Pairing an Apple Watch to a new iPhone starts with the old iPhone's backup, when that phone is still available. The backup carries the watch data; Health needs iCloud syncing or an encrypted computer backup.
Set up the new iPhone from that backup, then open its Watch app. Keep the watch on your wrist and unlocked. When the previous iPhone is unavailable, the watch needs an erase-and-pair route with restoration limits.
Preserve the watch data before moving the pairing
Have the Apple Account password and watch passcode ready. Connect both iPhones to Wi-Fi and charge the new iPhone and watch to at least 50 percent. Update the old iPhone and watch to their newest available software.
Apple says an iPhone backup includes its paired watch's data. Its new-iPhone transfer instructions put that backup before setting up the replacement phone.
Status: Watch transfer, backup and Activation Lock instructions verified October 26, 2026, using Apple's current support pages. No watch was erased or paired.
For Health syncing, open Settings > your name > iCloud > Saved to iCloud > Health on the old iPhone and check Sync this iPhone. Older layouts may show See All before Health.
If using a computer backup instead, enable backup encryption. Apple documents encryption as necessary for preserving Health and Fitness data through that backup route. An ordinary unencrypted backup is insufficient for this content.
Restore the new iPhone, then finish in Watch
Back up the old iPhone and choose that recent backup when setting up the new one. If setup asks to use the Apple Watch, wear and unlock it, then tap Continue.
On the new iPhone, launch Watch with the watch nearby. Follow the confirmation prompts. If My Watch > All Watches shows Pairing Not Complete, tap Finish Pairing while the watch stays unlocked.
Our check is to inspect the watch entry and familiar watch face after setup, then review Health and Activity on the new phone. That check is ours; the appearance of a watch face alone does not prove every historical record arrived.
For a watch that is paired but repeatedly loses its connection, use the Apple Watch connection checks after finishing the migration.
Still being asked to start pairing?
When the old iPhone is available but the new phone will not take over, Apple's transfer troubleshooting directs unpairing from the old phone and pairing with the new one.
Unpairing erases the watch. It also creates a fresh watch backup on the old iPhone, so back up that iPhone again afterward if transferring this fresh backup to the new phone is necessary.
On the old iPhone, open Watch > My Watch > All Watches, tap the watch's info button, then choose Unpair Apple Watch. Authenticate with the associated Apple Account when asked, allowing unpairing to remove Activation Lock.
Keep the cellular plan when continuing to use the same watch. On the new iPhone, begin pairing and choose Restore from Backup when offered. Select the recent backup to preserve its saved settings; a new-watch setup starts without them.
The old iPhone is no longer available
On the watch, open Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This erases the watch's current contents. Apple states that erasing without its paired iPhone leaves Activation Lock in place.
Pair through the new iPhone's Watch app and enter the Apple Account credentials associated with the watch. Restore an available backup when offered; without a usable backup, setup must begin as new.
Changes since the last backup can be lost. Apple also warns that synced iCloud content may take days to reappear. Erasing the watch cannot create a missing historical backup.
Check the items that a watch backup leaves out
Apple's watch backup guide excludes the watch passcode, Apple Pay cards and Bluetooth pairings. Follow setup to recreate those items rather than expecting the backup to supply them.
For several watches, add and manage each watch in All Watches. Moving a watch to another iPhone differs from alternating between watches paired to one phone.
If a backup is missing, confirm both devices' software is current before choosing a different restore option. Contact Apple Support if pairing or Activation Lock still blocks setup, with the exact screen message and the account available.
The Short Version
Preserve Health and back up the old iPhone first. Restore the new iPhone, then complete the watch handover in its Watch app. An unfinished pairing may only need Finish Pairing.
Without the old phone, erasing the watch leaves Activation Lock and cannot recover data missing from backups or iCloud.
Isaac Smith is the founder and editor of PC Glance, a website that covers computers, laptops, and technology. He is a tech enthusiast and a computer geek who loves to share his insights and help his readers make smart choices when buying tech gadgets or laptops. He is always curious and updated about the latest tech trends.