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Apple Watch update 10.4 stuck at Preparing

I have an ultra 2 and for the latest 10.4 update it is stuck at "preparing". I have tried the following solutions -

  1. Delete update data and download and install again.
  2. Restarting Apple watch and iPhone.
  3. Updating from watch and iPhone both.
  4. I have sufficient storage for the watch as it is 64 Gb.
  5. Watch is charged over 50% and connected to the charger as well.
  6. iPhone is updated to ios 10.4 and has all its apps updated as well.
  7. Unpair and Re-pairing my watch and phone.

Non of the solutions worked for me. Any possible solution for this?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Apple Watch Ultra 2, watchOS 10

Posted on Mar 12, 2024 12:24 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 12, 2024 5:51 AM

Have the same issue. Losing 100% charge in few hours and update stuck at preparing

106 replies

Apr 13, 2024 1:28 AM in response to devansh09

I fixed it! Had the same issue for days with the battery drain and getting stuck at preparing.


How to stop the battery drain:

on the watch app go into General > Storage and delete the update. Then go to the Software Update tab and turn off automatic updates. The drain only happens if your watch is stuck at “preparing…”


How to get the update to go through:

just keep deleting the update and starting again. It took me like 6-7 tries for it to finally work and that last try all I did was turn off wifi and Bluetooth on my phone from the settings app (not control centre) and initiating the update from the watch itself not the watch app. And it worked!

Apr 13, 2024 12:03 PM in response to devansh09

I just got off the phone w/ Apple and it works now. I had to delete some phone storage to make room for it to download the update. I offloaded apps like TikTok and instagram and deleted some message threads/photos/videos/ gifs that my message app was saving. As I deleted, the orange line would move a long and eventually it finished and let me install. Hope this helps!


Go to Settings>General>IPhone Storage to find stuff to clear up

May 15, 2024 2:20 PM in response to devansh09

Here's how I fixed mine. Not sure if every step is necessary but ultimately everything worked.

1) On iPhone "forget" the Bluetooth connection to watch, and delete the watch app as well.

2) On watch make sure it's connected to Wi-Fi

3) Put watch on charger and check for Updates. The latest update 10.5 will display and now the update can be installed from the watch.

4) Using the Settings on the watch select Reset and reset the watch

5) Install the watch app on the iPhone

6) Establish the Bluetooth connection between the watch and the phone

Lot's of steps but for the first time in what seems like months everything is working perfectly

Apr 12, 2024 2:40 PM in response to devansh09

Having the EXACT same issues. Battery drain is making my watch unusable. After multiple attempts at downloading and installing 10.4, I'm at my wit's end. My watch has been off my wrist and on my charger for almost 10+ hours today during all of my troubleshooting attempts and I've thus destroyed any fitness streaks I had going.

I've tried all of the usual suggestions:

  • Force restart of watch and iphone.
  • Deleting and re-installing the 10.4 download.
  • Unpairing and re-pairing.
  • Turning off bluetooth during download and using only wifi.

Ultimately, I made an appointment at my local Apple Store today to see if I could get some professional help working through this issue. At the store, the tech had me unpair and re-pair my phone and watch as "new." She also checked my overall watch battery health. Because I'd had the watch on my charger all day during many attempts at install of 10.4, there was no data on current performance but I have 93% battery life left. My ticket was closed and I was sent home to retry the download and install process (for the 6th/7th/100th time). I am once again stuck at "preparing" and ultimately back at square one.

May 1, 2024 1:18 PM in response to devansh09

Hey guys, not sure if you all had luck with this update. Just called Apple Support line and looks like this can be fixed by the following steps.


    1. Reboot Apple Watch by holding crown and side button (not the Action button) at the same time.
    2. Restart your iPhone too.
    3. Then on iPhone go to Watch app, General, Software Update and the WatchOS 10.4 progress bar should be moving. It should get your software on your watch by now.
    4. Then your watch will be in the update mode (showing Apple logo and a ring of progress around).


Hope this helps.

Apple Watch update 10.4 stuck at Preparing

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