How to factory reset your Wear OS smartwatch

If you’re having problems with or are getting rid of your Wear OS smartwatch, there’s one key thing you should know — how to factory reset your Wear OS watch. This process will restore your wearable to its factory settings in order to eliminate any software issues or prepare it for a new owner. Also, if you get a new smartphone, factory resetting your watch is the only way to pair it to your new phone. In this brief tutorial, we’ll walk you through the process.

What you should know before resetting

A Google Pixel Watch hangs from a stationary bike displaying the Classic watch face.

There are a few things you should know before you factory reset your watch, though. For one, all the data on your wearable will be erased, including any music you may have loaded, personal info, and the apps you have installed. Data that is synced with Google’s servers, like a list of your purchases or Google Fit into, will remain on your Google account. Factory resetting your watch will also rid the device of any customizations or preferences.

How to factory reset your Google Pixel Watch

Press the Crown button to bring up the apps screen.
Tap Settings > System > Disconnect & Reset.
Hit the Checkmark to confirm.

How to factory reset your Wear OS 3 watch

This method is applicable for watches that have received their Wear OS 3 upgrade, like Fossil’s Gen 6 smartwatches or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4 series:

Swipe down from the top of your watch’s screen and select Settings > General > Reset.
Tap Reset to confirm. On some devices, you may be asked to enter your PIN to proceed.

How to factory reset your Wear OS 2 watch

This method is applicable for Wear OS 2 watches like the Fossil Gen 5, Skagen Falster 2, and more:

Wake the watch by either tapping its primary button or the display.
Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Settings icon. Navigate to System and tap it.
Scroll down until you see Disconnect & reset. Tap it. This option may also appear as Unpair with phone.
To initiate the factory reset, confirm that you’d like to unpair your phone by tapping the tick.

The watch should take a few minutes to reset, but once this process is complete you’re free to reconnect it to a smartphone.

Remember to uninstall any watch face apps or the Wear app on your smartphone, too. Resetting your Wear OS smartwatch will not delete the apps you’ve installed on your smartphone. You’ll need to do this if you’re jumping to a new platform.

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