How to hard reset an Apple Watch?

I cant unpair the wach because it s not conected to my phone and the last owner wont respond to my messages what can i do?

I cant unpair the wach because it s not conected to my phone and the owner is still connected but we don’t talk anymore

I tried all three methods. I can get the power off button but when I hold it, the reset button never pops up. I can hit the emergency button and it calls 911. I can also hit cancel so I assume the screen still works.

I need to reset my Apple Watch but nothing works

Method #3 from the original post works great in 2024.

Method #3

1. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for 10 seconds, then release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
2. Wait a few seconds, then hold down just the side button for about 20 seconds or until the "erase all settings" prompt shows up.
3. Click the prompt, then click the green check button.

So my watch has done the same thing and I’ve tried everything, the only thing that has worked for me is:

1. hold down side button with digital crown(knob on the side)
2. Then when Apple logo appears wait about 2 seconds and hold the side button until a reset button appears
3. press reset button and wait for reset.
4. it will show one circle with completion process. When that circle is complete then another will show up with an Apple logo in the middle. (I’m still in this process right now) you should be able to pair with your phone.

Hope this helps!!

I'm sorry to hear that you're still having trouble resetting your Apple Watch Series 2. If the aforementioned methods didn't work, you may need to try force restarting your watch. Here's how:

1. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, until the Apple logo appears.

2. Release both buttons and wait for your watch to restart.

If force restarting doesn't work, you can try unpairing your Apple Watch from your iPhone. Here's how:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.

2. Tap on your Apple Watch at the top of the screen.

3. Tap on the "i" icon next to your watch.

4. Tap on "Unpair Apple Watch".

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the unpairing process.

If none of these methods work, you may need to contact Apple Support for further assistance.

I hope this helps!

I just tried it and it worked. Option 3 worked. Just keep holding the side button, j just kept holding it after I saw SOS and emergency screen eventually the reset option appears

Only method 3 worked on series 2 watches!

Thanks a lot!

What is the digital criwn

I'm trying again to reset an Apple Watch Series 2. I tried for several hours yesterday and it made slight progress before the phone got a call and ruined the connection. Apple needs to have a less time-consuming software just to get the Series 2 watch from reset to functioning. This is a watch that hasn't been used much for several years and I just want to use it for lap swimming. Instead of going from 0 to IOS 6, there ought to be a simpler update that at least lets you use the watch. This makes me not want another Apple Watch if the software for it will be impossible to update in 7 years.

The Digital Crown is the knob type button that rotates.

Thank you very, very, very, very much. If we ever cross paths, coffee or wine is on me. I have been trying for the last week to reset this watch I purchased. I put away and tonight I decided that I will give it one more try - this method works well.

Thank you!

Thanks for the advice! I will try everything!