If you have an Apple Watch, you have probably noticed that updating the smartwatch takes quite a long time. Fortunately, there is a trick to speed up the update process considerably. In this tip, iPhoned shows how it works.
Update Apple Watch: this is how it works
Apple regularly releases updates for watchOS, the operating system that runs on the various Apple Watch models. Although it is good that the company from Cupertino often updates the software, it is sometimes less pleasant for users to update their smartwatch. This is mainly due to the fact that the update process takes a long time, sometimes taking up to an hour.
How did that happen? Apple uses bluetooth to send the update file from your paired iPhone to your Watch. The company does this to spare the battery of the Apple Watch, but bluetooth is simply not as fast at transmitting data as Wi-Fi. If an update file is then hundreds of MBs in size, you are waiting for a long time.
Update faster
By disconnecting the Bluetooth connection between your iPhone and Apple Watch at the right time, the smartwatch is forced to use Wi-Fi for the further update process. To do this, you need to follow a number of steps, which we will go through with you below. In any case, make sure that the smartwatch is on the charger and has at least 50 percent battery.
- If you have received a watchOS update, open the Watch app on your iPhone and select ‘My Watch’;
- Then tap ‘General’ in the menu and then ‘Software update’, where – if all goes well – there is a number to indicate that a new version is available;
- Proceed by tapping on ‘Download and Install’ and the update process will begin;
- The Watch app will then start sending the update data to the smartwatch. You can see that the update has started on the bar at the top, which indicates how long the process will take;
- If you see the bar with the number of minutes remaining, it is time to disconnect the Bluetooth connection on your iPhone. To do this, go to the Settings app and switch off bluetooth there;
- When you go back to the Watch app (at ‘General> Software update’), you will see a notification indicating that you must reactivate the bluetooth connection. However, press ‘Cancel’;
- The Watch app will then see that bluetooth is not available and will use Wi-Fi to complete the update. You will see from the update bar at the top that it takes much less time to install the latest watchOS version, because a faster Wi-Fi connection is used.
- Finally, press ‘Install’ in the Watch app and let the smartwatch complete the update.
Keep in mind that if you want to update quickly, you have to go through the steps above for each watchOS in the same order. Only then can you ensure that not bluetooth, but wifi is used to carry out the update process.
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