How to Create a Backup of Your Apple Watch

Secure your Apple Watch data before upgrading or unpairing. Follow this guide to trigger a manual iCloud backup and ensure your health and settings are saved.

1. Confirm connection to iPhone. Place your Apple Watch on your wrist or near your paired iPhone. Ensure both devices are powered on and have Bluetooth enabled to maintain the link for the backup process.
2. Open the Watch app. Locate and open the Watch app on your iPhone. Navigate to the My Watch tab in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. Initiate the unpair process. Tap All Watches at the top of the My Watch tab. Tap the info icon (i) next to the watch you intend to back up, then select Unpair Apple Watch.
4. Verify backup completion. Confirm your Apple ID password if prompted to disable Activation Lock. The iPhone will now prepare a backup of your current watch configuration before erasing the device.
5. Back up to iCloud. Once the watch is unpaired, go to iPhone Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now. This ensures your local watch backup is uploaded to iCloud as part of your device's total backup bundle.