Watch 9 series update has been stuck for the past 2 days

I updated my iPhone to iOS 27, and since then I’ve been trying to update my Apple Watch 9 series, but the update has been stuck for the past 2 days.

I’ve already tried restarting both devices and unpairing/re-pairing the watch, but it’s still not updating.

any idea how to fix this?

Posted on Sep 19, 2026 10:02 PM

1 reply

WheelieNick

Level 9 (74,110 points)

Oct 17, 2026 1:42 PM in response to Quitehealer

To fix a stuck Apple Watch update after moving to iOS 27, delete the corrupted update file from your iPhone storage or watch storage, and clear the queue.

Delete the stuck update file: Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to General > Storage, find the downloaded watchOS update file, and delete it. Then restart both your iPhone and Apple Watch before trying again.
Update directly from the Watch: Turn off the update process from the iPhone, place your Apple Watch on its charger (with at least 50% battery), connect it to Wi-Fi, and go to Settings > General > Software Update directly on the Apple Watch.
Disable VPNs or Low Data Mode: If you use a VPN profile on your iPhone or have Low Data Mode active on your Wi-Fi network, temporarily turn them off as they frequently block Apple update verification servers.