How to change your Apple Watch password or reset it if you've forgotten it

• To reset your Apple Watch's password, you can use the Watch app on your iPhone, or the device's charger.
• When you reset the passcode on your Apple Watch, you'll have to completely reset the Watch, which will erase all your data.
• If you already know your Apple Watch's password, you don't have to reset it — you can simply change the passcode.

Like all mobile devices, your Apple Watch relies on a passcode to keep your data safe from strangers. You can change or reset this passcode at any time.

If you remember your existing passcode, it's easy to change. But if you've forgotten it, then you'll need to reset the Watch, erasing all its data in the process.

Here's how to do both.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple Watch Series 5 (From $399 at Apple)

How to reset your Apple Watch's passcode

If you don't know the passcode and need to reset it, you'll have to completely reset the watch. There are two ways to do this: using your charger, or using your iPhone.

Using a charger

1. Put your watch on its charger.

2. Press and hold the side button until the Power Off message appears on the screen.

3. Press hard on "Power Off."

4. Tap "Erase all contents and settings."

5. After the process is completed, set up your Watch again as if it were new.

Using your iPhone

1. With the Apple Watch nearby, start the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

2. Tap "General" and then tap "Reset."

3. Tap "Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings" and confirm you want to do this.

4. After the process is completed, set up your Watch again as if it were new.

How to change your Apple Watch's passcode if you know the current passcode

If you remember your current passcode, you can change it without resetting your Watch.

1. On the Apple Watch, press the digital crown to display the list of apps, and tap "Settings." (If you see the apps as an array of icons in Grid View, tap the gear-shaped icon instead.)

2. Tap "Passcode."

3. Tap "Change Passcode."

4. Enter the current passcode, and then enter the new passcode you want to use. You'll need to enter it twice to confirm it.

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• How to disable Siri on your Apple Watch in 3 simple steps, so you can stop activating it accidentally

• How to activate an Apple Watch and set it up for use, with your iPhone nearby

• How to pair an Apple Watch with your iPhone using the Watch app