You’ll need the latest update if you want to enjoy everything your Apple Watch has to offer. Unfortunately, sometimes these smartwatches can stall during the update, leaving them stuck on verifying. As it turns out, this is a common problem with a fairly simple solution. Here’s how to update your Apple Watch the right way and avoid getting stuck on the verifying screen.
Apple Watch: Update stuck on Verifying fix 2021
According to Apple support, the Apple Watch may get stuck on verifying if certain steps aren’t taken prior to updating. These include making sure the device has an adequate charge and a secure connection to the host iPhone. Otherwise, you can fix an Apple Watch that’s stuck verifying by retrying the update.
First things first: Before you update your Apple Watch, you need to make sure it’s actually ready for an update. These steps may seem obvious, but they’re worth outlining anyway:
- Make sure your iPhone has been updated with the latest version of iOS
- Restart both devices, just to be safe
- Check that the Apple Watch has at least a 50% charge, then connect it to its charger
- Ensure that your iPhone is connected to the internet via Wi-Fi
- Finally, keep the Apple Watch in close proximity to the iPhone to ensure a stable connection
Based on user reports, the Apple Watch will often get stuck verifying based on the first required step. Older versions of the watch rely on the iPhone to update, and if the phone’s version of iOS is out of date, the Apple Watch update could get stuck.
The same holds true if the iPhone doesn’t have a stable connection to Wi-Fi or the Apple Watch. The two need to be able to communicate in order for the phone to download the update required by the watch. Double check that all of the connections are working as intended. Thankfully, this isn’t a requirement for devices running watchOS 6 or later.
If you followed all the right steps and your Apple Watch is still stuck verifying the update, Apple Support recommends restarting again from the top. Make sure the devices can communicate, close the Watch app, then try to reinstall the update. This time things should go more smoothly. If not, you’ll want to contact Apple Support directly.
