watchOS 4 won't install or update on your Apple Watch? Here's what to do!
Apple's got all-new updates for watchOS. While everything should — and usually does — go smoothly, once in a while these simply don't update or install the way you'd expect. Sometimes it's a connection issue. Sometimes it's a verification error. Sometimes it won't reboot. And other times it just... does nothing.
If you're having problems installing or updating watchOS, here are a few things you can try.
Are you on iOS 11?
You'll need to update to Apple's latest version of iOS before the watchOS 4 update will show up in the Watch app, which, yes, means taking the plunge on both devices.
Are you on an iOS 11 beta seed?
We've heard a few reports from people on the iOS 11 public beta and developer beta who can't get watchOS 4 to show up. Despite the fact that both the GM on the beta and the production seed are the same, we suspect there might be an issue pulling the production watch software. If you can't get watchOS 4 to update, the easiest thing to do is just re-do the iOS 11 update via the production servers. Here's how:
How to update from an iOS beta to the official release
Check your connection
Before you do anything drastic, check to make sure you're on Wi-Fi and your Apple Watch is recognizing your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap Wi-Fi. (Also double-check Bluetooth is on while you're at it.)
Swipe up to bring up Control Center on your Apple Watch. If your iPhone is connected, you'll see a green Connected banner at the top of the screen.
Force Quit and restart
Still not working? Try force quitting the Watch app on your iPhone and restarting your Apple Watch.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Double press the Home button to bring up the multitasking interface.
Swipe up on the Watch app to close it.
- Swipe up on the Watch app card to force quit it.
Next:
- Press and hold the Side Button on your Apple Watch.
Slide to Power Off.
Erase and re-pair
If neither of the above two steps worked, it's time to bring out the big gun: unpairing and re-pairing your Apple Watch.
Note: Unpairing your Apple Watch will automatically back up most of your information, but you may lose access to certain aspects, like your Apple Pay cards. You'll also have the Watch removed from Find My iPhone, and Activation Lock will be disconnected.
How to restore your Apple Watch from a backup
Once the Apple Watch has finished its restore cycle, you'll be all set — as part of the restore process, your Apple Watch should load the latest watchOS update.
Any other watchOS install troubleshooting questions?
Still having trouble updating your Apple Watch to watchOS 4? Let us know below and we'll try to troubleshoot.
Reader comments
Can't update to watchOS 4? How to troubleshoot common problems
Here is what sucks! I have an iPhone 5. I like it very much. I don’t need a new phone. I like the small size, form and fit. The problem is... I cannot update my phone to iOS 11 because it’s not supported, therefore I cannot update my Apple Watch series 2, (that I’ve had a few short months), to WatchOS 4 because of my phone is not supported.
So I've tried all of this and still can't get it to work. Once I reset my Apple Watch 2 I'm basically dead in the water. I can get to the screen to start pairing then it comes up with a question asking me if I want to Update to iOS4. If I select "Yes" it goes to a screen on my phone that says "searching for update" and will literally stick there for hours. If I try to skip the update it cancels everything out and sets my watch back to the reset screen. HELP! P.S. My phone is a 7 Plus running iOS11.
I tried a few things before I saw the Watch OS 4 update. I was on the iOS public beta and had upgaded to the latest GM. I remove the profile, force quit my watch app, restarted phone, and in between each step I would check the Watch app and I would not see the update. I then added the profile to the phone AND the watch. This resulted in the watch restarting. Still nothing. Then I removed the profiles, restarted the phone, nothing. Then (after reading this article) I restarted my watch. I think that was the final action that did the trick. I forget that the watch can even be restarted since I NEVER restart it. Anyway, Thanks for the advice and keep these help articles coming. It had been so long that I forgot how to back up my iphone so I read your article about that, and it was also very helpful.