HT204641: Update the software on your Apple Watch

Learn about Update the software on your Apple Watch
tmartin14

Q: Apple Watch is stuck on Downloading to Watch...

I'm trying to update my watch after updating my iPhone to iOS10.    The watch just stops at "Downloading to Watch..." and never gets any further.   I've restarted the phone and the watch a few times, freed up space on the phone (1.5GB free), but nothing seems to make it work.  

 

Any suggestions?

Apple Watch, watchOS 3

Posted on Sep 14, 2016 6:49 AM

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Q: Apple Watch is stuck on Downloading to Watch...

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Jonathan UK,Solvedanswer

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 14, 2016 7:14 AM in response to tmartin14
    Level 7 (34,609 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 14, 2016 7:14 AM in response to tmartin14

    You may need to scroll back up on the screen to see the progress bar.

     

    It may take up to a few hours to complete.

  • by KiltedTim,Helpful

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Sep 14, 2016 7:15 AM in response to tmartin14
    Level 9 (55,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 7:15 AM in response to tmartin14

    It took over 3 hours for mine to update last night and even longer for my wife's (not sure how long for hers, somewhere between 2 and 7 hours as we just let it run when we went to bed).

    Be patient. Given the load on the servers in the first few days of release, and the size of the update, which must be downloaded to your phone then transferred to the watch via bluetooth, it's going to be slow. Might just want to start it before you go to sleep and check it in the morning.

  • by tmartin14,

    tmartin14 tmartin14 Sep 14, 2016 7:16 AM in response to KiltedTim
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 14, 2016 7:16 AM in response to KiltedTim

    Yikes!     I hadn't noticed the progress bar that says "About 3 hours remaining".   Well, it's already been 3 hours so it looks like this process is going to take at least 6 hours to complete.   Ugh.   

     

    Hopefully it continues to work if I use my phone today otherwise I'll try it tonight.  THANKS!!!

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Sep 14, 2016 8:05 AM in response to tmartin14
    Level 9 (55,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 14, 2016 8:05 AM in response to tmartin14

    You should be able to keep using your phone, just make sure you don't wander out of bluetooth range with it.