Apple Watch Backup and Restore

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Level 1

33 points

Apple Watch Backup and Restore

Hi,

I just got a new Watch series 3 to replace my original Watch and want to make sure that when I Pair my new series 3 it has all my Health and Activity data on it.

However although I've done a manual encrypted backup of my iPhone 3 times today when I look in Watch App on iPhone it says my last backup was 29/06/2017, with previous backups prior to that. In other words it does not show today's backup, or indeed any backup from after June 2017.

As a bit of additional information... I had reason to Reset and Restore my old original Watch just last week, and it Restored fine, with all Health and Activity data right up-to-date, so I'm a bit perplexed as to how it did that with no Watch backups showing after June 2017?!

Apple Watch

Posted on Feb 28, 2018 6:09 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jonathan UK

Level 10

163,775 points

Feb 28, 2018 6:39 AM in response to Ghostgirll

Hi

Historic Health and Activity data is stored on your paired iPhone, not on your Apple Watch.

Follow the instructions here to pair and set up your new Apple Watch, if desired including selecting to Restore from Backup during setup in order to restore other content and settings (such as installed apps, Home screen layout, etc) to it from your current watch, having first unpaired your current watch by following the instructions in the second article linked below:

However, even if you choose to set your new Apple Watch up as a new watch and/or if you set it up as a second paired watch, without unpairing your original one, your historic Health and Activity data will still be retained on your iPhone:

Use more than one Apple Watch with your iPhone - Apple Support

If you do not wish to keep your original Apple Watch, then, when unpairing it, be sure to do so via the Watch app (as detailed in the article linked above) whilst your iPhone and Apple Watch are connected via Bluetooth. This will make a fresh backup of your watch on your iPhone before erasing your watch and removing Activation Lock, leaving it ready for a new user to set up and use as their own:

About Activation Lock on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Jonathan UK

Level 10

163,775 points

Feb 28, 2018 6:38 AM in response to Ghostgirll

Yes - as the following support article explains, if you have more than one Apple Watch paired to your iPhone, then Activity data for the current day will be updated between them automatically when switching watches. See under the heading "Switch between watches":

Use more than one Apple Watch with your iPhone - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Ghostgirll Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 28, 2018 6:32 AM in response to Jonathan UK

Thanks!

So just to be clear, if old watch is NOT unpaired before adding series 3 "as new watch" will both then be up-to-date as far as Acivity data is concerned, and will either watch - depending on which I'm wearing - continue to collect data to use in the Activity app?

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