Q: how do I unpair my lost apple watch?

Hi

Follow the instructions in the following article under "Mark your lost or stolen device as missing" > "Turn on Mark as Missing from your paired iPhone".

About Activation Lock on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

This will unpair your lost watch from your iPhone, whilst also preventing anyone else from using it.

To pair your replacement watch, follow the standard setup instructions, which may include the option to restore your new watch from a backup of your old one (if a backup exists):

Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support 

On your iPhone, in the Watch app, go to: My Watch (tab) > if it is still shown at the top of the screen, tap on the name of the lost the watch > on the next screen, tap on the "i" icon to the right hand side of the lost watch's name:

- On the following screen: if you see a button with the title Mark as Missing, then Activation Lock was enabled for your lost watch > tap on Mark as Missing.

In that case, Activation Lock was not enabled on your watch.

If only Unpair Apple Watch is shown on that screen, try tapping on that instead (even though the lost watch is not to hand).

Hi,

This is a user to user community.

You can direct help from Apple on Twitter:   @AppleSupport

MCabahug wrote:

 

Unfortunately, that's when I get the message, "Update software on your paired watch" (See first post).  Any other ideas?

That is not what you described previously. Your earlier post stated that you instead saw that message after tapping on "Pair a new Apple Watch":

MCabahug wrote:

 

I don's find that option. I see only "Pair a new Apple Watch" but when I try that it asks me to update the software on the lost watch. 

Check that you are following the steps described in my earlier reply for reaching the screen where either Mark as Missing or Unpair Apple Watch would normally be shown (assuming that your iPhone still believes it is paired with the lost watch).