Apple Watch not pairing or connecting to iPhone? 7 fixes
2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Keep the watch and iPhone close together, check that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on and Airplane Mode is off on both, and restart both devices. If the watch still shows a red phone icon, unpair it in the Watch app and pair it again.
A red phone icon with a line through it, or a red X, at the top of the watch face means the watch has lost its iPhone.
Step by step
Bring them close together
Bluetooth reaches about ten metres, less through walls.
Check the iPhone
Open Control Centre on the iPhone. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi must be on and Airplane Mode off.
Check the watch
Open Control Centre on the watch and make sure Airplane Mode is off.
Restart both
Restart the iPhone, then the watch.
Update the iPhone
A new or freshly reset watch may need a newer iOS than the phone has. Open Settings, General, Software Update on the iPhone.
Reset network settings on the iPhone
Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset Network Settings. Saved Wi-Fi passwords are removed.
Unpair and pair again
In the Watch app, tap All Watches, the i next to the watch, and Unpair Apple Watch. A backup is made first. Then pair again and restore from the backup.
Good to know
If pairing a new watch fails at the animation step, tap Pair Manually and follow the instructions.
A watch that asks for an Apple Account you do not know is still linked to a previous owner. Only they can remove it.
How pairing works: how to pair an Apple Watch with an iPhone.
In short: Close together, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on, restart both, then unpair and pair again.
- Apple Support: If your Apple Watch isn't connected or paired with your iPhone
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.