Apple Watch Won’t Update? Fix It Quick (Feb 2023)

The Apple Watch is an impressive and powerful device. Just like your iPhone, its software needs to be updated regularly for maintenance and bug repair. But what if the Apple Watch update won’t install? The following troubleshooting tips should help you when your Apple Watch won't update.

Jump To:

• Why Won't My Apple Watch Update? Troubleshooting Steps
• How to Fix the “Unable to Install Update” Error on an Apple Watch
• Apple Watch Update Requirements

Why Won't My Apple Watch Update? Troubleshooting Steps

There could be several reasons your Apple Watch update won't install. If your iPhone is up to date, your Apple Watch is charged, and the update is still not starting, try this first. If you've already done this, I'll explain how to fix the "Unable to Install Update" error on an Apple Watch and go over update requirements to confirm that your watch is compatible with the latest software update.

1. Restart your iPhone, then restart your Apple Watch before re-attempting the update.
2. If it still doesn't work, unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone.
3. Pair your Apple Watch to your iPhone.

To see the exact steps for each of these, keep reading or click on the links to get step-by-step instructions to fix your Apple Watch not updating issues. If your Apple Watch won't update on Beta software, read this.

1. Restart Your Apple Watch

There is no restart option on an Apple Watch like there is on an iPhone; you have to turn the watch off and then on again. Here's how to restart your Apple Watch:

1. Press and hold the Side button.
   
   
   Image courtesy of Apple
    
2. Several sliders will appear.
3. Slide the Power Off slider to the right.
4. Once the Watch turns off, wait 30 seconds and then turn it back on by holding the side button until you see the Apple Logo.
   
   
   Image courtesy of Apple

Related: How to Pair Apple Watch to New Phone

2. Unpair Your Apple Watch from Your iPhone

If the Apple Watch won't update after the previous steps are completed, the next step is to unpair it. Here's how to unpair the Apple Watch from your iPhone if it won't update:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
   
   
2. While in My Watch tab, tap on All Watches at the top of the screen.
   
   
3. Tap on the info icon next to the watch you wish to unpair.
   
   
4. Select Unpair Apple Watch.
   
   
5. Tap Unpair [Name’s] Apple Watch to unpair.
   
   

3. Pair Apple Watch with Your iPhone After Unpairing It

Here is how to pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone after unpairing it:

1. Make sure your Apple Watch is on, or turn it on by pressing the side button until the Apple logo appears.
   
   
2. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
   
   
3. Tap Start Pairing.
   
   
4. From here, you can choose whether to set it up for a family member or for yourself.
   
   
5. Position your Apple Watch in the yellow frame on the phone screen. Or, you can also choose to Pair Manually. 
   
   
6. Now that your device is paired, you can restore it from another Watch backup by tapping Restore from Backup, or start fresh by tapping Set Up as New Apple Watch.
   
   
7. You will be prompted with a few more instructional menus. Continue to follow the onscreen instructions to complete the Apple Watch pairing process.  
   
   

Once you have finished this process, your Watch will take a few minutes to sync. Once it syncs, it's ready to go and should be working again!

How to Fix the “Unable to Install Update” Error on an Apple Watch

If you see a message pop up that says "Unable to Install Update," there are a few ways to troubleshoot. One Apple Watch unable to check for update troubleshooting tip is to turn off the option to unlock your Apple Watch with your iPhone. Another is to let your Apple Watch update automatically overnight. If you have an Apple Watch with cellular service, you can try updating the watch directly after turning off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your iPhone.

Don’t forget to turn the Unlock with iPhone setting back on once the Apple Watch is updated. Another common error message is "Apple unable to check for update." The steps in this article should help with that too, in particular checking your Wi-Fi connection and restarting your Apple Watch. 

If all else fails, you may be able to try one more trick as long as you are running iOS 15.4 or newer software on your iPhone. Check out this article on how to restore Apple Watch Firmware from your iPhone to troubleshoot.

Let Your Apple Watch Update Automatically Overnight

Sometimes the update issue can be solved on its own without your help. Make sure Automatic Updates is toggled on in your Apple Watch settings. Then simply keep your phone connected to Wi-Fi and place the Apple Watch on its charger in range of your iPhone. Here's how to turn on Apple Watch Automatic Updates:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
   
   
2. From the My Watch tab, tap on General.
   
   
3. Select Software Update.
   
   
4. Tap on Automatic Updates.
   
   
5. Make sure Automatic Updates are enabled; the toggle should be green.
   
   

Did you leave it overnight and followed all the update requirements but you still can't update your Apple Watch? Try the following troubleshooting steps to finally get that Apple Watch software update!

Apple Watch Update Requirements

There are a few steps to take before attempting to update your watch, and before going through any Apple Watch troubleshooting tips. And for tips and tricks for all your Apple devices, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day!

1. Make sure your iPhone is updated to the latest version of iOS.
2. Charge your Apple Watch to 50 percent or more.
3. Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi.
4. Keep your iPhone next to your Apple Watch throughout the update.

How to Update Apple Watch

One of the best ways to get the newest watch update is to let it update automatically overnight. However, you can also install the update manually:

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
   
   
2. Tap General.
   
   
3. Next, tap Software Update.
   
   
4. Tap Install if you see that a new update is available.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

The next Apple Watch update is watchOS 9, coming in the September of 2022. Throughout the year, you can expect smaller updates that will fix bugs and may potentially add new features. Any time you wonder what the latest version of Apple Watch software is, follow the steps above to see which version you are running. If no update is available, then you are running the latest one.

There are many ways to troubleshoot if your Apple Watch update won’t install updates and solve "unable to check for update Apple Watch" errors. We hope that our guide helped you successfully install the latest Apple Watch update! One of your last resorts should be performing a factory reset on your Apple Watch. We hope you never find yourself saying, "my Apple Watch won't update," again! Next, find out if you can use an Apple Watch without an iPhone and how to update MacOS.