Connect a phone and smartwatch

Think of a smartwatch as a phone on your wrist. At a glance, you can get all the information you need – just as long as it’s connected with your actual phone, of course…

The exact method for doing this differs by brands, so let us take you through all the big names one by one. We’ve got instructions on connecting the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch, Garmin Watch or Huawei Watch to your smartphone…

 These steps will help you pair any Apple Watch from Series 4 with iPhone 6s or later (as long as it's running the latest iOS version).

1. Turn on your iPhone’s Bluetooth and make sure you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network.

2. Turn on your Apple Watch and wait for it to boot up.

3. When you see ‘Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch’, tap ‘Continue’. If you don’t see this message open the Apple Watch app and tap ‘Start Pairing’.

4. Use your iPhone camera to centre the watch face, then wait for a message saying your Apple Watch is paired.

5. Choose ‘Set up Apple Watch’ if it’s your first, or choose ‘backup’ if you’ve had an Apple Watch before.

6. Agree to the T&Cs and continue.

7. Type in your Apple ID password when asked.

8. You’ll be asked to turn on Activation Lock if you haven’t set up ‘Find My iPhone’.

9. You can now turn on other features like Siri.

10. Create a passcode, then you can set up Apple Pay.

11. Some of your iPhone apps will work with your Apple Watch, so select ‘Install All’ to get everything available.

12. Keep your devices close together while they sync. You’ll hear a chime and feel the watch vibrate when it’s all done. Tap the Digital Crown, and everything’s now paired up and good to go!

Samsung Galaxy Watches work best with Galaxy phones, but they go great with other Androids too. Here’s how to get them connected:

1. Turn on your watch and install the Galaxy Wearable app.
2. Launch the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone.
3. Tap ‘Start the journey’.
4. Select your device on-screen.
5. When you see the Bluetooth activation request, tap ‘Turn on.’
6. Now follow the rest of the instructions to complete the connection.

 Here’s how to pair a Samsung Galaxy Watch with an iPhone.

1. Turn on your watch and install the Galaxy Wearable app.
2. Install the Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S) app on your iPhone, and open it.
3. Tap ‘OK’ when it asks you to allow Bluetooth.
4. Tap ‘Start the journey’.
5. Select your device on-screen.

Your two devices will now pair with each other in no more than a couple of minutes.

 Here’s how to pair a Garmin Watch with your phone.

1. Install the Garmin Connect app on your phone. Sign-in to it, or create a new account.
2. Put your Garmin Watch into ‘pairing mode’.
3. Wait for the app to find your Garmin Watch.
4. Tap ‘Connect it’.
5. Now follow the on-screen instructions to complete your connection.

Here’s how to pair one of the latest Huawei watches with your phone.

1. Press the ‘Up’ button until the watch vibrate and turns on. It’s now in pairing mode.
2. Use your phone to scan the QR code on the watch screen, and download the Huawei Health app.
3. Open the app and follow the onscreen instructions.
4. Tap ‘Pair’ and the app will search for nearby devices. When you see the name of your Huawei Watch, tap it.
5. Go back to your watch. Tap and confirm the pairing request when it appears on-screen. Your two devices will now pair with each other. You’re good to go!

Any questions on using your smartwatch and smartphone together? Or do you have any good tips or suggestions? Then comment below, and share your thoughts with the Community