Typically, your Samsung Galaxy Watch should connect to your Android phone or iPhone without any issue. But if it’s stuck on the pairing screen, or it can’t connect with your phone, here we detail various ways to fix a Samsung Galaxy Watch not connecting to an Android phone or iPhone issue.
1. Connect Galaxy Watch to Android or iPhone Properly
The first fix is to follow the right steps to connect the watch and your mobile. If you have a completely new watch, open the Galaxy app (Android, iOS) on your phone.
You will see a screen asking you to select your watch model, with on-screen instructions that follow. Your mobile device may ask you to enable Bluetooth on your phone. After you allow that, wait for the watch to connect with your mobile phone.
If, however, you have already set up the watch, yet it is not connecting or you are stuck on the pairing screen, the following methods will help.
2. Restart Phone and Watch
Begin by restarting your mobile phone and Galaxy Watch. To restart your watch, press and hold the Home/Power/Apps button on your watch. Tap on Power off from a list of options. Once the watch turns off, press and hold the same button until you see the logo on the screen to turn it on again.
3. Enable Bluetooth
Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both your phone and your watch. If it’s turned off on even one device, you will face connectivity issues. To enable Bluetooth:
- On Android, go to “Settings -> Connections -> Bluetooth” and turn the toggle on. You can also enable it from Quick settings.
- On iPhone, go to “Settings -> Bluetooth” and turn the toggle on. It can also be enabled in the Control Center.
- On your watch, go to “Settings -> Connections -> Bluetooth.” Make sure the Bluetooth toggle is on.
Once Bluetooth is enabled on both devices, keep the phone and watch within the Bluetooth connecting range (32 feet).
4. Check Battery Level
If you are facing syncing issues between the phone and watch, it could be due to a low battery on either your phone or watch. Samsung recommends having more than 25 percent battery life on phone and watch. Similarly, check to be sure low or battery-saving mode is is turned off on your phone or watch.
5. Update Galaxy Wearable App
Often the issue is with the old version of the Galaxy Wearable app. To update it, open the Google Play store (Android) or App Store (iPhone). Search for the Galaxy Wearable app. Hit the Update button if available. Restart the phone and try connecting the phone and watch.
6. Update Phone and Watch
Similar to the app, your phone and watch software must also be updated to the latest version for proper functioning. Here’s how to install the OS updates:
- On Android, go to “Settings -> Software update -> Download” and install. Alternatively, go to “Settings -> About -> Software update.”
- On iPhone, go to “Settings -> General -> Software update.”
- For Galaxy Watch, open the Galaxy Wearable app on the connected phone. Scroll down in the app and tap on “Watch Software update -> Download” and install.
7. Check Phone’s System Language
Some Galaxy Watch users suggest keeping English as the phone’s default language during the first pairing i with the watch. To change the phone’s language on Android, go to “Settings -> General Management (System) -> Language” and choose English. On iPhone, go to “Settings -> General -> Language & Region -> iPhone language” and select English.
8. Clear Cache for Galaxy Wearable App (Android Only)
On Android phones, you can try clearing the Galaxy wearable’s cache to fix the watch not connecting to a phone issue. To do so, go to “Settings -> Apps -> Galaxy Wearable app -> Storage.” Hit the “Clear cache” button and restart the phone.
9. Disconnect Phone and Watch
Refreshing the connection between your phone and Galaxy watch will also help fix the issue of not connecting. To do so, you will have to disconnect them from each other and connect again.
For that, open the Galaxy Wearable app and tap on the three-bar icon at the top. Select Disconnect. If it’s showing Connect, then the watch is already disconnected. Tap on Connect to make the connection.
If you disconnected the watch from the phone, restart both of them. Open the Galaxy Wearable app again and hit the Connect button on the home screen.
10. Connect to a New Phone
If your Galaxy Watch was previously connected to a different phone, the normal method of connecting it to your new phone won’t work. You will have to use the “Connect to a new phone” feature on your watch.
To do so, go to Settings on your Galaxy Watch. Scroll to the end and tap on Connect to new phone. That will reset your watch. Then follow method 1 above to connect the phone and watch.
11. Re-pair Watch
Sometimes unpairing the watch from Bluetooth helps. To do so on Android, go to “Settings -> Connections -> Bluetooth.” Tap on the Settings icon next to Galaxy Watch and hit the Unpair button, then pair them again using the Wearable app.
On iPhone, go to “Settings -> Bluetooth.” Tap on the (i) icon next to Galaxy Watch and hit the Forget this device option, then repair the two devices again.
12. Re-install App and Plugins
You should also try re-installing the Galaxy Wearable app and the plugins that you have downloaded. Before you do so, be sure to uninstall them.
13. Reset Watch
Lastly, if nothing works, you should reset the watch. For that, open Settings on your Galaxy Watch and go to “General -> Reset.” After resetting, connect the phone and watch as shown in method 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Pair a Galaxy Watch to Two Phones?
You can only connect one Galaxy Watch to one mobile phone at a time. You will have to disconnect it from one phone to connect with the second. However, you can use multiple watches with the same phone.
2. Can You Use a Galaxy Watch Without a Phone?
Yes, you can use a Galaxy Watch without pairing it to a mobile device. You will get the option for the same on the initial setup screen.
3. Can a Galaxy Watch Connect to Wi-Fi without a Phone?
Yes, your Galaxy Watch can make remote connections to Wi-Fi. That will come in handy in receiving notifications on your watch when it’s not connected to your phone via Bluetooth.
We hope one of the above solutions helped you fix the Galaxy Watch not connecting to the phone issue. If the issue persists and you are thinking of buying another smartwatch, find out the differences between Fitbit and Apple Watch.
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