Apple Intelligence now features Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools enhancements, seamless support for ChatGPT, and visual intelligence.
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >
You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
Download of apple watch 10.4 STOPPED during Preparing and won't advance. It is STUCK. What can I do? Can I cancel and start over?
iPhone has latest software. Watch is a Series 10XR
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Apple Watch Series 5
Having the same problem described above except my phone is an Apple 13 ProMax. Stops during "preparing" about 60% Have updated before with NO problem. How do I complete the download to install IOS 10.4 on my Apple watch? Please advise
Having the same problem described above except my phone is an Apple 13 ProMax. Stops during "preparing" about 60% Have updated before with NO problem. How do I complete the download to install IOS 10.4 on my Apple watch? Please advise
Follow these steps.
I've tried many others over the past week and have just seen a "lack-of-progress" bar and no joy. I followed *these* most excellent steps and I have joy, and 10.4 on my watch. Many thanks to the Bionic Golfer for posting them!
I have an iPhone 15 pro max running 17.4 and my Apple Watch Ultra 2 won’t update to 10.4 , basically the same issue as every else is having
I tried this method multiple times. I have a Iphone 12 Pro Max- Watch is 7 with wifi. It will not update. I have deleted the storage several times. Tried hard resets. Watch 100% charged and on the charger as well as Iphone. I give up.
The last 2 days, the watch dies quickly as if it is trying to update and can't. Very frustrating.
I have an iPhone 14Pro and an Apple Watch series 8. I have spent a lot of time on trying to fix the "preparing" issue w/o success. I think it is time for an update to fix this issue. I know I'm not alone with my frustration. Hope someone can help!
To Everyone who is having trouble with the download of Watch OS 10.4:
Apple Support states:
"Updating to watchOS 10 requires iPhone XS or later with iOS 17."
This is WRONG.
You can use several iPhone series to download Watch OS 10.4, not just iPhone Series XS.
I did it with iPhone Series XR. Others did it with Series 8 and other series.
Just RESTART (Turn OFF and then ON) your iPhone and Apple Watch.
Then use your iPhone to start the download, then put your watch on its charger.
It takes a LONG time and will APPEAR to get stuck on "Preparing the download"
Just leave it alone and let it finish the "Preparing".
Leave the room where the watch is being updated. Do NOT watch it.
It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.
During this time the sliding horizontal bar on the iPhone does NOT MOVE.
Come back after 2 hours and it will be updated. If the watch face is dark, just touch it.
Hope this helps everyone with this problem.
Tom
After I deleted the update on my iPhone in the Apple Watch app and rebooted it took about 45 minutes for the progress bar to move. It’s nearing the end. I would say just start it and don’t watch the Apple Watch update screen. By reading this forum three pages it jumped from 60% preparing to 85% preparing. Good luck and total BS we have this update troubles for what we have paid for these devices. iPhone 15pro max and Apple Watch series Ultra 2.
If you have dowloaded the software update OS 10.4, but did not install it, below is how to delete it.
Open the watch App on your iPhone.
Then tap on General.
Then scroll down to the word STORAGE and tap on it.
If you find the download Watch OS 10.4, Delete it. Do NOT delete the current OS.
Then start the download again AFTER first turning OFF and then Turning on the iPhone and watch.
The download is fairly quick, but the "Preparing" is very, very long. Don't watch it.
Just leave the watch and iPhone for about 1.5 to 2 hours.
Then come back and it should be done.
If no display on the watch, just touch the screen.
Hope this helps
I was having the exact same problem, stuck at preparing. Decided to check the phone/watch connection by downloading a new watch face... successfully. This action also seemed to unstick the update process which began to progress again immediately afterward. Maybe a coincidence but it sure didn't seem like it.
From searching the web I came across what may be a solution. I don’t remember who/where. It may have been Reddit, so thank you to the person that suggested it.
hope it works for you.
I have exactly the problem Tomac14 described. I've deleted the downloaded 10.4 and restarted watch and iPhone.
New download took 1:20 hours, sitting on preparing for about 50 minutes with no noteable progress.
Same problem for me. It doesn’t help that the initial download is taking an extreme amount of time. It doesn’t take two hours to download 758mb on my Internet.
No amount of restarting either the watch or my iPhone has kicked it into doing anything any faster.
I have tried starting the update from my iPhone and directly from the watch, neither is any faster.
Leaving the watch for two or more hours isn’t a helpful suggestion as this interferes with actually using the watch and when people have rings to fill and streaks to maintain.
This forum has a number of good suggestions for how to download Watch OS 10.4.
However, if none of these work for you, please let Apple know because this is an Apple problem.
Go to >> apple.com/feedback and leave a description of your problem.
Apple needs to know they have a problem for them to fix it.
I suggest you list it as an iPhone problem, not as a Watch problem.
Apple really needs to know about this problem.
And you can help by reporting this problem to Apple.
The more problem reports Apple gets, the more likely they are to fix it.
I have read the advice of being patient but several days later Watch 10.4 is still stuck on “Preparing”.. I use an iPhone 15pro
please can you advise ?
"Leaving the watch for two or more hours isn’t a helpful suggestion as this interferes with actually using the watch and when people have rings to fill and streaks to maintain. "
Try doing it at night.
BTW, the download went relative quickly for me. It didn't take 1.5 to 2 hours.
My problem was with the "Preparing" which looked like it was not progressing.
This is what took a long time for me and several other people.
One commenter said he said that the "preparing" looked like it was stuck.
So he just let it continue and the watch was all updated when he got up the next day.
My download of Apple watchOS 10.4 STOPPED during "preparing" and won't advance.
