iWatch Won’t Update? Here Are 11 Ways to Fix it

Apple’s iWatch, also formally known as Apple Watch, is an impressive smartwatch that can do much more than just display time or track your fitness. Like any other Apple device, you should update it for bug fixes and stable performance.

You will miss out on the new features and security updates when you cannot update the latest version. Sadly, many users who use Apple Watch Series 3 or below have faced this issue frequently.

It can happen due to the watch incompatibility. Besides that, minor bugs and other reasons can also hinder updating. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fix these issues.

Why is Apple Watch Not Updating?

How to Fix My Apple Watch Not Updating

Now you have an idea why your Apple Watch is not updating. So, let’s see what you should do to fix it as soon as possible. 

Make Sure Your Apple Watch is Compatible

The first thing that matters is compatibility. Apple will only push new software updates every few years on their Apple Watch. If you are using an old apple watch, you won’t get any new updates due to the hardware limitations to run the latest software.

However, if you have the latest Apple Watch and can’t update it, you should go for other solutions mentioned below.

Check Your Device Connectivity

The other thing you should be aware of is a stable internet connection. If you are trying to update your Apple watch via iPhone, it must be connected to the internet and Bluetooth. You can’t update the Apple watch if it fails to meet those requirements.

You can see the tiny mobile or Wi-Fi icon if it is connected through your iPhone or the internet. Therefore, check your connectivity and try again.  

Plug the Charger

If your Apple Watch battery is below 50%, it may be unable to update and shows an error. To fix that, your Apple watch battery must be above 50%, or the best thing you can do is connect the charger while updating your Watch. 

Updating your Apple Watch takes time. Apple has set such an algorithm because updating consumes more battery, and they don’t want your Watch to run out of battery in the middle while updating, which can harm your watch software. Also, leave your apple watch in a cool place, as it can generate heat while updating and charging simultaneously.

Keep iPhone Closer To Your Watch

If you are updating via iPhone, your Apple Watch must be closer to it. If any of your devices are out of range, they won’t be able to update. Therefore, Keep your iPhone and watch together. However, having an iPhone to update your Apple Watch is not compulsory. You can directly update your Apple watch. But, you must have an internet connection. Otherwise, you can’t update it.

Ensure You Have Enough Storage on Apple Watch

You won’t be able to update if you don’t have enough storage on your Apple Watch. The minor update requires a hundred MBs of free Storage, while if there’s a major update, you need GBs of free space. So, check your Watch storage and delete the unnecessary files.

To Check Your Watch Storage From Your iPhone:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Click on My Watch at the bottom.
3. Go to General.
4. Tap About.
5. Now you can see the Capacity and Available Storage of your Apple Watch.
   

To Check Your Storage From the Apple Watch:

1. Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch.
2. Scroll down and Tap on Settings.
3. Go to General.
4. Scroll down and Go to About.
5. Scroll down a little bit to see the Capacity and Available Storage of your Apple Watch.
   

Turn Off Unlock With iPhone

If you have enabled the Unlock with iPhone feature on your Watch app, it may not give the green light to update your Apple Watch. So, disable this feature and try again. Once you complete this process, turn on Unlock with the iPhone back.  

To turn off this feature, you can follow the below steps:

1. Open the Apple Watch app.
2. Navigate to My Watch. Then, Scroll down and tap on Passcode.
3. Toggle off Unlock With iPhone. 
   

Unpair Your Apple Watch and Try Again

You may also be unable to update your Apple Watch if it has minor glitches. You can unpair your Watch and iPhone to fix such bugs. Do it by keeping your Apple Watch and iPhone together.

To Unpair:

1. Open the Apple Watch on your iPhone.
2. Tap on All Watches at the top left of the screen.
3. Click on the (i) button next to the Watch you want to unpair.
   
4. Tap Unpair Apple Watch.
   
5. Click on Unpair again to confirm.
6. If prompted. Enter your Apple ID Password and Tap unpair. 

To Pair Your iPhone to Apple Watch:

1. Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
2. Open the Watch app.
3. Tap Start Pairing.
   
4. Position your iPhone camera on the Apple Watch.  
5. Now you can restore the previous data or set it up as new based on your choice.
6. Tap Continue and agree on all the terms and conditions to go further.

Do Not Quit the Watch App While Downloading

While updating your Apple Watch through the iPhone, it’s important not to close the Watch App. Mistakenly closing the app while downloading or updating can interrupt the flow. If you are doing such a thing, your Apple Watch update might fail in the middle.

Therefore, leave your device free until the update is completed. If your update is stuck in the middle and didn’t update in that case, you should force close the app, restart the devices and try again. 

Restart Your iPhone and Apple Watch

Sometimes your device’s glitches can also hinder updates. To easily fix that, you can restart both your devices. When you reboot, it clears unnecessary data from your background and forces it to start fresh in the memory. Hence, it can work in most cases. So, you should also try doing it once. 

To Force Restart Your iPhone:

1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up, and do the same for Volume Down. Then, press and hold the Side button for 25-30 seconds until the screen goes off.
2. Once the screen goes off, Keep on holding. 

To Restart Your Apple Watch:

1. Press and hold the side button until the power menu slider pops up.
2. Slide right to power off.
3. Once the screen goes off, leave it for 15-20 seconds.
4. Now, to turn it on. Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

Update Your iPhone

If you are running on the older version of the iOS, you may be unable to update the Apple Watch. Apple has stated you need to have the latest iOS version to be able to download on your Watch. Updating can also fix the previous bugs. So, update it and check if you might be able to download and update your Apple Watch.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Go to Software Update.
4. Click on Download and Install.
   
5. If prompted, enter your Passcode. 
6. Let your device complete the updating process.
7. Click on Install Now.

Reset Apple Watch

If you have tried every method above and cannot update your Watch, you should consider resetting it. Resetting will clear all the data that might be leading to such an issue. Once you reset it, you can try and update your Apple Watch. 
To Reset From Your Apple Watch:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Scroll down and Tap on Reset.
4. Click on Erase All Content and Settings.
   
5. Scroll down and Hit Erase All.