There are two ways to restart an Apple Watch: the standard restart (the one that takes a few taps through the Settings menu or a button hold) and the force restart (two buttons held simultaneously for ten seconds). Both are quick. The right one depends on whether your watch is responding to touch or not.

This guide covers both methods for all current Apple Watch models, explains when to use each, and covers what to do if your watch is frozen on the Apple logo or completely unresponsive.

Key Takeaways

• Standard restart: press and hold the side button until the Power Off slider appears, then drag to turn off, then hold the side button to turn back on

• Force restart: press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously for 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears

• Never force restart during a watchOS update, a progress ring around the Apple logo means the update is still running

How to Restart Apple Watch (Standard Restart)

A standard restart works when your watch is responsive and you can interact with the screen normally. This is the method to use if you want to clear a slow app, apply a new setting, or just refresh the watch after a software update.

• Step 1: Press and hold the side button (the long button on the right side of the watch, not the Digital Crown).

• Step 2: Hold until a slider menu appears with Power Off, Medical ID, and Emergency SOS options.

• Step 3: Drag the Power Off slider to the right. The watch will turn off.

• Step 4: Once the screen is black, press and hold the side button again until the Apple logo appears. Release. The watch will boot up.

The whole process takes about 60 to 90 seconds. This works on all Apple Watch models, including Series 4 through Series 10, the SE (all generations), and all Ultra models.

How to Force Restart Apple Watch (Frozen or Unresponsive Watch)

A force restart is what you use when the watch is not responding to touch, is stuck on a screen, or won't turn off through the normal method. This bypasses the software entirely and restarts the hardware directly.

• Step 1: Simultaneously press and hold both the side button (right side) and the Digital Crown (the round knob).

• Step 2: Keep holding both buttons for at least 10 seconds. The screen may go black first. Continue holding.

• Step 3: When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.

• Step 4: The watch will restart normally from the Apple logo.

This works on all current Apple Watch models using the same button combination. The force restart does not erase any data or unpair the watch from your iPhone.

Critical note: Do not force restart your Apple Watch if you see a progress ring or spinning indicator around the Apple logo. That ring means a watchOS update is actively installing. Interrupting it can corrupt the software and require a full recovery. If the watch is in this state, wait it out.

How to Turn Off Apple Watch Without Your iPhone

You don't need your iPhone to turn off or restart your Apple Watch. The standard restart method above works independently of the paired iPhone. Just hold the side button and drag the Power Off slider.

The Apple Watch also turns itself off automatically when the battery reaches 0%, and can be turned on by holding the side button or placing it on the charger.

Restart vs. Factory Reset: Which Do You Need?

A restart (normal or force) reboots the watch software without changing any data. All your apps, settings, health data, and paired devices stay exactly as they were. Use a restart when the watch is frozen, running slowly, has a bug with a specific app, or after installing a watchOS update.

A factory reset (also called "Erase All Content and Settings") wipes the watch completely and unpairs it from your iPhone. Use a factory reset only when: you're selling or giving away the watch, you're troubleshooting a persistent problem that restarts haven't fixed, or you want to pair it with a different iPhone.

To factory reset: on the watch, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Or on iPhone, open the Watch app, go to your watch's General settings, and choose Reset.

Apple Watch Stuck on Apple Logo: What to Do

If your Apple Watch shows the Apple logo and won't progress to the watch face, it's usually one of two things: a software update that's still running (wait for it to finish), or a corrupted installation that needs recovery.

First, confirm whether there's a progress ring around the Apple logo. Ring present means the update is running; let it finish, which can take 30 minutes or more. No ring means the update likely stalled or corrupted.

For a stalled startup with no progress ring: try a force restart (side button + Digital Crown held 10 seconds). If that doesn't help, put the watch on its charger and try force restarting again. If it's still stuck, you may need to use iPhone's Watch app to restore it via Apple's recovery process, which requires a nearby iPhone and a stable Wi-Fi connection.

How Often Should You Restart Your Apple Watch?

Apple doesn't publish a recommended restart schedule, but most users find that restarting once a week prevents the gradual slowdown that accumulates from apps staying in memory. A weekly restart clears cached data, refreshes connections (particularly if Bluetooth has been acting up), and tends to resolve minor glitches before they become persistent.

A restart is also worth doing after any watchOS update, after pairing a new Bluetooth accessory, or if a specific app becomes unresponsive. The best Apple Watch apps cover a lot of use cases; many benefit from a fresh restart if they've been running continuously for weeks.

Getting More From Your Apple Watch

A functioning Apple Watch collects health data continuously: heart rate, sleep, activity rings, blood oxygen, and more. Most of that data sits in Apple Health and doesn't directly improve your day unless something reads it and acts on it.

Lifestack reads your Apple Watch health data (via Apple Health integration) and uses it to build a daily schedule around when you actually have energy. Your sleep score from last night, your resting heart rate, your activity level all feed into a plan that puts demanding tasks in high-energy windows and lighter work in lower ones. It's one of the more practical uses of the data your Apple Watch is already collecting. Read more in the Lifestack overview and see the guide on using apps with Apple Health data for a broader view of what's possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will restarting my Apple Watch delete my data?

No. A restart (normal or force) does not delete any data. Your health data, apps, settings, watch faces, and iPhone pairing all remain exactly as they were. Only a factory reset erases data.

My Apple Watch won't turn on after a force restart. What do I do?

Place it on its charger and wait at least two minutes. If the battery was fully depleted, it needs a minimum charge before the software can boot. If it still doesn't respond after charging, try the force restart again (side button + Digital Crown, 10+ seconds). If it shows a low battery icon, charge it for 15 minutes and try once more.

How do I restart Apple Watch Ultra?

The same way as all other Apple Watch models. Press and hold the side button for a standard restart, or hold both the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously for 10 seconds for a force restart. The button layout on Apple Watch Ultra is identical for restart purposes.

Can I restart Apple Watch from my iPhone?

Not directly. You can restart the watch from the watch itself (Settings > General > Shut Down, or the side button method), but the iPhone Watch app doesn't have a restart button. The iPhone is needed for factory reset and software recovery, not for routine restarts.

Should I restart my Apple Watch before or after a watchOS update?

After is generally more useful. The update process itself restarts the watch. But if the watch is behaving oddly before the update (slow, glitchy), a restart before installing can help the update apply more cleanly. After a major watchOS update, a manual restart clears any lingering cached data from the old OS version. See the productivity apps for Apple Watch guide for software recommendations that work well with the latest watchOS.