Chosen Solution
I cracked my Apple Watch 2 screen and replaced it with a new on my own. However, after the screen shift, the watch fails pairing to any watch. I have tried it a hundred timed on five different iPhones but it always fails. What might have gone wrong? The display shift was easy and was done without apparent problems. Thankful for input! Update (06/01/2018) I read here that the only way to get the watch to work again is to ‘reflash new firmware by ibus 2…’: http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/f1023/pa… Can anyone confirm that this is what needs to be done?
I’ve been having a lot of issues with this as well (Series 2 iWatch). Trying to restart the phone and iWatch but to no avail. I think switching out the screen will help but in my situation the old screen was non functional (the display was completely out). I’d thought I try something crazy and it worked! I attached the two ribbons (closest to the digital crown) to the new display, then I attached the last ribbon (furthest from the crown) to the old display. After doing this the watch paired after the first try. Hope this helps some people. It was really frustrating looking for solutions all over the web but this worked like magic.
Hi. I have testet a lot around this issue now and finally got it to work. Here is what I’ve tested: IOS 11.3, 11.4 and 12 NOGO with new screen. Switched back to the old screen, was able to pair. Updated watch to 5.0.1 . switch screen and still OK. Factory reset on the watch and still able to Pair. So to all: Upgrade watch before switching screen!
The same thing happened to me. If you look at the other questions on this forum, you’ll find two other examples of exactly the same problem. Unfortunately no one here seems to have a fix. On another forum I read that the watch has to be reprogrammed using IBUS S2, but this adapter + software costs a fortune (more than 100 USD each for adapter and software).
Martin after I fixed the screen and it would not pair I took it to an Apple store ( innocently not acknowledging I had replaced the screen ) they ? Zapped under limited warranty. Bingo it’s fixed
yup, same here. watch series 2 4.2.something firmware, ios 11.4 iphone firmware.. seems like thease cases will begin to pop up. Unfortunatley I have had no luck in figuring this out. Some say, that by flashing by ibus s2 could fix the issue but unfortunatley there are no ISPW firmwares for apple watch s2 anymore that are being signed by apple.. so not an option here… However: IF you attach the original screen, pair the watch and then switch to the new screen the watch will work ( more or less… it won’t update to 4.3.x complainig about update that could not be verified and of course if you erease you won’t be able to pair again…) Still hoping this is a bug somewhere… and either ios 12 or watchos 5 will fix it and I’m being positive that apple does not want to screw us all.. Anyway..guys.. would be helpfull if you could try to pair with an Iphone running FW 11.3.xy
you must pair your phone first with the broken screen ,,then replace the broken screen with the new one you purchased,its the only wayalso,, keep your old screen just in case you get a new phone or need to repair again in the future.
The exact same thing happened to me! Have you figured out how to solve it? I disassembled my watch again and reconnected the screen just in case it was connected wrong the first time, but it did not help. I am most thankful for help. Right now the watch is useless, which is frustrating considering the expensive replacement LCD.
I’m having these issues also. I’ve done everything correctly but after you for some reason unpair it after the screen repair it will no long pair. I have about 3 now that have done this out of 20 repairs. I know everything is assembled correctly so I don’t not understand.
Exact same problem and have not resolved it. Went to Apple store and was sent off. They probably won’t fix it but hope something good will come from it.
Someone wrote that IOS12 might solve the problem, but I now installed the IOS12 beta 3 and tried to pair the series 2 watch. It did not help a bit - it was exactly the same error message that I have got all of the time since the display shift. Anyone tried WatchOS 5?
Hi. I have replaced the screen in my Watch 3 LTE, because Apple didn’t wanted to give repair/replace service for it, even willing to pay for it, because I bought it in France, and I live in Spain… They have an european warehouse that serves all countries here, so they could send the replacement to any country, including Spain or France. Well, in the Apple Store of my hometown Valencia, couldn’t do it because the LTE version is not yet being sold in Spain, neither helped the Apple Care phone service. That’s the worldwide service that the biggest company in the planet offers. So I had no choice but do it myself. The new screen works perfectly, colors, brightness, touch sensor and force touch sensor, all. But the watch does not pain again with the phone, with the same error message from above. Anyone has a solution or a clue of what to do?
Any news about the previously problem? My old scratched screen doesn’t work at all.
Hi Guys, I have picked up that if the screen you are trying to use is not truly an original screen then you will run into this pairing issue. I work at a repair centre in South Africa and I had a few of these Apple Watches come in with this issue after we had replaced the screen. Only when I tested the watch with a new ORIGINAL screen then they would pair it with an iPhone.
I also had the problem, that my Apple Watch did not pair, after replacing the screen. But it was very strange, since the watch did pair at first. Then I was not able to add my credit card via Apple Pay or update to wOS 5.2.1 (from 5.2) and so I unpaired the watch, hoping that it would work once pairing it again. Unfortunately it would not pair again at all. So I opened it after reading this thread and figured out, that the GPS modules connector was loose and just fell of the display, when I touched the cable. So connecting the (not working) display from another watch made it pair and upgrade again but still I am not able to add Apple Pay. I guess that it recognises the GPS module and since it is wOS 5 it works even though it is not the original GPS module. But I think, because it is not properly connected to all three cables of the display the GPS maybe is not able to fix a location which disables the Apple Pay function out of security or licensing reasons.
Can anyone find the solution without original screen? I’m from India I purchased a cracked US version Series 4 GPS Apple Watch, I replaced with new screen unfortunately yesterday I did erase all contents on my Watch and unpaired it with my iPhone now while pairing it I’m not even any pop up message like pairing failed How to fix this issue in my county no Apple Pay in this case what is solution to pair it again? You help is appreciated, Thanks
I had the same issue after replacing the screen of a Series 2 (on WatchOS 5.1.3) : impossible to pair it with my iPhone 7 (iOS 13.3.1). I have just found an alternate solution, using my old iPhone 6 (on iOS 12.4.5) : it didn’t ask to update the watch for pairing and succeeded to pair on my first try ! I then updated the watch manually, to watchOS 5.3.6, unpair it and pair it to my iPhone 7 successfully ! My theory : an old iOS version can pair a watch with an old watchOS and be used to update the watch.
Can any find solution how to pair Apple Watch without original screen
