To remove your Apple Watch location from being tracked via Find My, you need to unpair it from your iPhone. This process automatically removes Activation Lock.
Here's a breakdown of how to unpair your Apple Watch:
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Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together as you unpair them.
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Unpair from your iPhone:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap the "My Watch" tab.
- Tap "All Watches" at the top of the screen.
- Tap the info button (i icon) next to the watch you want to unpair.
- Tap "Unpair Apple Watch".
- If you have a cellular model, choose whether to keep or remove your cellular plan.
- If you plan to pair your watch with a new iPhone, keep your plan.
- If you don't plan to pair your watch with a new iPhone, remove your plan. You'll need to contact your carrier to cancel the subscription.
- You may need to enter your Apple ID password to disable Activation Lock.
- Tap "Unpair [Your Apple Watch Name]".
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Your iPhone will create a backup of your Apple Watch. You can use this to restore your watch onto another Apple Watch in the future.
What happens when you unpair?
- The Apple Watch is removed from your Apple ID.
- Activation Lock is disabled. This allows someone else to activate and use the watch.
- All content and settings are erased from the Apple Watch. It essentially returns to its factory settings.
Important Considerations:
- Unpairing will erase all data from your Apple Watch, so ensure you have a recent backup if you need to restore it later.
- If you can't access your iPhone, you can erase the Apple Watch directly from the watch itself (Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings). However, this might not remove Activation Lock if you haven't unpaired it through your iPhone first.
By unpairing your Apple Watch, you effectively remove its location from being tracked through Find My and prepare it for a new user or a fresh start.
