iPhone 13 Not Connecting to Apple Watch 7 After iOS Update? Here’s How to Fix It

If your iPhone 13 suddenly won’t pair or connect to your Apple Watch 7 after installing an iOS update, you’re not alone. This type of Bluetooth pairing issue is a common post-update glitch, but the good news is — it’s usually fixable. Here’s a complete walkthrough to get your Apple Watch and iPhone talking again.

Before You Start

Make sure these basics are covered:

Keep devices close — ideally within a few feet.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi should be turned ON for both devices.
Airplane Mode must be OFF on both.
Ensure your Apple Watch is charged (at least 50%).

1. Restart Both Devices

A simple restart can flush out glitches that came with the iOS update.

Restart iPhone 13:

Press and hold the Side button + Volume button until the power slider appears.
Drag the slider to power off.
After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button to turn it back on.

Restart Apple Watch 7:

Press and hold the Side button until you see the power slider.
Drag the slider to turn it off.
Press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears.

2. Reset Bluetooth Connection

Sometimes, just toggling Bluetooth can fix the pairing issue.

On iPhone 13:

Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Turn Bluetooth OFF, wait a few seconds, then turn it ON again.

On Apple Watch:

Open Settings > Bluetooth, toggle it OFF and then back ON.

Also try the Airplane Mode trick:

Turn Airplane Mode ON, then restart your device while it’s enabled.
After reboot, turn Airplane Mode OFF and try pairing again.

3. Remove Any Old Apple Watch Pairings

If your iPhone is confused by a previously paired watch, removing it can help.

How to do it:

Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
Go to the My Watch tab.
Tap All Watches.
Tap the (i) next to any old or inactive Apple Watch.
Tap Unpair Apple Watch.

Then reboot both devices and try pairing your Watch 7 again.

4. Reset Network Settings

A corrupted network configuration could be preventing the connection.

To reset network settings on iPhone 13:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode and confirm.

You’ll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and re-enable Bluetooth afterward.

5. Reset All Settings (If Bluetooth Still Fails)

If the problem persists, try resetting all system settings without deleting your data.

Steps:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Reset > Reset All Settings.
Confirm your passcode and wait for the phone to restart.

You’ll need to reconfigure Bluetooth and notification settings again.

6. Factory Reset (As a Last Resort)

If nothing else works, a factory reset may be necessary — but back up your data first.

On iPhone:

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

On Apple Watch:

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

Or use the Watch app on iPhone:

Go to Watch app > My Watch > General > Reset > tap Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings.

After the reset, set up your Apple Watch from scratch and try pairing again.

Still Not Pairing?

Try restoring your iPhone via iTunes or Finder using a recent backup.
Check Apple’s System Status page for Bluetooth or iCloud-related outages.
Contact Apple Support if the issue began only after the iOS update — it might be a known bug they’re working to patch.