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User profile for user: Alliewillie
Alliewillie Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Apple Watch Updates Stuck On Download For Days

Please help. I have been trying to update my Apple Watch (series 2, I believe) for over a week. It can’t work with my new phone without the update. But when I download, the process stretches out impossibly long (17+ hours) and then hours will go by without it coming down. Eventually I have to leave for work with my phone, etc and the download stalls and we have to start the excruciating process over. Here’s what I’ve tried thus far :


  • restoring watch to factory settings and trying again
  • restarting the phone
  • deleting and redownloading the watch app
  • clearing the software update altogether and rebooting the process
  • turning off the Bluetooth to force it to use WiFi (this did nothing - I didn’t even get an alert and the processing time was the same)


There is closest apple store is several cities away. What else can I do?

Apple Watch

Posted on Apr 28, 2019 6:42 AM

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User profile for user: Branta_uk
Branta_uk
User level: Level 7
32,666 points

Posted on Apr 28, 2019 12:53 PM

You need a faster and/or more reliable internet connection for your iPhone while it does the download. My first attempt would be to reboot your broadband router and WiFi. If that doesn’t help, look for a different WiFi, like at work, or try to find a good speed from a coffee store WiFi.


If the download has timed out at some percentage completed and does not resume with an improved connection it is safe to restart your iPhone and launch the software update again. However, if the process has gone through Verifying and into Installing DO NOT reboot your watch without advice from Apple Support  Contact Support. Restarting any device while loading new software can make Very Bad Things happen, up to and including a bricked device which never works again.

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User profile for user: Branta_uk
Branta_uk
User level: Level 7
32,666 points

Apr 28, 2019 12:53 PM in response to Alliewillie

You need a faster and/or more reliable internet connection for your iPhone while it does the download. My first attempt would be to reboot your broadband router and WiFi. If that doesn’t help, look for a different WiFi, like at work, or try to find a good speed from a coffee store WiFi.


If the download has timed out at some percentage completed and does not resume with an improved connection it is safe to restart your iPhone and launch the software update again. However, if the process has gone through Verifying and into Installing DO NOT reboot your watch without advice from Apple Support  Contact Support. Restarting any device while loading new software can make Very Bad Things happen, up to and including a bricked device which never works again.

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Apple Watch Updates Stuck On Download For Days

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