When the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) stops syncing with the iPhone, the first thing to check is the connection itself, and Apple's page on a watch that is not connected or paired lists the checks. On the iPhone, make sure Airplane Mode is off and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on; on the watch, check that Airplane Mode is off and that the red iPhone icon, which means no connection, is not showing at the top of the watch face. Bring the two close together. Restart both devices, since a stale Bluetooth link is the commonest cause. Then check Watch app, My Watch, that the watch is listed and connected. If activity, messages or heart-rate data are missing, give it a few minutes after reconnecting.
If it still will not sync, unpair and pair again, which Apple's pages describe, with a backup first. Syncing of Health and Activity data also depends on settings in the Health app, and on iCloud Health being on if you want the data on other devices. If messages or notifications reach the iPhone but not the watch, check that the watch is on your wrist and unlocked, since the iPhone sends alerts to the watch only when it is worn and unlocked and the iPhone screen is off. If the problem is limited to one app, open that app's page in the Watch app, My Watch, and check that it is set to show on the watch and that its notifications are allowed.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple Watch SE (2nd generation) will not sync activity or data”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Airplane Mode on one device
What separates it The red iPhone icon shows
How to confirm Turn Airplane Mode off on both
- 2
Bluetooth or Wi-Fi off on the iPhone
What separates it The watch cannot connect
How to confirm Turn them on
- 3
A stale Bluetooth link
What separates it Connection drops after days
How to confirm Restart both devices
- 4
Distance or interference
What separates it The watch loses the iPhone
How to confirm Bring them closer
- 5
A pairing fault
What separates it The watch is not listed
How to confirm Unpair and pair again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the red iPhone icon shows
- Airplane Mode on each device
- Whether the iPhone is on iOS that supports the watch
- When it stopped
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedLook for the red iPhone icon
ReversibleAt the top of the watch face.
Turn Airplane Mode off
ReversibleOn both devices.
Turn Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on
ReversibleOn the iPhone.
Restart both devices
ReversibleThen wait.
Check the Watch app
ReversibleMy Watch should show the watch connected.
Unpair and pair again
ReversibleIf nothing works.
Check wrist detection and the passcode
ReversibleNotifications reach the watch only when it is on your wrist and unlocked, so confirm Wrist Detection is on in the Watch app, Passcode.
Check iCloud Health
ReversibleOn the iPhone, Settings, your name, iCloud, make sure Health is on if you expect data on more than one device.
Wait a few minutes after reconnecting
ReversibleLarge backlogs of data can take several minutes to appear after the connection returns.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Red icon
- It is the quickest sign of a lost connection.
- Restart both
- A restart clears most stale links.
- Wrist detection
- Without it the watch will not receive alerts when the iPhone is in use.
- iCloud Health
- It keeps the data across devices.
- Backlogs
- Sync can take a few minutes after a long disconnection.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If it will not reconnect after a restart, unpair and pair again
- !If pairing fails, contact Apple Support
- !Check iOS compatibility
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my watch say disconnected?+
Airplane Mode, Bluetooth or a stale link.
What does the red iPhone icon mean?+
The watch cannot reach the iPhone.
Will unpairing lose my data?+
A backup is made.
How near must they be?+
Within Bluetooth range.
Why do messages not reach my watch?+
It may be off the wrist, locked or disconnected.
Does iCloud Health matter?+
For syncing across devices, yes.