Watch app is asking me to update my iPhone. But it is up to date and my softwares and hardwares are supposed to be compatible.

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jsndude Author

Level 1

4 points

Watch app is asking me to update my iPhone. But it is up to date and my softwares and hardwares are supposed to be compatible.

First of all, here is my list of hardware and software:

iPhone:-

Model : 5S

Software : iOS 12.4.6 (Yes, the one that just released on 24th March, 4 days ago)

Watch:-

Model : Series 2 - 42mm

Software : watchOS 4

---- ---- ---- ----

This is how everything happened and what I have done about it:

I have plugged my iPhone AND Watch on charge for the entire duration (even until now)
I tried to pair my watch today at noon.
I got instructed to download watchOS v5.3.6 (which was also release 4 days ago)
I clicked on download, which took almost 5 hours.
After this, it was installing by itself. I could see the progress on the watch screen (the tiny dots)
After about 60-75%, it suddenly went off and so did a small pop up on the Watch App on my phone.
I didn't have enough time to read it. However, I followed the instructions that led to the watch unpairing.
Since then, I have restarted (not force-restart) my Apple Watch and my iPhone, performed the entire process, only to end up with the same result: nothing.

To summarize:

My iPhone 5S is up to date (iOS 12.4.6)
My Apple Watch is running watchOS 4
After downloading watchOS v5.3.6 on my iPhone via the Watch app, I am being asked to check if my iOS is up to date ... which it is.

This is an urgent inquiry, as I need my watch to be functional for my business. It's frustrating that after so many hours just to download a 1.3GB update, I finally got it. I saw the installation working the first time. And now, I have the file, but I can't install it.

PS. - Neither the phone nor the watch ever ran out of charge as they have been plugged the entire time.

Also ... This isn't a solution to my problem, but if I were to pair it via my brother's new iPhone and install the update through that phone, can I then reset and unpair the Apple Watch from his iPhone and pair it with mine? If so, please answer this first as I'll do that as an immediate solution, while the greater issue can be further discussed below. Thanks in advance.

Apple Watch

Posted on Mar 28, 2020 1:10 PM

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Answer 1

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jsndude Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2020 3:25 PM in response to jsndude

My first time putting up a question, and I guess I solved it already. So I'll log what I did, for anyone else who may have this issue and is looking for a (possible) solution:

- - - -

After many permutations and combinations of actions advised by many threads online(vaguely resembling my issue), I decided to go off route and try a number of different options. My final attempt was as follows (mind you, some steps may have had little or no impact on the result, but as I said, these are the steps that I made in my last attempt which solved the issue for me):

1. - I pressed and held the crown on my unpaired Apple Watch. Rather than showing the "power off" option, it asked if I wanted to reset the watch; basically go back to the beginning before starting the pairing process. I clicked yes, and it did a factory reset.

2. - As soon as this was done, I went on my phone, clicked on Settings -> Bluetooth, turned it off.

3. - Then went back to Settings -> Wi-Fi, and turned it off.

PS. - It's very important to do it in your settings app and NOT through Control Center(swipe up) as it doesn't actually re-initialize your wireless and bluetooth modules (after iOS 11).

4. - Wait for about 10-20seconds. Again, I doubt there's any science to these numbers I claim. Even 2 seconds could've been enough I guess, but this is what worked for me.

5. - Then I went back to Settings -> Wi-Fi, and turned it back on.

6. - Same with Bluetooth (in Settings -> Bluetooth -> Turn On).

7. - After this I went to Settings -> General -> iPhone Storage -> Watch.

8. - When I scrolled to the bottom, I saw I had a 2 year old watch backup in there. So I clicked at the bottom-most option: "Delete all backups".

9. - Then finally, I backed up into the main Settings page and toggled Airplane Mode ON (after a few seconds, in hopes of that backup actually being deleted).

10. - A soft-reset (pressing and holding the Home button + the power button till the phone turns off, leaving the buttons ONLY after the white Apple logo shows up) got my phone to restart. After this, I opened the watch app and tried to pair it and it paired in seconds.

-- --

Apparently, the watchOS had updated and didn't need installing again. But my Watch app and the actual Watch were confused with that old backup in there. In which case, Step 7 to 8 or through to 10 might be the only solution for most who'll have this issue. Now that I really think about it, I'm pretty certain that only deleting that backup would've solved everything, but the first 6 seem to have worked for many on other forums, so I decided to put them in here too. Might help someone with a similar issue.

Well, I thank me I guess :D

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Watch app is asking me to update my iPhone. But it is up to date and my softwares and hardwares are supposed to be compatible.

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