What happens if you remove Apple Watch from charger during update?

Answered by Ricardo McCardle

If you accidentally remove your Apple Watch from its charger during a software update, there are a few possible outcomes. It’s important to note that this is not recommended, as it can interrupt the update process and potentially cause issues with your device. However, if the battery doesn’t die during the update, your Apple Watch should be fine.

1. Update resumes after reconnection: In some cases, when you reconnect your Apple Watch to the charger, the update may resume where it left off. This is more likely to happen if only a short amount of time has passed since the interruption. The update will continue until it is completed, and your Apple Watch will function normally once the update is finished.

2. Update restarts from the beginning: If too much time has passed since the interruption or if the update process was significantly disrupted, your Apple Watch may start the update from the beginning. This means that the progress made before the interruption will be lost, and you’ll have to wait for the entire update to complete again. While this can be frustrating and time-consuming, it shouldn’t cause any permanent damage to your device.

3. Update failure and potential issues: In some cases, interrupting an update by removing the Apple Watch from the charger can cause the update to fail completely. This can result in various issues, such as the Apple Watch getting stuck in a boot loop or becoming unresponsive. If this happens, you may need to force restart your Apple Watch or even restore it using iTunes on a computer. However, it’s worth noting that such cases are relatively rare, and most users should be able to resume or restart the update without major complications.

It’s important to emphasize that while removing your Apple Watch from the charger during an update is not recommended, the device is designed to handle unexpected interruptions to some extent. As long as the battery doesn’t drain completely during the update process, the chances of experiencing significant problems are relatively low.

In my personal experience, I have accidentally disconnected my Apple Watch from the charger during an update before. Fortunately, the update resumed from where it left off when I reconnected the device to the charger. However, it’s essential to remember that individual experiences may vary, and there is always a risk involved in interrupting an update. Therefore, it’s best to be cautious and allow the update to complete without any interruptions if possible.