How to Set Up a New Apple Watch and Pair It With Your iPhone

To pair a new Apple Watch for your own use, update and unlock your iPhone, keep it near the watch, then use the Apple Watch app to scan the animation on the watch face. If scanning fails, Apple offers manual pairing. After pairing, choose whether to set the watch up as new or restore an available backup, then finish the on-screen settings.

Check compatibility and prepare your devices

Apple Watch compatibility depends on the watch generation and its software—not on one minimum iPhone requirement that applies to every model. Apple’s current setup guidance says Apple Watch Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE 3 require iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later. Apple’s watchOS 26 guide also gives iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later as the requirement for Apple Watch SE, Series 6, or Ultra or later running watchOS 26 or later. Older watch generations may work with different iPhone models and earlier iOS versions. Check the requirements for your exact watch model and software in Apple’s setup guidance and Apple’s Apple Watch user guide; the model-specific requirements can change as Apple releases new devices and software.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band -...	$379.00	Buy on Amazon
2		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band...	$331.55	Buy on Amazon
3		Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M....	$219.00	Buy on Amazon
4		Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M....	$208.05	Buy on Amazon
5		Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band -...	$349.00	Buy on Amazon

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• Update the iPhone to the latest iOS version available for it.
• Turn on Bluetooth and connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular.
• Unlock the iPhone and keep it close to the watch during setup and syncing.
• If the watch will not turn on, charge it. To start it, hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Pair your new Apple Watch with your iPhone

1. Put on the watch and turn it on. Keep it close to your unlocked iPhone.
2. When the iPhone displays “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch,” tap Continue. If no prompt appears, open the Apple Watch app, tap All Watches, then Add Watch.
3. Choose Set Up for Myself for a watch you will use with your own iPhone and account.
4. When the pairing viewfinder opens, center the animation on the watch face in the iPhone’s camera view. If the camera cannot pair the devices, tap Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the prompts.
5. For a first watch, select Set Up as New Apple Watch if offered. If your iPhone offers Express Setup for a watch previously configured with that iPhone, review Apps & Data and Settings. Choose Customize Settings to restore an available backup or start fresh.
6. Install a required watchOS update when prompted. Setup may also pause until the iPhone updates iOS.
7. Follow the prompts to choose wrist orientation, accept the terms, sign in to your Apple Account if asked, and configure a passcode, text size, health details, and other settings. A passcode is needed for features such as Apple Pay.
8. If your watch has cellular, choose whether to configure cellular now or later in the Apple Watch app. Carrier requirements and availability vary by region.

Leave the devices close together while they sync. Apple says pairing is complete when the watch face appears; syncing of apps and other content may continue in the background. See Apple’s setup instructions for its current prompts.

Choose between setting it up as new and restoring

These choices appear within the personal setup flow when available; they are not the same as transferring an already-paired watch to a replacement iPhone.

#1 Best Overall

Sale

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$379.00

Buy on Amazon

Why won’t my iPhone find my Apple Watch?

• No setup prompt appears: Open Apple Watch app > All Watches > Add Watch.
• The camera cannot recognize the animation: Select Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the instructions.
• The watch already shows a watch face: It is already paired. Apple’s guidance is to erase and reset it before pairing it again.
• Activation Lock appears: The watch is associated with an Apple Account, and that account’s credentials are required. For a secondhand watch, ask the previous owner to remove it from their account; you cannot complete setup around the lock.
• The watch unexpectedly asks for a passcode: It may still be paired with another iPhone. If you do not know the passcode, Apple advises erasing the watch.

For additional pairing issues, use Apple’s pairing troubleshooting steps.

Pair an Apple Watch with a new iPhone

If your watch is already paired and you are replacing its iPhone, use Apple’s separate Pair your Apple Watch with a new iPhone transfer procedure rather than treating the watch as a new, unpaired device. Apple’s transfer flow calls for Apple Account credentials and the watch passcode, Wi-Fi on both iPhones, sufficient charge, current software, and checking Health backup settings. Follow Apple’s instructions for the order of steps so your existing watch setup and data are handled appropriately.

Rank #2

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$331.55

Buy on Amazon

Set up a watch for a child or another family member

Choose Set Up for a Family Member / Apple Watch For Your Kids (formerly Family Setup) when configuring a watch for someone who will not pair it to their own iPhone. This is a distinct family-managed flow with separate device, account, Family Sharing, regional, cellular, and feature requirements. Check Apple’s family-member setup requirements before starting; it is not identical to personal pairing.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$379.00

Bestseller No. 2

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$331.55

SaleBestseller No. 3

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$219.00

Bestseller No. 4

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$208.05

SaleBestseller No. 5

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

$349.00

Best Value

Sale

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
• KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
• GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
• SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.

$349.00

Buy on Amazon

Rank #4

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
• A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
• KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
• GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*

$208.05

Buy on Amazon

Rank #3

Sale

Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant

• GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
• A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
• KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
• WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
• GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*

$219.00

Buy on Amazon

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