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How to hard reset an Apple Watch?

Got a "too many password attempts" message and so need to do a hard reset but no matter what it isn't working. I have been all over Google and Apple Support and there appear to be three approaches, all listed below. None of them have worked, even method #3 which seems to have been a successful method of last resort when #1 and #2 failed.


Method #1

  1. Connect your watch to its charging cable, with power connected.
  2. Press and hold the side button until you see the Power Off slider.
  3. Press firmly on Power Off (do not try to slide it - just press down more firmly than a normal tap) and then tap on Erase all content and settings.


Method #2

  1. Put your watch on its charger and keep it there until you complete these steps.
  2. Press and hold the side button until you see Power Off.
  3. Press and hold the Digital Crown until you see Erase all content and settings.


Method #3

  1. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for 10 seconds, then release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
  2. Wait a few seconds, then hold down just the side button for about 20 seconds or until the "erase all settings" prompt shows up.
  3. Click the prompt, then click the green check button.


Some additional info:

  • Its a Series 2 watch running watchOS 6.3
  • The phone the watch is paired to was present at all times, even thought that shouldn't matter.
  • Yes, I have done everything with the fully charged watch attached to the charging cable.


No matter what, the "erase all settings" prompt never appears. I seem to have run out of options. Any ideas?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Jun 16, 2023 8:27 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 25, 2024 1:52 AM

I cant unpair the wach because it s not conected to my phone and the last owner wont respond to my messages what can i do?


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17 replies

Jun 16, 2023 8:31 PM in response to jlawlerjr

I'm sorry to hear that you're still having trouble resetting your Apple Watch Series 2. If the aforementioned methods didn't work, you may need to try force restarting your watch. Here's how:


1. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears.

2. Release both buttons and wait for your watch to restart.


If force restarting doesn't work, you can try unpairing your Apple Watch from your iPhone. Here's how:


1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.

2. Tap on your Apple Watch at the top of the screen.

3. Tap on the "i" icon next to your watch.

4. Tap on "Unpair Apple Watch".

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the unpairing process.


If none of these methods work, you may need to contact Apple Support for further assistance.


I hope this helps!

Sep 9, 2024 5:20 PM in response to jlawlerjr

Method #3 from the original post works great in 2024.


Method #3

  1. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for 10 seconds, then release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
  2. Wait a few seconds, then hold down just the side button for about 20 seconds or until the "erase all settings" prompt shows up.
  3. Click the prompt, then click the green check button.


Sep 11, 2024 10:01 AM in response to DeeaTwT

So my watch has done the same thing and I’ve tried everything, the only thing that has worked for me is:


  1. hold down side button with digital crown(knob on the side)
  2. Then when Apple logo appears wait about 2 seconds and hold the side button until a reset button appears
  3. press reset button and wait for reset.
  4. it will show one circle with completion process. When that circle is complete then another will show up with an Apple logo in the middle. (I’m still in this process right now) you should be able to pair with your phone.


Hope this helps!!

Apr 29, 2024 8:34 AM in response to Ocillus

I'm trying again to reset an Apple Watch Series 2. I tried for several hours yesterday and it made slight progress before the phone got a call and ruined the connection. Apple needs to have a less time-consuming software just to get the Series 2 watch from reset to functioning. This is a watch that hasn't been used much for several years and I just want to use it for lap swimming. Instead of going from 0 to IOS 6, there ought to be a simpler update that at least lets you use the watch. This makes me not want another Apple Watch if the software for it will be impossible to update in 7 years.

How to hard reset an Apple Watch?

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