logging in, and selecting the option “Remove from Account.”
3. What should I do if I have trouble removing the Activation Lock for the Apple Watch?
– Contact Apple for assistance by visiting the Apple “Activation Lock Removal” page and selecting “Get Started” under the “Need Additional Help?” section.
4. Is resetting an Apple Watch the same as unpairing it?
– No, resetting an Apple Watch doesn’t automatically unpair it. You also need to unpair it to disconnect it from your account. You can do this through the Apple Watch app on your iPhone or via the Find My website on iCloud.
Definitions of key terms or jargon used in the article:
– Activation Lock: A feature enabled on Apple Watches that locks the device if it’s stolen or lost to prevent unauthorized usage.
– Find My: A feature that allows tracking and locating lost or stolen Apple devices.
Suggested related links to the main domain (not subpages) in the format `link name`:
– Apple homepage
– iCloud
– Engadget
The source of the article is from the blog windowsvistamagazine.es