How to Force Restart Apple Watch (2024)

Whenever I find my Apple Watch misbehaving, the one reliable trick that I never fail to try is the hard reset aka force restart. Give credit to where it’s due, more often than not, this handy troubleshooter allows me to resolve the issue. That’s the reason why I think everyone should know how to force restart Apple Watch. Let me show you how it’s done the quick way.

How to Securely Hard Reset Your Apple Watch

Irrespective of which Apple Watch model you have, you would be glad to know that the steps for hard resetting the watchOS device are the same for all models. So, whether you are still using the original Apple Watch or rocking the brand-new Apple Watch 7, you need to follow the same process.

Step 1. Press and hold the Side button and the Digital Crown at once.

Step 2. Make sure to hold down both buttons until the screen goes black and the Apple logo pops up on the screen.

Force restart Apple Watch

That’s pretty much done! So, that’s the quick way you can force restart your watchOS device. Apart from letting you troubleshoot several common Apple Watch problems, this hack can also let you clear some lightweight cache. Therefore, make sure to try it out as and when the need arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1. Is it ok to force restart Apple Watch?

You should consider “Force restart” as a last resort. Times when your Apple Watch is frozen or not responding to the touch, force restart aka hard reset comes into play.

Q 2. Will I lose data if I restart my Apple Watch?

No. A force restart or a simple restart doesn’t delete any data. What makes it so effective is the ability to get rid of all temporary/corrupted files and re-index the file system which results in eliminating annoying issues.

Q 3. Does restarting Apple Watch help battery?

Yes, it does. By deleting temporary and corrupted files, “Restarting” helps Apple Watch run smoothly and also fixes random glitches, which play a vital role in boosting battery life.

Q 4. How long does it take to force restart Apple Watch?

Force restarting Apple Watch takes up to 10 seconds.

Q 5. Why will my Apple Watch not turn on?

If your Apple Watch doesn’t turn on, ensure that the smartwatch is not dead or facing charging issues. Besides, you should also make sure that the watch is not stuck on battery reserve or theater mode.

Q 6. Why is my Apple Watch suddenly dying so fast?

Make sure all the power-hungry features like background refresh and location services are disabled. Since outdated apps also tend to eat into battery life and also make the watch sluggish, be sure to update all apps.

Read more: Access iCloud Data on Web When Advanced Data Protection is Enabled

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Rajesh Mishra

Co-founder/Editor-in-Chief: Rajesh Mishra (Your beloved “R.K” 360 Reader Voice) is a Shakespearean poet at heart who turned a tech nerd while having a secret rendezvous with iPhone 4. When that rendezvous turned obsession, he let go of his hard-core political journalism in favour of the lifelong love-affair with technology. In a career spanning one and a half decades, Mr. Mishra has crafted over 8K articles and around 2K YouTube videos. He is probably the only journalist alive with this unique achievement. When he is not at his desk, you may find him either engrossed in a Deathmatch or chasing Wordsworth!

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