Changed Apple ID password. Now watch wants me to enter the password but I cannot

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Changed Apple ID password. Now watch wants me to enter the password but I cannot

Watch keeps prompting Enter the password for your Apple ID [email]. There are two choices: Enter password or Cancel. If I tap Enter password I have a gray box for handwriting, and that just doesn't work for me (can even get a lower case a and I need upper/lower/numbers/symbols). On some other messages I see reference to a keyboard item in the watch app and swiping up for a keyboard, but I find nothing called keyboard on the watch or the watch app on my phone, and swiping up on the watch password entry just produces a letter l. Both the iphone 13 and watch are up to date on ios versions.

My wife was going to update her Apple ID password too, but I caught her in time. This is the kind of thing that makes me discourage people who ask about the Apple watch.

Posted on Jul 10, 2023 1:11 PM

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Answer 1

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LD150

Level 10

90,191 points

Jul 10, 2023 2:31 PM in response to bowserb

The key to easily changing your Apple ID password is to sign out of your Apple account on all your devices except the one you are using to change it.

That means unpairing your Apple Watch to sign out of your account.

You can still do that now then pair it again but in your wife's case I recommend unpairing first.

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

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Answer 2

LD150

Level 10

90,191 points

Jul 10, 2023 10:50 PM in response to bowserb

Remember that the watch will need the old password to unpair it.

in general...

Always use a memorable long password for Apple ID eg "ItrustApple100%" and

Do not use it anywhere else
Never put Apple ID password in Keychain
Use a different password for the actual email address associated with it if it is a third party email

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Answer 3

bowserb Author

Level 1

95 points

Jul 10, 2023 4:05 PM in response to LD150

Thanks, LD. It's late today, and "Unpair and erase" sounds a little destructive to take on when I have early work tomorrow. I appreciate the links and advice on sequence. I think my wife is going to just take her chances without changing her pw.

We both got notices from Zander I.D. Theft Protection that our emails and a password showed up in the dark web, but the source of the breach was unknown. Since we both got the notice, our presumption was it would have to be a site we both had accounts on. About 15 online accounts we both had with email as user name. I almost skipped Apple, since a breach there would have been big news. The other takeaway from this was to not use email as user name unless necessary.

Thanks again. I'll report back after re pairing.

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Answer 4

bowserb Author

Level 1

95 points

Jul 11, 2023 5:43 AM in response to LD150

Thanks for that helpful hint. Luckily, I save my old passwords when I change them, so I'm covered there. Your general advice has been my rule for a long time. Long day ahead. Tomorrow may be my unpair day. Worst case, the next day I'm shopping for another smart watch. :-)

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Answer 5

bowserb Author

Level 1

95 points

Jul 14, 2023 10:01 AM in response to LD150

Thanks again, LD150. Finally had enough free time to commit to the job and still allow time to rush to the Apple store if necessary. Following the step by step in the page you kindly linked to, it was quite straightforward. Only needed the new Apple ID password. As promised, it did create a backup of the watch automatically before un pairing. As with any activity of unknown duration, I had both the iPhone 13 and the watch (version 6) connected to chargers.

When finished, the watch was sitting with the prompt to pair. Everything was next next continue continue. Then a prompt to restore, and three backups were shown, the latest of which was obviously the automatic one done as part of the unpair. Restore took a few minutes, so my watch is not giving me credit for the 500 or so steps I did sans watch. Otherwise, I have to say it was painless. My wife can now comfortably change her apple ID password.

Thanks again.

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