Did you know you can restore an Apple Watch that has a problem by using a nearby iPhone? This new feature was included with watchOS 8.5 for the Apple Watch and iOS 15.4 for the iPhone. Here’s how to use it.
Introducing Apple’s watchOS Restore Feature
Apple’s watchOS Restore feature has been something that users have requested a lot over the years. Previously, whenever you had an Apple Watch issue that couldn’t be resolved using your iPhone, you’d have to send in your Apple Watch to an Apple Repair Center or take it to an Apple Store to get it checked. However, that changed with watchOS 8.5 and iOS 15.4.
Don’t mistake this Apple Watch recovery feature with the normal reset process for an Apple Watch that we’ve all been using for years. This new feature is specifically meant to deal with a bricked Apple Watch, which mainly occurs when a software update is interrupted or fails.
This is no longer a problem with the new update, as you can restore a problematic Apple Watch at home using your iPhone. We’ve explained how it works below.
How to Restore Your Apple Watch Using an iPhone
To use the Restore Apple Watch function, make sure your iPhone is updated to iOS 15.4 or later. You can check your iPhone’s software version by going to Settings > General > Software Update. You’ll also need to have watchOS 8.5 or later installed on your Apple Watch.
Another requirement is to have your iPhone connected to a stable Wi-Fi connection. Apple recommends using a 2.4GHz network instead of 5GHz. It’s also recommended to avoid using the 802.1X or captive Wi-Fi networks.
Also, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone. You can do this from the Control Center or by going to Settings > Bluetooth.
Once you’ve completed all the requirements, follow the steps below:
- Connect your Apple Watch to its magnetic charger, which is connected to a power source (so that your Apple Watch is charging).
- Place your iPhone near the Apple Watch.
- Now, double-click the Side button that is located immediately below the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch.
- A popup should appear on your iPhone saying Recover Apple Watch. There is a problem with this Apple Watch that requires it to be updated or restored.
- Tap on Continue in the popup window and follow the instructions to restore your Apple Watch.
That’s it! You should be able to restore your Apple Watch using the steps above.
If it doesn’t go according to plan, make sure you’ve checked all the pre-requirements (connecting to a Wi-Fi network, enabling Bluetooth, and so on). If there’s still no luck, you should contact Apple Support to get your watch repaired.
Apple Continues to Improve watchOS
The new Apple Watch Recovery feature is going to be very popular amongst users since it saves many the hassle of sending their watch to Apple to get repaired. It just goes to show that Apple isn’t finished working on and adding improvements to watchOS.
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