➤ Apple Watch stuck on updating? 11 ways to fix 🕹

The latest system software updates for Apple Watch include many feature additions, security improvements and bug fixes. If you want to get the best experience from your watchOS device, you need to keep it updated.

However, Apple Watch updates are known to stop completely during the "Download", "Prepare" or "Verify" stages. When your Apple Watch gets stuck on updates, working on the solutions below is likely things will move again.

Wait up!
Check the WiFi and Bluetooth status
Check the WiFi and Bluetooth status on iPhone
Check the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings on Apple Watch
Connect Apple Watch to the charger
Hold iPhone and look within range
Force close and restart the Watch app
Delete the watchOS update file and try again
Delete the update file using the Watch app on the iPhone
Delete update file using Apple Watch
Restart iPhone and Apple Watch
Restart iPhone
Restart Apple Watch
Free up storage space on Apple Watch
Update iPhone
Update directly using Apple Watch
Reset Apple Watch
Apple Watch updated

1. Wait!

Apple Watch updates are quite small compared to those for iPhone and Mac, but they still take a ridiculously long time to complete. It is best to wait at least an hour before thinking about the worst. To avoid facing long update times, be sure to install future watchOS updates overnight.

If you are attempting to update your Apple Watch right after a major watchOS release, you will also experience very slow download speeds due to server overload. So again, staying patient helps.

2. Check the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth status

Your iPhone and Apple Watch must have access to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Otherwise, watchOS updates can hang or fail.

Check the WiFi and Bluetooth status on iPhone

Open the iPhone Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen (or from bottom to top if you're using an iPhone with Touch ID). Both icons Wi-Fi and Bluetooth they must be turned on and active. If not, turn them on.

Check the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings on Apple Watch

Press the digital crown Apple Watch and select Settings. Then, scroll down and dive into the sections Wi-Fi e Bluetooth. Make sure the switches next to Wi-Fi e Bluetooth are active.

3. Connect Apple Watch to the charger

You must connect your Apple Watch to its magnetic charger during the update process. It must also have a charge level of at least 50% or more. Otherwise, your iPhone's Watch app will not start the update.

4. Hold iPhone and look within range

Ideally, both the iPhone and the Apple Watch should be next to each other during the update process. Otherwise, communication problems between devices can cause unnecessary delays while the iPhone's Watch app downloads, prepares, or verifies the update.

5. Force close and restart the Watch app

Force quitting and restarting the Watch app on your iPhone is another way to fix a stuck watchOS update.

Start by swiping up from the bottom of the iPhone screen (or double-click the button Home on an iPhone with Touch ID) to view the App Switcher. Then, touch and hold the Clock tab and drag it to the top of the screen to force close it.

Follow by tapping the icon Watch on your iPhone Home screen to restart the Watch app. This should cause the update to pick up where it left off.

6. Delete the watchOS update file and try again

A partially downloaded and corrupted watchOS system software update file can also cause slowdowns and other problems. Deletion should force the iPhone's Watch app to re-download a fresh copy from Apple's servers.

Delete the update file using the Watch app on the iPhone
Open the app Watch iPhone and go up Generali > utilization > Software update.
Then, tap Delete to remove the watchOS update file.
Return to the screen General and touch Software update > Download and install to download the update again.
Delete update file using Apple Watch

Press the digital crown Apple Watch and tap Settings > utilization > Software update. Then, tap Delete to remove the watchOS update file.

7. Riavvia iPhone e Apple Watch

If a watchOS update keeps crashing during the “Download”, “Preparation” or “Verify” phases, try restarting your iPhone and Apple Watch. Hopefully, this should fix any minor software-related issues in both devices.

Restart iPhone

Go up Settings > Generali and select Switch off. Then, drag the icon of power on right to turn off the iPhone. Wait 30 seconds and hold the button lateral to restart the iOS device.

Restart Apple Watch

Warning: do not restart your Apple Watch if the update installation has already begun.

Press and hold the button lateral and drag the icon of power on right to turn off the Apple Watch.
Wait 30 seconds and hold the button lateral to restart the watchOS device.

8. Free up storage space on Apple Watch

Even an Apple Watch dangerously close to running out of storage can cause updates to freeze, so remove some media and apps and try again. Here is the complete guide to freeing up storage space on Apple Watch.

9. Update iPhone

The latest versions of the iPhone system software usually eliminate known bugs and system-related conflicts that prevent the device from updating the Apple Watch.

Start by going up Settings > Generali > Software update. Then, tap Download and install to apply pending iOS updates. Once your iPhone is finished updating, try updating your Apple Watch again.

10. Update directly using Apple Watch

If your Apple Watch is running watchOS 6.0 or later, you can update it directly without relying on the iPhone's Watch app.

Start by swiping up from the bottom of the Apple Watch screen to bring up Control Center. So, touch and hold pressed the icon Wi-Fi to connect to an available Wi-Fi network.

Follow this by going up Settings > Generali > Software update and wait for the Apple Watch to scan for available updates. Then, scroll down and tap Download and install.

Make sure to connect your Apple Watch to its charger for the entire update process.

11. Reset Apple Watch

Resetting your Apple Watch to factory settings is the final solution to fix any corrupt configurations or other underlying issues behind stuck wachOS updates. The procedure erases all personal data, but also creates a backup on the paired iPhone in advance.

Open the app Watch iPhone, select All watches and tap the icon Info next to your Apple Watch. Then, tap Disaccoppia Apple Watch to back up, unpair and reset your Apple Watch.

For detailed step-by-step instructions, here's the complete guide to resetting an Apple Watch. So, try a new update after reconnecting the watchOS device to your iPhone.

Apple Watch updated

Hopefully, the above fixes should have allowed you to update your Apple Watch to the latest version of watchOS.

However, if you continue to find that your Apple Watch is stuck on updates or if it crashes during the installation phase (like your Apple Watch continuously displays an Apple logo), you need to ask Apple for assistance. The best solution is to book an appointment at the nearest Genius Bar.