Restarting, force restarting, or resetting your Apple Watch is quick and easy once you know where to look. To restart, just use the Power slider in the settings. For a force restart, press and hold the side buttons until the Apple logo appears. And if you need to reset your Apple Watch, whether to fix issues, pair it again, or prepare it for a new owner, you can do it from the watch or the iPhone Watch app. These steps work on all models, including Apple Watch Series 1–9, SE, Ultra, and Ultra 2. Keep reading for the full step-by-step breakdown.
Before we dive in, let’s clear something up:
- A restart simply powers your watch off and on again, and it’s good for minor glitches.
- A force restart is for when your watch is unresponsive.
- A reset erases all content, and it’s perfect when selling or starting fresh.
Table of contents
How to Restart an Apple Watch
A simple restart is the first thing to try if your watch is running slow, glitching, or draining battery faster than usual.
Here’s how to restart:
- Press and hold the side button (the one below the Digital Crown) until you see the Power Off slider.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right.
- Wait a few seconds.
- Press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears.
This method works on every Apple Watch model, from Series 1 to Ultra 2.
How to Force Restart Your Apple Watch
Sometimes, your Apple Watch might freeze completely, buttons won’t work, the screen is stuck, or it just won’t respond. That’s when a force restart can help.
Important: Never force restart your watch during a software update. It can cause serious issues.
To force restart:
- Press and hold both the side button and the Digital Crown at the same time.
- Keep holding them for at least 10 seconds.
- Release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
This performs a hard reboot, like holding down the power button on a computer.
How to Reset Apple Watch
If you’re ready to sell your Apple Watch, hand it off to someone else, or just want a fresh start, it’s time for a factory reset. You can do this either from the watch itself or your iPhone.
1. Reset Using Your Watch
This is useful if you don’t have your iPhone nearby.
- On your watch, go to Settings > General > Reset.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Enter your passcode, if prompted.
- Choose whether or not to keep your cellular plan (if it’s a GPS + Cellular model).
- Confirm the reset.
After the reset, the watch will restart and display the welcome screen.
2. Reset Using iPhone (Recommended)
This method also removes Activation Lock, which is required if you’re giving the watch to someone else.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Go to the My Watch tab.
- Tap All Watches (top-left).
- Tap the (i) icon next to your watch.
- Tap Unpair Apple Watch.
Image credit: Apple - Confirm and enter your Apple ID(Apple Account) password if prompted.
Your watch will reset and be ready to pair again.
Tips for Restarting or Resetting Apple Watch
- Back it up first: Your Apple Watch backs up automatically to your iPhone, but make sure that backup is recent.
- Avoid force restarts unless absolutely needed.
- Use iPhone to reset if possible: It’s easier and removes Activation Lock automatically.
- Charge above 50%: Always make sure your watch has enough battery before resetting.
- Check for updates first: Some issues can be fixed with a simple watchOS update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the Watch app on your iPhone > All Watches > (i) > Unpair Apple Watch.
Reset it via the Watch or iPhone, then pair it like new.
Unpair it using your iPhone to remove Activation Lock. This makes it ready for the new user.
Hold the side button, then drag the Power Off slider.
Try a force restart (side button + Digital Crown for 10 seconds).
Summary
- Restart your Apple Watch via the Power slider.
- Force restart it by holding the side button + Digital Crown.
- Reset it through Settings or the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Use the iPhone method for easy Activation Lock removal.
- Always back up, charge, and update before making changes.
Conclusion
Resetting or restarting your Apple Watch doesn’t have to be stressful. Just remember to choose the method that fits your situation and always back up your data when possible.
My iPhone correctly shows my location as Centreville, but my Apple Watch says I am in Clifton (which is nearby). This began yesterday; before that the watch had the correct city. How do I fix this?
This usually happens when your Apple Watch temporarily gets location data from your iPhone or nearby Wi-Fi networks incorrectly. To fix it, try turning off and on Location Services on both devices (Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services), make sure your iPhone has a strong GPS/Wi-Fi connection, then restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch. If it still shows the wrong city, unpairing and re-pairing the watch can usually reset location accuracy.
I can’t get my apple watch to go into recovery mode, like at all. I have made sure that i was doing it right. I made sure that both buttons were pushed down together at the same time. What do I do if it won’t go into recovery mode????
Please and thank you
This usually means the watch isn’t responding at a software level and you won’t be able to force it manually. At this point, your only real options are to try a standard force-restart (hold both buttons for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears), make sure the watch has enough charge, and—if it still won’t react—use an iPhone with iOS 17+ to attempt the “Apple Watch Restore” feature. If that also fails, the watch likely needs Apple service, because a non-responsive recovery mode often points to a deeper hardware or firmware issue.