[Apple Watch] Unable to Check for Update - Not connected to the internet error

Hi. I am pairing my Apple Watch Series 5 to my iPhone running ios 14. The pairing is successful but unable to proceed with the set up because an update is needed to be downloaded first. I updated the os for watch but I keep on getting “Unable to Check for Update - Checking for a software update failed because you are not connected to the internet”. I am definitely connected to the internet.

Watch was reset to factory defaults and I am now pairing it as a new device but it fails due to the issue mentioned above.
  • I solved this issue by uninstalling the Watch app from my iphone and reloading it. After reloading the app I paired the watch to the phone and the update started loading.

  • I will say one thing today was a frustrating day trying to get the watch to pair for a few hours. Finally I have success. My fix is the same as many but it took only one try when I changed the Country and Language. I decided to use language Portuguese, and country Afghanistan. It worked. so mad I could not see straight. But success, hope it works for you. It will.

  • Apple Watch 3, iPhone 11Pro w/ iOS 14.6 - nothing works to update the watch and make it a usable device, it's basically a dud now. I've tried resetting the iPhone and trying to update the watch in different language. No dice!

Accepted Reply

Hard resetting iPhone fixed this issue.

Steps are:
  1. Press Volume Up and let go.

  2. Press Volume Down and let go.

  3. Press and hold the side button.

Note: This does not wipe any data from your phone
  • This didn't work for me.

  • Same issue here. Reset series 3 Apple Watch to factory settings and tried to pair with iPhone X on iOS 14.6 and no matter what I do, I get the not connected to internet error when I am most definitely online.

    restart, reset, reinstalling watch, changing languages, changing region- none of that worked. Very frustrating!

  • @Patcwin thanks, that worked for me

Replies

Hard resetting iPhone fixed this issue. 

Steps are:
Press Volume Up and let go.
Press Volume Down and let go.
Press and hold the side button.
Note: This does not wipe any data from your phone
Totally worked @Beem335i!
I was surprised by this, trying to pair med wife's iPhone 12 mini with my old Series 2 watch and getting the error message. Did as you said and it worked without the error message coming at all.

Thanks!
Just adding my experience - tried everything including resetting phone/watch + signing out of icloud etc.

The solution for me was changing region to Canada on the watch (kept language on English) and update worked immediately.
It’s the same thing.. I brought a Apple Watch series 1 and when I first Ed installed the update, it started working.. but when I closed out the app it showed me “ unable to check for updates “ I tried every method and it still hasn’t work😡 Please help me @Apple
Recently bought a brand new watch. Went to pair it and when it went to update it said that it wasn't connected to the internet. Spent hours and a few days trying to fix it but no luck. Finally tried something that I knew worked when I had issues connecting smart devices in my home. Make sure your phone is connected to a 2.4ghz network. The phone will most likely connect to to a 5ghz or lte network etc. On my router I have to seperate the 2.4 and 5 GHZ networks to do this. The phone can connect to 5GHZ but apparently not the watch.
Nothing worked for me so far... tried following options...
  • hard resetting iphone

  • hard resetting apple watch

  • switching to mobile internet instead of wifi

  • switching to 2.5 ghz wifi from 5 ghz wifi

  • changing region to Canada/English (correct for my app store account and physical location)

device details: watch 4 with iphone xr running 14.4
AmartinV's method works

Thank you so much!
I own Apple Watch Series 1 and I tried all the above solutions for 2 days and nothing worked for me.

Below are the steps that worked for me, I hope it helps someone!

Please note: My problem started when I Erased all my settings and contents on the Apple watch, when I started to connect my watch to new phone then this problem arisen.
  1. Made sure my Iphone is up to date with all the latest software updates

  2. Sign out of the ICloud account on your Iphone

  3. Hard refresh the Iphone --> Pressing Volume UP button once, down button once and holding the power button until the phone is turned off.

  4. Delete the Watch app from Iphone

  5. Hard Refresh the Iphone again

  6. Hard refresh the Watch

  7. Install the Watch app again

  8. Then tried to pair the watch with the Phone worked, it started downloading new update.

Hope this helps someone! Good Luck
  • Wow wow wow!!! This worked for my watch!! I spent 2 months trying to find a solution. I found 3 other old phones to see if it could update and sync my watch. No go and gave up. I decided to try again and got apple support involved. Failed. I somehow found this forum and gave it one more shot! Thank you SO much for posting this! I now have a working watch again and don’t have to spend money for another! I can’t believe how simple this was.

Add a Comment
I tried all the methods mentioned here. Nothing worked for me. Then I tried with "setup watch for a family member" option. Then the update worked and installed to phone. After that, when the app prompted to login in with family member apple ID. I gone back to choose set-up for myself option. Then app notified it will reset watch, I clicked ok. Then turn off and turn on the watch and do the usual pairing method. It will work.

I think this error is due to some records/data of previous watch is still there with your account.

So the trick is this, try to update and install new os in watch with "pair for family member" option. Then exit the setup and pair it with 'setup for myself option'
I changed the region on the Apple Watch at the manual set up stage (after reset everything on the Apple Watch) to Antarctica and it worked....
I have same problem and nothing worked me. Watch Series 5 GPS. How do i return this peace of S to Apple?
@Beem335i I tried their steps 2 times without success - including forgetting my Wifi to reset it.

On the 3rd try, I turned of my Wifi before pairing and left only LTE Data on (Apple watch won't be able to download the update by LTE). Once in pairing, the "Checking for Updates..." screen populates but nothing is happening as the WiFi is still turned off. Go ahead and turn your WiFi back on your phone, and then it picked up the update and FINALLY my apple watch and phone are paired. Took me 1 hour to troubleshoot this
Not going to suggest my method of fixing it is universal given how many different solutions are in this thread, but I fixed it by signing into appleid.apple.com and removing the device from my account. It failed to find the update the next time, but after ~3 more retries it eventually worked. Godspeed.
I’m having the same issue and nothing works, I even talked with apple about it and they can’t fix it either. It’s such a irritating little issue that stops you from pairing/using the watch.
"Not going to suggest my method of fixing it is universal given how many different solutions are in this thread, but I fixed it by signing into appleid.apple.com and removing the device from my account. It failed to find the update the next time, but after ~3 more retries it eventually worked. Godspeed." by ron.c

I'm in Italy, and i have same problem; but i test this way suggested by ron.c and then it work for me !!!
  1. signing into appleid.apple.com and removing the device from your account;

  2. after 3 retries the update will work !!!

Thanks Man !!!




  • Thank you! Like many on this thread I tried it ALL and this is the only solution that worked. Try this people!!!

Add a Comment