Guide · 4 minutes
A few things to check before you start saves headaches later.
You need an iPhone to pair and manage your Apple Watch. Make sure it’s running the latest iOS version.
Charge both your iPhone and your Apple Watch enough. Pairing and setup can take a little while.
Make sure your iPhone has an internet connection, via Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Have your Apple Account password handy (the account that used to be called Apple ID).
Are you setting this up for yourself, or for a family member (say, a child or parent without their own iPhone)? Either works.
After pairing, you choose how to continue setting up the Watch.
Ideal for your first Watch. Quick Setup automatically carries over a lot of preferences from your iPhone.
Had an Apple Watch before? You can restore a previous backup, including apps and settings.
A few settings worth checking right away.
Adjust text size and font in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone to whatever’s comfortable to read on the small screen.
Enter your birthdate and details in the Health app, so features like heart rate and activity tracking are accurate.
Decide per app which notifications you want on your wrist, so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Have an Apple Watch with cellular? Activate it with your carrier so you’re reachable even without your iPhone nearby.
Add your payment card in the Apple Watch app to pay contactlessly with just your wrist.
A few basic moves that’ll get you finding your way around right away.
Touch and hold the screen and swipe sideways to switch between watch faces, or tap the + to add a new one from the gallery.
Turn the Digital Crown to zoom or scroll. Pressing it once takes you back to the Home Screen with all your apps.
Press the side button for quick access to Airplane Mode, Do Not Disturb and battery percentage.
Press the Digital Crown from the watch face to see the overview of all apps, and tap an app icon to open it.
Isn’t pairing or setup going smoothly? Try this first.
Turn both the iPhone and the Apple Watch off and back on. This fixes most pairing issues.
Make sure Bluetooth is turned on on the iPhone and both devices are connected to the internet.
Stay within about a foot and a half of each other during pairing and syncing.
Can’t activate a used Watch because Activation Lock is still on from the previous owner? Ask the previous owner to remove it remotely through their Apple Account.
With this foundation you can confidently get started with your Apple Watch. Still stuck, or have a specific question? Feel free to get in touch.