Help with setting up your Apple Watch
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Set up your Apple Watch using VoiceOver with help from Apple
Pair an Apple Watch with an iPhone
To pair your Apple Watch you’ll need an iPhone 6 or a newer model on an EE pay monthly or SIM only plan, and be running the latest iOS Software.
You'll also need to make sure your iPhone is:
- turned on to Bluetooth - go to Settings > Bluetooth > select ON
- connected to 4G or 5G on the EE network
To set up paring, follow these steps:
- turn on your Apple Watch and put it on and press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears - it may take a couple of minutes
- hold your Apple Watch close to your iPhone – wait for the ‘Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch’ message to appear on your phone
- tap Continue - if you don't see the message go into the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap Start Pairing
- hold your iPhone over your Apple Watch screen and centre the watch face in the viewfinder using the back camera on your iPhone
- wait for the screen to say ‘Your Apple Watch is Paired' - if you’re unable to use the camera, tap Pair Apple Watch Manually and follow the on screen steps
- next set up your Apple Watch as a new watch or restore a previous backup – you'll be asked to enter your Apple ID if it’s required
- you can now choose your settings for your Apple Watch e.g preferred options for passcode or shared settings
- next set up your mobile data - in the iPhone Watch app select Set Up Mobile Data and follow the on screen steps
- wait for your Apple Watch to sync - keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together, your Apple Watch will chime and you’ll feel a tap when it’s ready to use. The time it takes to sync can vary
- start using your Apple Watch - press the Digital Crown on the right
Unpair an Apple Watch from an iPhone
Need to know
When you unpair your Apple Watch it will go back to its factory settings. Your iPhone will create a backup of your Apple Watch.
To unpair your Apple Watch:
- hold your iPhone and Apple Watch close together
- open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone
- go to the My Watch tab and touch the banner at the top of the screen that has the name of your watch in it
- tap i next to the Apple Watch that you want to unpair and tap Unpair Apple Watch
- choose to keep or remove your data plan - if you're unpairing because of an issue you’ve been having, or you’ve upgraded to a new iPhone you don't need to remove the data plan
- select Keep Data Plan - if you're pairing to another iPhone or are selling your Apple Watch, select Remove Data Plan
- tap to confirm and then enter your Apple ID and password to complete the unpairing
That’s it - your Apple Watch will be ready to pair again.
Set up an EE data plan on an Apple Watch
To set up your data plan, follow these simple steps:
- open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone
- select Set up Mobile Data - you'll then be directed to log in to EE and use the set up wizard
- follow the set up steps
- or contact us if you don't have an EE account
I bought an Apple Watch on my contract as a gift; what do I need to do?
The Apple Watch and iPhone must both be on the same EE account for you to pair them together. If this is not the case, you’ll need to call 150 to get the data plan set up (we may need to do a credit check on the person who will be using the Apple Watch).
Set up an Apple Watch not bought from EE
To use the full data and calling capabilities, you'll need to have an iPhone 6 or a newer model (including SE) on an EE pay monthly or SIM only plan, and be running the latest iOS Software.
My Apple Watch was bought from a third party; what do I need to do?
If your Apple Watch was bought somewhere other than EE, e.g at Apple, John Lewis, Argos or somewhere else you'll need your EE log in to pair the Apple Watch with your iPhone on EE and to set up the data plan.
Our 30 day SIMO data plan for your watch comes with unlimited data, access to calls and texts from your device plan all for £7 per month.
To pair your Apple Watch follow our step by step guide in the section pair my Apple Watch with my iPhone.
To set up the data plan:
- open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone
- select Set up Mobile Data Service - you'll then be directed to log in to EE and use the set up wizard
- then follow the set up steps
- or call 150 if you don't have an EE account
Need to know
If you bought your Apple Watch from a third party as a gift you’ll need to tell the recipient that they'll need an EE account, and their EE log in to activate the Apple Watch with their iPhone. Or to call 150 if they don’t have an EE account.
Bought a second-hand Apple Watch?
You’ll need to check that the Apple Watch has been unpaired by the previous owner from their iPhone.
If it has been unpaired you can follow our steps to pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone.
If it hasn’t been unpaired the Apple Watch will be activation locked which means you cannot pair it to another iPhone.
Need more help setting up your Apple Watch?
If you're having problems setting up your Apple Watch, follow our step-by-step interactive device guides for your Apple Watch, covering all the basic and advanced functions of your watch.