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Apple Watch · iCloud Unlock

Apple Watch iCloud Unlock

A watch bought second-hand that will not pair is showing Activation Lock. We clear it from the identifier alone, on any Series 1 to 9, either Ultra, or an SE — and it stays cleared.

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Full Compatibility

Supported Apple Watch Models

Apple Watch (1st generation / Series 1)
Apple Watch Series 2
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS & Cellular)
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple Watch Series 5
Apple Watch SE (1st generation)
Apple Watch Series 6
Apple Watch Series 7
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra 2
How It Works

Why the watch will not pair

A watch takes its Activation Lock from whichever iPhone it was paired to. Set the watch up and it quietly inherits the lock belonging to that iPhone's Apple ID.

Unpair it, or wipe it, without taking the Apple ID off first, and the lock arms itself. The old owner's Apple ID is still attached, and no iPhone of yours will pair with it while that is true.

Which number do you need? A cellular watch carries an IMEI of its own. A GPS-only watch is identified by its serial instead. Either works here — put whichever one you have into the unlock page.

Where the number is written

On the watch
On the watch itself: Settings > General > About
iPhone Watch app
On the paired iPhone: Watch app > My Watch > General > About
Back of the case
Engraved on the caseback of some models
Original packaging
Printed on the barcode sticker if you kept the box
FAQ

Apple Watch iCloud Unlock — FAQ

My watch refuses to pair — why?
An Activation Lock screen means the previous owner's Apple ID is still tied to it. We break that tie at the server level, and the watch will then pair with an iPhone of yours.
Do I need the iPhone it came from?
No. The whole thing runs remotely on the watch's IMEI or serial. The iPhone it used to be paired with never comes into it.
Does a watch even have an IMEI?
A cellular model does, yes. A GPS-only model goes by its serial number instead. We can work from either.
How long does a watch take?
Usually between one and five business days, and an email lands as soon as it has gone through.
Will everything still work afterwards?
Yes. Pair it to your iPhone under your own Apple ID and carry on. Health tracking, notifications, Apple Pay and Workout all behave as they should.

Shall we look at your watch?

Send the watch's IMEI or serial number and a price comes straight back.

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