No affiliate links or sponsorship, and BravoTech isn’t affiliated with Apple. This guide follows Apple Support steps for unpairing, erasing, and resetting an Apple Watch. We didn’t run the steps on a physical watch. Menu labels match Apple’s published wording as of October 14, 2026. More in our how-to guides.
Quick answer
To fully reset an Apple Watch and remove Activation Lock, unpair it from the paired iPhone: open the Watch app → My Watch → All Watches → info (i) next to the watch → Unpair Apple Watch, then confirm and enter your Apple Account password. If you only erase the watch on-device (or reset after a forgotten passcode), Activation Lock stays on until you use the original Apple Account.
Key takeaways
- Best for selling or giving away: unpair from the iPhone so Activation Lock is removed (Apple Support HT108372).
- No iPhone nearby: Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings on the watch. This erases data but leaves Activation Lock on.
- Forgot the passcode: put the watch on its charger, hold the side button, then hold the Digital Crown until Erase / Reset appears.
- No reset hole: Apple says Apple Watch has no SIM slot or reset button; case holes are for sound (and water-depth on Ultra). Don’t insert objects.
- Cellular plans: during unpair/erase you can keep or remove the plan; remove it (and contact the carrier if needed) before selling.
How this guide was checked
The numbered steps below follow Apple Support articles on unpairing and erasing, forgotten passcodes, pairing problems, Activation Lock, and the watchOS User Guide. Labels in quotation marks are taken from those pages. UI can vary slightly by watchOS version.
Which reset method do you need?
Apple splits reset help across several pages. Use this table to pick the path that matches your situation. The Activation Lock column is the decision point: only unpairing from the paired iPhone (or removing the watch via Find My / iCloud after an erase) clears it for a new owner.
| Method | Needs iPhone? | Needs passcode? | Removes Activation Lock? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unpair in Watch app | Yes (paired iPhone) | Apple Account password to finish | Yes | Selling, giving away, or a clean re-pair |
| Erase on the watch | No | Watch passcode (if prompted) | No — Lock stays on | Resetting while keeping the same Apple Account |
| Charger + side button + Digital Crown | No | No (passcode forgotten) | No — Lock stays on | Locked out of the passcode |
| Erase from Watch app → General → Reset | Yes | May ask for Apple Account password | Unpairing is still the clean sell path | Keep the watch; wipe content from iPhone |
Reset Apple Watch with your iPhone (unpair)
Apple Support states that unpairing restores the watch to factory settings and removes Activation Lock. Keep the watch and iPhone close together, and know your Apple Account password and watch passcode before you start.
- Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together.
- On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
- Go to the My Watch tab and tap All Watches.
- Tap the info button next to the watch you want to unpair.
- Tap Unpair Apple Watch.
- Tap Unpair [your Apple Watch name] to confirm.
- If the watch has a cellular plan, choose whether to keep or remove it (see the cellular section below).
- Type your Apple Account password to disable Activation Lock, then tap Unpair.
After it unpairs, you can set the watch up again or turn it off if you’re selling it. The watchOS guide notes that unpairing erases the watch, removes it from your Apple Account, and clears Activation Lock. Apple also notes that before a watch is erased from the paired iPhone path, a backup of its contents is created on the iPhone.
Selling tip
If you’re selling or sending the watch for service, Apple’s Activation Lock article says you should turn Activation Lock off by unpairing first. Erasing alone is not enough for a new owner.
Reset Apple Watch without your iPhone
If you don’t have the paired iPhone, you can still erase the watch on the device. Apple Support is clear: this restores factory settings but does not remove Activation Lock. To set the watch up again (or for a buyer to use it), you’ll need the Apple Account and password that were used with the watch.
- On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
- Tap General, then tap Reset.
- Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
- Type your passcode if prompted.
- If the watch has a cellular plan, choose whether to keep or remove it.
- Tap Erase All to confirm.
The same erase path appears in Apple’s pairing troubleshooting article. After the erase finishes, you can pair again, but Activation Lock still requires the original Apple Account credentials.
Reset Apple Watch if you forgot the passcode
If you can’t unlock the watch, Apple Support says you need to reset it and set it up again. This erase does not remove Activation Lock; unpair first when you still can.
Reset on the charger (no passcode)
- Put your watch on its charger and keep it there until you finish these steps.
- Press and hold the side button until you see the power button in the upper-right corner of the display (on earlier watchOS, Apple says you may see the Power Off slider instead).
- Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see Erase all content and settings (or, per HT111821, the red Reset button).
- Tap Reset, then tap Reset again to confirm.
- Wait for the process to finish, then set up the watch again. When asked, restore from a backup.
Optional: erase from the paired iPhone
If you still have the paired iPhone and can open the Watch app, Apple also documents: My Watch → General → Reset → Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings (confirm again; you might need your Apple Account password). For GPS + Cellular models, choose keep or remove the cellular plan, then set up again and restore from a backup when asked.
Cellular plan: keep or remove?
On cellular Apple Watch models, Apple asks you to keep or remove the plan during unpair or erase:
- Keep the plan if you’ll pair the same watch and iPhone again.
- Remove the plan if you’re selling or giving the watch away, or you won’t pair it again. Contact your carrier if you need to cancel the cellular subscription (carrier fees may apply).
You can also remove a plan later from the Watch app: My Watch → Cellular → info next to the plan → Remove [carrier] Plan, per the watchOS User Guide.
Selling or giving it away: final checklist
Before the watch changes hands, work through Apple’s sell / service prep:
- Unpair from the paired iPhone so Activation Lock turns off (HT102573).
- Remove the cellular plan if the watch is GPS + Cellular, and contact the carrier if you’re canceling service.
- Sign out / remove the device from your Apple Account devices list if it still appears after unpairing.
- If you can’t reach the iPhone or watch, Apple documents turning Activation Lock off on the web via icloud.com/find: erase the watch, then choose Remove / deactivate so it leaves your account.
- Related Apple device wipe guides on BravoTech: how to reset a MacBook Air and how to factory reset Apple TV.
What not to do
Important
Apple Support warns: Apple Watch doesn’t have a SIM slot or reset button. The holes in the case are for sound, and on Apple Watch Ultra they also allow water-depth measurement. Don’t insert any object into the holes.
A force restart (hold side button + Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears) is not a factory reset. It only reboots the watch, per the Restart Apple Watch guide and HT102007.
FAQ
How do I reset my Apple Watch without the iPhone?
On the watch: Settings → General → Reset → Erase All Content and Settings, then confirm. Per Apple Support, this erases the watch but leaves Activation Lock on, so the original Apple Account password is still required to reactivate it.
How do I remove Activation Lock from an Apple Watch?
Unpair the watch from its paired iPhone in the Watch app (All Watches → info → Unpair Apple Watch) and enter your Apple Account password. That’s the path Apple documents for turning Activation Lock off before service, sale, or gift (HT102573). If you can’t use the iPhone, Apple describes erasing and removing the watch at icloud.com/find while signed in to the same Apple Account.
Does unpairing back up my Apple Watch?
Apple Support says that before your watch is erased, a backup of its contents is created on your iPhone. When you set the watch up again, you can restore from that backup when asked.
How do I force restart an Apple Watch?
Hold the side button and the Digital Crown together for at least 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears (watchOS restart guide). That restarts the watch; it does not erase data or remove Activation Lock.
Sources
Official Apple sources used in this guide
- Unpair and erase your Apple Watch — Apple Support HT108372 (published March 16, 2026; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- If you forgot your Apple Watch passcode — Apple Support HT108348 (published April 6, 2026; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- If you can’t pair an Apple Watch with your iPhone — Apple Support HT111821 (published December 12, 2025; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- About Activation Lock on your Apple Watch — Apple Support HT102573 (published September 15, 2026; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- Unpair and erase Apple Watch — Apple Watch User Guide (watchOS; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- Restart Apple Watch — Apple Watch User Guide (force restart; checked Oct 14, 2026)
- If your Apple Watch is stuck on the Apple logo — Apple Support HT102007 (force restart wording; checked Oct 14, 2026)
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