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On Apple Watch, open Settings > Passcode to turn a passcode on, change it, or turn it off. You can also manage these settings in the paired iPhone’s Apple Watch app under My Watch > Passcode. Disabling the passcode also disables features such as Apple Pay and unlocking a Mac with your watch. If you’ve forgotten the passcode, you’ll need to erase and set up the watch again.
Choose the right passcode action
- Know your current passcode and want a different one? Choose Change Passcode.
- Want to remove the passcode? Choose Turn Passcode Off, but first consider which features you’ll lose.
- Forgot the passcode? You can’t retrieve or bypass it using Apple’s documented process; erase the watch and set it up again.
- Selling or giving away the watch? Unpair it from the iPhone rather than only erasing it, so Activation Lock is removed through the supported process.
Menu wording can vary by watchOS version, language, model, or organizational management. Apple’s current guidance describes these settings in its Apple Watch passcode and lock guide.
What an Apple Watch passcode does
The passcode helps protect information stored on the watch and enables security-dependent features. It is separate from your iPhone passcode; changing one does not change the other. Apple recommends using different codes. You can configure the watch to unlock when you unlock your nearby iPhone, but that convenience does not remove the watch passcode.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA passcode is needed for Apple Pay and for features such as unlocking your iPhone with Apple Watch. Apple also lists Mac unlocking among the features unavailable when the watch passcode is off. See Apple’s guidance on unlocking an iPhone with Apple Watch.
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Turn on a passcode
On Apple Watch
- Open Settings.
- Tap Passcode.
- Tap Turn Passcode On.
- Enter a passcode, then enter it again to confirm.
On the paired iPhone
- Open the Apple Watch app.
- Tap My Watch, then Passcode.
- Tap Turn Passcode On and follow the prompts.
Change the passcode
You need to know the current passcode to change it. On the watch, go to Settings > Passcode > Change Passcode, enter the current code, then enter the new code twice. Or open the iPhone’s Apple Watch app and go to My Watch > Passcode > Change Passcode, then follow the prompts.
If you’re changing it because the code may have been exposed, choose a new one that is not the same as your iPhone passcode. A code you can remember is more useful than one you are likely to forget.
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Use a passcode longer than four digits
Apple Watch’s ordinary setup uses a simple passcode. To use a code longer than four digits, on the watch open Settings > Passcode and turn Simple Passcode off. Then create or change the passcode using the prompts. Apple’s guidance confirms longer passcodes; it does not establish that Apple Watch supports every passcode format available on iPhone.
Turn off the passcode—and understand the trade-offs
On the watch, open Settings > Passcode > Turn Passcode Off and confirm or enter the current code if asked. Alternatively, use the paired iPhone’s Apple Watch app: My Watch > Passcode > Turn Passcode Off.
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Turning the passcode off is more than a way to reduce prompts. Apple says features including Apple Pay and unlocking a Mac with Apple Watch become unavailable. A passcode is also required for Apple Watch to unlock your iPhone. Without the watch passcode, information on the watch is less protected if someone else gets access to it.
Reduce repeated passcode prompts without removing security
Unlock with iPhone
To have the watch unlock when you unlock your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone and go to My Watch > Passcode > Unlock with iPhone. This requires a passcode on the watch; it changes how the watch is unlocked, not whether it has a passcode. The devices need to be close enough to communicate over Bluetooth—Apple describes the ordinary range as about 33 feet (10 metres)—and Bluetooth must be working. If the feature does not work, check that it is enabled, the devices are nearby, and the watch is not independently locked.
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Understand Wrist Detection
With Wrist Detection on—which Apple says is enabled by default—the watch locks when removed from your wrist and generally asks for its passcode again before use. It may also ask after a restart or another security-related event. If prompts happen while you’re wearing it, check that it fits securely and that Wrist Detection is on; taking the watch off normally triggers the lock.
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You can turn Wrist Detection off at Settings > Passcode > Wrist Detection, but it is not simply a less-annoying passcode setting. Apple warns that the watch will no longer automatically lock and unlock, heart-rate tracking and notifications are turned off, some Activity measurements become unavailable, Apple Pay requires passcode entry when authorizing a payment, and automatic emergency calling after a detected hard fall is disabled. Consider those consequences before changing it.
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Lock the watch manually
To lock it immediately, press the side button to open Control Center and tap the Lock button. You’ll need to enter the passcode the next time you use the watch.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you forgot the passcode
Apple’s documented way to regain use is to erase the watch and set it up again. Erasing removes its local media, data, settings, and passcode. A supported recovery flow creates a watch backup on the iPhone before erasure, and setup may offer a backup to restore; a backup does not guarantee every setting or state will return exactly as it was. For Apple’s current steps, see If you forgot your Apple Watch passcode.
Erase directly on the watch
- Put the watch on its charger and leave it there.
- Press and hold the side button until the power button appears.
- Press and hold the Digital Crown until Erase all content and settings appears.
- Tap Reset, then tap Reset again to confirm.
- Wait for the erase to finish, then set up the watch again and restore from a backup if offered.
Erase using the paired iPhone
- Keep the iPhone and watch close together.
- In the iPhone’s Apple Watch app, tap My Watch > General > Reset > Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings.
- Confirm the erase and enter your Apple Account password if requested.
- If this is a GPS + Cellular model, choose whether to keep or remove its cellular plan.
- Set up the watch again and restore from a backup if offered.
Keep the cellular plan if you intend to pair the same watch with the same iPhone again. Remove it if you’re moving the watch to another iPhone, selling or giving it away, or stopping the cellular service. Removing the plan from the watch may not cancel your carrier subscription; contact the carrier if you want to end service.
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Erasing a watch without unpairing removes local contents, but it does not remove Activation Lock. The Apple Account associated with the watch will still be needed for pairing or reuse. If you have the paired iPhone—especially if you’re transferring ownership—use Apple’s unpair and erase process. Unpairing authenticates with the Apple Account password and disables Activation Lock. If an erased watch asks for a previous owner’s Apple Account, it remains linked; the owner must remove it from their account or unpair it.
Quick Recap
Troubleshooting passcode settings
- “Turn Passcode Off” or “Simple Passcode” is unavailable: The paired iPhone may be managed by an employer or school. Contact the organization’s administrator rather than trying to bypass its restrictions.
- Changing the iPhone code did not change the watch code: That is expected. They are separate passcodes.
- The watch asks for its code after you remove it: That is normal with Wrist Detection on.
- Unlock with iPhone is not working: Confirm it is enabled in the iPhone Watch app, the devices are within Bluetooth range with Bluetooth functioning, and the watch is not already locked. The watch still needs its own passcode.
- You have no paired iPhone: Use the on-watch erase steps if available. Resetting without unpairing does not remove Activation Lock, so you may still need the Apple Account associated with the watch.
- You’re concerned about guessing attempts: Apple offers an optional Erase Data setting in Settings > Passcode that erases after 10 consecutive incorrect attempts. It applies only if enabled; do not rely on it as a substitute for remembering your passcode.
Quick reference
| Goal | Path |
|---|---|
| Enable passcode | Watch: Settings > Passcode > Turn Passcode On |
| Change passcode | Watch: Settings > Passcode > Change Passcode |
| Disable passcode | Watch: Settings > Passcode > Turn Passcode Off |
| Set a longer code | Watch: Settings > Passcode; turn Simple Passcode off |
| Unlock with iPhone | iPhone Watch app: My Watch > Passcode > Unlock with iPhone |
| Adjust removal locking | Watch: Settings > Passcode > Wrist Detection |
| Erase after failed attempts | Watch: Settings > Passcode > Erase Data (optional) |
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