How to reset your Apple, Samsung, Wear OS, or Fitbit smartwatch to factory settings

There are many reasons to reset your smartwatch to factory default. Perhaps the update was interrupted during the download and the amount of troubleshooting didn’t help. You may want to upgrade to a new model and give your current watch as a gift to your friends. If you forget your passcode, Apple will ask you to do it. Or maybe your smartwatch isn’t yours and is ready to sell.

Whatever the reason, it is important to erase the data from the device. Wearables are personal devices that store large amounts of sensitive data. This is especially true if you use your smartwatch primarily for health and fitness tracking. As a general precaution, if you haven’t completely thrown the towel into your smartwatch, it’s a good idea to back up your data before resetting.

Each smartwatch has a slightly different factory reset method. Here’s how to do it with some of the more popular smartwatches.

Photo by Victoria Song / Zavage

Apple watch

If you add your Apple Watch to your phone plan, the first thing you should do is disconnect it. To do that:

• Open clock The app on your iPhone.
• Tap Cellular next, Information icon Next to your plan.
• Tap delete..

This should be enough, but everyone knows what a career will be like. Apple’s support page states that you may need to contact your mobile operator to disconnect your watch. If you are planning a gift or sale by a specific date, plan accordingly so that there is no scrambling left.

To reset your Apple Watch:

• Open setting Apple Watch app.
• Move to Universal Then scroll down reset..
• select Erase all content and settings..
• Enter and confirm your passcode.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

There are multiple ways to reset your Galaxy Watch 4 from both your watch and your mobile phone. As with the Apple Watch, if you have a mobile version, you must first remove it from your plan.

To remove Galaxy Watch 4 from your mobile plan:

• Open the Galaxy Wearable app.
• Tap Clock settings..
• Scroll down and tap Mobile plan..
• Remove the clock from the plan.

Again, if you run into problems, you may need to contact your individual carrier. So don’t leave this to the end. After removing the watch, or if you only have the Bluetooth version, you can start the factory reset process.

To reset from the clock:

• Move to setting..
• Tap Universal..
• Swipe to reset.
• If you haven’t already, you can tap Backup data..
• Tap reset When If you have a passcode, please enter it.

To reset from your mobile phone:

• Open Galaxy wearable App.
• Tap Clock settingsafter that Universal..
• Scroll down and tap reset..
• Make sure to unlock and reset your Galaxy Watch 4.
• If you have a passcode, please enter it.

The Verge’s Brent Rose

Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa series

Neither the Sense series nor the Versa series have a cellular connection, so you don’t have to worry about carriers here. Another advantage is that the process is the same for all Fitbit smartwatches.

To reset your Fitbit Sense and Versa series watches:

• Open setting Clock app.
• Go to about section.
• select Factory reset..
• Confirm your choice to reset.

Photo by Dieter Bohn / The Verge

Wear an OS2 smartwatch

Most WearOS2 smartwatches do not have cellular capabilities. One exception is Fossil Gen5 LTE, which is only available to Verizon customers. You will need to check with your mobile operator to turn off the watch connection.

Otherwise, here’s how to reset your WearOS2 watch to factory default:

• Swipe down, setting Cog.
• invite system..
• Scroll down and tap either Disconnect and reset Also Unpair with phone.. (Options may vary slightly depending on the watch.)
• Make sure you reset the clock.