How to Safely Unpair and Reset Your Smartwatch

Follow these steps to securely unpair, factory reset, and disconnect your old smartwatch from your smartphone and cloud accounts.

1. Unpair the device via the companion app. Open the official companion app on your smartphone, such as the Watch app for iOS or Galaxy Wearable for Android. Navigate to the device settings menu and select the option to Unpair or Disconnect. This action severs the synchronization link between your hardware and your cloud account.
2. Perform a factory reset from the watch settings. On the watch itself, navigate to Settings, then General, and select Reset. Choose the Erase All Content and Settings option to wipe the local storage. Confirm your intent to delete all data, including health metrics, local music, and saved Wi-Fi credentials.
3. Disable Activation Lock or security features. If you are using an Apple Watch, unpairing from the Watch app automatically disables Activation Lock. For Android devices, ensure the watch is no longer linked to your Google or Samsung account by logging into your account management portal on your computer and removing the device from your registered hardware list.
4. Remove the Bluetooth connection from your phone. Open your smartphone Settings and navigate to Bluetooth. Locate the name of your smartwatch in the list of connected or saved devices. Tap the info icon next to the device name and select Forget This Device to prevent your phone from attempting to reconnect to the hardware.
5. Sanitize the physical hardware. Use a lint-free, microfiber cloth slightly dampened with 70% isopropyl alcohol to wipe the watch casing, screen, and sensor array. Avoid getting moisture into any speaker or microphone ports. Remove and wash the watch band separately according to the manufacturer's material guidelines.