If you’re buying a new Apple Watch, you’ll probably either be selling your old one to help pay for the new hotness, or you’ll be giving it away to a deserving relative or friend. (It would have to be a REALLY good friend.)
Before selling or giving away your old Watch, make sure to wipe it clean. This removes any of your apps and personal data, as well as turns off Activation Lock, so the new owner won’t have any issues pairing it with their iPhone.
On Your iPhone:
1.) Tap the “Watch” app icon on your iPhone to load the “Watch” app.
2.) Tap the “My Watch” icon in the lower left hand corner of the Watch app screen.
3.) Near the top, you’ll find a picture of your Watch, with its name beside it. Mine is called “Chris’s Apple Watch.” Tap that.
4.) On the next screen, tap the “Information” icon found to the right of your Apple Watch’s name. It looks like a lower-case “i” in a circle.
5.) Tap “Unpair Apple Watch.”
6.) Confirm you want to unpair your Watch from your iPhone, by tapping “Unpair” when the slide up menu appears.
On Your Apple Watch:
1.) Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2.) Tap “General” in the “Settings” menu.
3.) Tap “Reset” in the “General” menu.
4.) Tap “Erase All Content and Settings” in the “Reset” menu.
All data and apps will be removed form the device, and it will be reset to the same state it was in when you first took it out of the box.
For more tips and tricks that can help you make better use of your Mac, iOS device, Apple Watch, or Apple TV, be sure to visit the “How To” section of our website.
