Can I pair watchOS 6.0 with iOS 14?

I had the same problem, and the only solution I could find was:

• Pair watch with a device running iOS 13—either another test device, which I had thankfully, or revert your current device and start from there)

• Install the watchOS 7 beta profile to the watch—the order of this step is important, the watch won't be able to update to 7 but you need the profile on there, I think that's what's causing the problem

• Make sure watchOS has restarted and the profile is actually installed on the watch

• Update the paired device to iOS 14 beta

• Update the watch to watchOS 7 beta

• If you downgraded your main device for this, you can end here, otherwise unpair the watch and re-pair it to your main device

I've filed a bug report about this. If it's not possible to add a new watch to an iOS 14 Beta device, it should be in the release notes.

This issue is still happening. I have an iPhone X running on latest beta release and it's been a while I used my Apple Watch 4 series. When tried to pair the watch, I was not able to proceed further to pair as I see "Unable to Check for Update" error screen with Start over and try again options.
Do we have a tracking ticket for this bug?

The reason you can’t add a watch is because the beta only focuses on the phone only and adding a watch isn’t supported at this time. The only way to help you is to find a older iPhone with iOS 13 on it and set it up on there with the same Apple id

Not sure if this will work for everyone or if I just lucked out. I was in the same situation, here's what I had to do get it to update.

1. unpair your apple watch.

2. Go to beta.apple.com and download the beta Watch OS7 on your phone. It will fail but that's okay, it needs an apple watch to be paired.

3. Once it fails, go to the watch App on your phone and pair the watch.

4. It should allow you update to the OS 6.X.X

Hopefully this helps. I want to say, when you try to download OS7, it erases the previous updates, so you get a clean slate next time you pair the watch.

Hi,

I was able to get it to work by following these steps:

1) pair Watch with another spare iPhone running iOS 13.
2) update Watch to latest stable release( mine was updated to 6.2.8)
3) unpair.
4) pair manually to iOS 14 device ( I had issues pairing with the normal method) by clicking on the i when the image appears on the watch and also click on pair manually on the iPhone.
5) setup as new

this is what worked for me.

I uninstalled beta iPhone very and updated to iOS14 public release. The watch won’t update manually, or pair or pair to my phone. So this is not just a beta bug.

My watch is a brick at this point. Super frustrating.

Having the same issue senior apple tech advisor said I had to pay $300 and send my watch in 😭

This happened to me, Im very frustrated.

I have an Apple Watch Series 2 and iPhone 11 Pro running iOS14. I'm stuck in the pair/unpair and cannot update because of internet loop. I'm not sure if I have any other options! I'm bummed!

You may find the answer by trying to turn off your device, when the power off option appears you should long press on the display until the erase option appears. choose "yes" connect to charging and continue the process. This will erase your device to factory settings. Turn on and start the pari process. After you paired again, restore from the back up in Watch app from your iPhone. I solved this way to an apple watch series 2. Hope it helps.

Tried again after this iOS 14.0.1 update still having the same issue. This is ridiculous and I’m sad that I no longer can use my Apple Watch Series 4

I have the same issue but with a serious 1 (yes it’s very old). Will update if I find a solution.

@KRYP2NITE There is a bug with trying to update your apple watch with IOS 14 or IOS 13 it will not let you. I had to get a phone with IOS12 or below (I used my old iPhone 6 plus which is at IOS 12.4.8) and it worked perfectly fine updating my Moms Apple Watch Series 3! Hope this works for you.

Thanks
Samuel Moorman

Sorry @KYRP2NITE after you get it update disconnect the Apple Watch from the old device and pair it with your phone.

Thanks!
Samuel Moorman

I have the same issue with a brand new apple watch series 5 and iOS 14.0.1. I got error “Unable to Check for update, your phone is not connected to the internet.” It’s just infinite loop from there. 

I tried using iphone 6s and 8, both are running newest iOS 14.0.1 and I got the same error. I don’t have other iphone running older iOS. 

So after 6 hours of trying different things I finally got my S1 watch paired on iOS 14. Tried it once, then unpaired and tried a second time with another phone which was not working. Both times it worked successfully. My steps:

Absolutely imperative to be on a 2.4 ghz network. I use multiple ubiquiti access points through my home. Had to make sure the 5ghz band was completely shut off and reset both access points. Then I reset the network settings on the phone and rebooted the watch. The first time pairing I clicked the pair button that pops up when the watch is near and got the no network connection loop. I then reboot the phone again and go into the watch app (do not click the watch pair now that pops up). Open the watch app and hit pair. After these steps the update showed up and updated and paired with the watch successfully.

I then unpaired and tried on my wife’s se 2020. Same steps with resetting the network settings then I clicked the watch prompt that automatically appears and got an automatic unpair right away. Rebooted the phone and opened the phone app manually and paired successfully.

I’ve tried this twice and it’s finally worked both times. Hopefully this helps some people.

I fixed it but I needed to borrow my friend’s iphone with iOS 13. After doing pair -> setup -> unpair on my friend’s iphone, I could finally paired and updated the watchOS from my iPhone iOS 14.

Or maybe Apple finally fixed it on their server end though. Either way I’m glad I can finally use it.

@Jef1013

Thanks, your Solution worked for me as well.

@Harm42
Thanks a lot, your solution worked on my S2 watch + iPhone 6S with iOS 14.0.1.

Worth mentioning the 2.4 ghz network + network reset made all the difference, I had tried this method before with a 5ghz network and nothing changed, so do try that if you're having this problem. I was almost giving up after hours trying solutions to update, couldn't even believe it when I saw it finally downloading...

Had this issue with my new series 5 watch (apple care plus replacement for damage) and my iphone 11pro running ios 14.0.1.

Issue was that my wifi at home is dual band and 5ghz is automatically used 99% of the time. After doing some network changes with the router and splitting the band temporarily to include 2.4ghz, everything downloaded, updated and functioned normally.

It's 2020. You'd think Apple would have 5ghz support for the watch by now...

Anyways thanks to this forum I was able to solve. Very grateful.

@Harm42
Thanks a lot for the solution! It finally starts to download the update...

with 2.4G Wifi and internet reset now it's fininally working

Hi all,

First of all. IOS 14.1 and WatchOS 6 (6.2.8) are compatible (I'm using Apple Watch Series 2). If you are having problem you can try the following steps.

Issue : You are getting an error message saying "Unable to Check for Update" after you pair your Apple Watch.

1. You have "Start Over" the process and keeps getting the same error.

2. Try to pair your watch use different iPhone (Doesn't matter if its running IOS 14.1 or 13.x). In my situation I'm using IOS 14.1

3. You should get an update message saying that you can update your WatchOS to ver 6.2.8. Do the update and let the Watch complete the update process.

4. After the reboot, you can perform another reset on your Watch by keep pressing the watch screen for a few seconds.

5. Pair the watch with your original phone.

Note: I'm using a combine 2.4 and 5 Ghz and still able to update. However feel free to try using 2.4 Ghz Wi-Fi only. If you have a combine 2.4 and 5Ghz Wi-Fi like me and can't disable the 5Ghz, you can use Windows 10 Wi-Fi hotspot options where you can lock the signal to 2.4Ghz only.

Hope this helps.

I also experienced this problem with an Apple Watch Series 4 that I have purchased for my daughter for Family Setup. I have two iPhones 11 Pro Max at home, being mine on 14.5 Beta 8 and my wife's at 14.4.2. None of the iPhones would find an update for the watch with the same error everybody on this thread experienced. I was trying to pair it on a Family Setup with both iPhones. When I decided to try to set it up as a my personal watch, the update was found and started downloading. It seems the watch was on a version prior to 6.3, as this is the update that is downloading at this moment. I'll update this post once the watch is fully setup.

Man I tried everything on this page and I still get the dreaded need software update but then there’s no update. I have a series 2 Nike watch and iPhone 12 running 14.6.

rebooted both devices, changed network to 2.4, reset settings, wiped watch clean, paired in all the different ways, removed all other Bluetooth devices from my phone…. Nothing is works. Even went and tried on wife’s iPhone 6+ and got same problem.