Watch app (iOS) crashes on launch

I am having the exact same problem with my iPhone Xs Max and Watch series 6. Worst thing is that today’s update to iOS 14.1 didn’t fix the problem. The watch app still crashes right after clicking on it. Will have to reset and set up my iPhone from back up. I can’t understand why they didn’t fix it if so many people have the same problem. I have read about this issue in several forums by now.

I have the same issue!

I followed the steps:

1. Full backup to local disk
2. erase all in my iPhone SE2
3. reset the watch SE
4. restore from backup

the watch app can’t be deleted even I have not paired the watch yet

i did another way:

1. full backup to local disk
2. erase all in my iPhone se2
3. setup as new phone
4. reset the watch
5. pair the watch with the clean phone
6. the watch app works up to this step
7. restore the backup

now the watch app crashes again!

the third way:

1. full backup the phone
2. erase all data and settings of the phone
3. dont setup as a new phone, just restore from the backup
4. the watch app crashes, and I was failed to pair with the watch

i am using the latest iOS version 14.1 and watch OS 7.02

I got it to work!!

1. erased and reset watch
2. backed up iPhone, erased and restored from backup
3. once iPhone was restored I was able to delete and watch app and re-download it.
4. watch app finally worked and I was able to connect and setup my watch as a new watch.

Hope this helps someone!

I contacted Apple Support and wanted to share what worked for us (that did not involve a complete restore of the iPhone):

1. Reset All Settings on the iPhone (Settings --> General --> Reset All Settings). You do not lose media or things like game data, but things like cards in Wallet, Passcode, and FaceID will be reset.
2. Reset All Settings on the Watch (Settings --> General --> Erase All Content and Settings).
3. You should now be able to delete the Watch app from your phone. Delete the app completely - do not just remove it from the Home Screen - you want all the settings and data gone for the app.
4. Go to the App Store and download the Watch app again.
5. You should now have a working Watch app that you can use to re-pair with and manage your Apple Watch.
6. You'll need to re-enter settings on your iPhone such as FaceID and Passcode.

I hope this helps other fix this issue.

before you do your back up on your iPhone,

1. go to settings>General>iPhone storage and remove backups from the watch app.
2. going to iCloud back up and unselect the watch app from the iCloud back-up. you don’t want the watch app backed up. Then back up your phone to iCloud.

now when you restore your phone fro back-up after disassociating it from the watch, you should be able to delete the Watch app from your phone easily, at least I did.

then reinstall the app, and it should work. I did this four days ago, and it still working for me.

Tried everything mentioned. Still didn't work. Now had a dud expensive iphone 6 which won't pair or initialize. Didn't expect this from Apple. The 14.1 did not eveb address the problem. There is no way of re installing the watch app

Have the same issue with the Watch app on the iPhone crashing at startup.

Just set up a new Watch6 to add to my Watch4 and after a few hours the watch would not connect to the iPhone. Tried to open the Watch app on the iPhone and it crashes at startup. Cannot delete and reinstall app. App says it must unpair watch before it can be removed. All watches have been unpaired from Bluetooth (but cannot be unpaired using the app since the app does not start.)

I've done a full reset of the iPhone with a restore from backup. Watch app still thinks it is paired and cannot be deleted. I’ve reset all watches and removed them from iCloud and repeated the iPhone reset. No change.

At this point, it seems Apple fixing the Watch app is the only way out. In the meantime, I’ll probably return the Watch6 as it is currently useless.

I bought the Watch 6 on the release day. 2 days later this bug occurred with my iPhone XS Max.

I contacted support and they suggested I backup the phone and reinstall it. That wasn’t an option for me because they couldn’t guarantee that the problem would be fixed, and with 2 Apple products it shouldn’t be necessary.

The latest 14.1 update didn’t do anything to fix the problem. I ended up returning the Watch 6 and I don’t think that I will buy it again. This problem has killed all my excitement for the watch. They didn’t prioritize to fix the problem and it has taken a month already.

I buy Apple products and pay premium price and they should work. Maybe next time I will buy Android instead.

I am very unhappy about this. I feel like they don’t care that they sell $1,000 watches that don’t even work. When it’s stuck and you can’t pair it, it doesn’t even show the time.

$1,000 for a watch that doesn’t even show the time!!! IT’S A JOKE! The biggest company in the world and they can’t fix their own product!

Back up your phone on iCloud. Erase your phone completely. Restore your phone using the back up from today ... delete the watch app... reinstall the watch app... it should work. You just have to reset your watch and then pair it as new.

Agree!

It's not just about the money paid, it's about the time spent on this insane issue!

Apple is so shameful that they even can't make a stable product as they claim their eco-system is the best on planet.

I paid Apple because I don't want to waste my time on the troubleshooting, now it seems that there's nothing on earth that I can save my time in troubleshooting.

Reset seems to work for many but not all. I’m also among those for whom it doesn’t work. Have been considering starting fresh ( no backup) but I just saw that 14.2 beta has been released and the following is among the bug fix list.

”Apple Watch app may unexpectedly close when opened “

So I think I’ll hold off in the hopes that it will self resolve on the next update, although that could be a while.

Would be good to hear from anyone with the issue that loads 14.2 beta.

I backup to iCloud, then reset iPhone and restore from iCloud. After that I could delete and reinstall the watch app. However, I loss the data so I did a restore from local image on top of that. This time I could still delete the watch app after restore, so eventually my watch app works.

I have the exact same issue with my new Series watch 6 and an iPhone XS. I had a Series 2 previously and removed it completely first.

Let‘s hope Apple listens and fixes it with 14.2.. Resetting my iPhone each time is not a long term feasible option.

Also updated to iOS14.2 beta in hopes of a fix. App continues to crash. My Watch SE is no longer paired with my phone. Watch worked fine (after upgrading from Series 3 watch) for just over a week. Then suddenly became unpaired and watch app on phone started crashing. This needs a fix ASAP, one that does not require resetting phone/watch, restoring from backup, etc. That is an absurd fix for Apple to suggest.