How to restore your Apple Watch from a backup

Purchased a new Apple Watch recently and want to transfer your old Watch's data? Here's how to restore from a backup.

Your current Apple Watch has had a good run, but you've decided to either retire it for a new model or reset it because of a troubleshooting issue. In either case, if you plan on salvaging your past Health, Activity, and Workout data, you'll need to restore the new watch or factory-reset model from a backup.

How Apple Watch backups work

Whenever your Watch is connected your iPhone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it automatically syncs your latest Health, Workout, Activity, and app data; this information then gets bundled as an Apple Watch backup into your iPhone's iCloud or encrypted iTunes backup, depending on how you choose to safeguard your phone.

Note: If you use unencrypted iTunes backups to back up your iPhone, you'll lose out on saving any Health data — make sure you're backing up via iCloud or an encrypted iTunes backup!

As such, what you might think of as a backup is really more of a "sync" — the Apple Watch syncs to your iPhone, where its information is then siloed into a Watch backup file. This is also why you can't force a manual Apple Watch backup in the same way you can press "Back Up Now" for the iPhone's iCloud backup service; since your Apple Watch is constantly syncing even when it's not connected to Wi-Fi, you don't need to manually sync it.

How to back up your Apple Watch

It also means that in order to restore your Apple Watch from a backup, you'll need your current iPhone (or a new iPhone restored from your old iPhone's backup file).

How to restore your Apple Watch from a backup

First and foremost, make sure the iPhone you want to use is either the device your Apple Watch was previously synced with, or you've set up a new iPhone from your old iPhone's iCloud or iTunes backup.

1. Open the Watch app. (You can also bring your Apple Watch near your iPhone to bring up a similar interface to the AirPods pairing screen, which will then launch the Watch app.)
2. Tap the Start Pairing button under the My Watch tab.
3. Hold your Apple Watch screen up to the iPhone's camera to begin the pairing process.
4. Press the Restore from Backup button.

5. Choose the relevant backup.

   

6. Accept the terms and conditions.
7. Press OK to acknowledge that the iPhone and Apple Watch share settings.
8. Create a passcode on your Apple Watch.
9. Set up Apple Pay (or set it up later). You may need to enter in your card security code or the entire number, depending on the card you're adding.

10. Press Continue after reading about Emergency SOS.

    

11. Your Apple Watch will now begin restoring from its backup.

While you wait for your Apple Watch to restore, you can view basic navigation tips on your Apple Watch, labeled "Apple Watch Basics." You're also free to navigate away from the Watch app on your iPhone, as your Apple Watch backup will continue restoring in the background.

Questions?

Have any issues restoring your Apple Watch from an older backup? Let us know in the comments.

How to troubleshoot your Apple Watch

Updated August 2017: Updated for watchOS 4.