How Long Does the iOS 7.5 Watch Update Take?

The WatchOS 7.5 update expanded Apple Card Family Sharing, ECG support, and more. So we get why you might be tempted to update your Apple Watch. However, WatchOS updates can take a while, which can be frustrating, especially if you’re on a tight schedule and need to use your Apple Watch on the go. If you’re wondering how long the WatchOS 7.5 update will take, keep reading!

The WatchOS 7.5 update takes anywhere from 15 minutes to over 60 minutes. The estimated time includes both the downloading and the installation period. It may be affected by the traffic on Apple’s server, the WatchOS update size, or your internet connection’s quality and speed.

Suppose you want to know what may be causing delays in the WatchOS update and installation time and additional information about the WatchOS 7 update. In that case, this blog will discuss these topics in great detail. So, without further ado, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the WatchOS 7.5 and 7 updates.

You can find a great collection on Amazon if you’re looking for various bands for your Apple Watch. There are multiple designs, colors, and materials available to choose from for the Apple Watch band so that you can make a decision based on your personal preferences and requirements.

Why Does Apple Watch Update Take So Long?

One of the primary reasons your Apple Watch update might take longer than anticipated is that the servers are busy, specifically if the WatchOS update is relatively newer. You may also experience delays if you have slow internet speed or if the update is somewhat larger.

If your WatchOS update is taking excruciatingly long because it’s stuck on verifying, you might need to restart your iPhone and the Apple Watch. You could also visit the Apple System Status page and check whether anything is marked in yellow or red, indicating problems. If you see anything marked in these colors and not in green, you can wait a couple of days and revisit the website before updating the WatchOS.

If you’re facing delays due to reasons other than the ones mentioned above, the following section discusses possible solutions you can try to boost the WatchOS update speed. Additionally, if you want more detailed information on using your Apple Watch with iPhone 6, click here.

How Can You Speed-Up the WatchOS Update?

You can speed up the WatchOS update by temporarily removing your Apple Watch passcode, following a few basic requirements, updating your Apple Watch on WiFi instead of Bluetooth, Unpairing and repairing the Apple Watch and iPhone, or updating the WatchOS overnight.

Now, it’s time to discuss the solutions mentioned above in a little bit more detail for those of you who are updating the Apple WatchOS for the first time. Let’s begin!

Temporarily Remove the Passcode From Your Apple Watch

If you have a passcode on your Apple Watch, you might have to enter it multiple times while the update is taking place, which increases the update time by a significant margin. An excellent and straightforward way to mitigate this problem is temporarily disabling the passcode and enabling it again once the WatchOS update is complete.

To disable your Apple Watch passcode, you can follow these steps shared by Apple:

1. Open the Settings application on the Apple Watch.
2. Tap on the Passcode option from the list.
3. Select the Turn Passcode Off option.

You can also disable the passcode on your Apple Watch from your iPhone by selecting My Watch, Passcode, and then the Turn Passcode off option.

Ensure You’re Following the Basic Requirements

To make sure there are no hurdles or setbacks during the update, keep the following basics in mind:

1. Your Apple Watch and iPhone need to be connected to the same WiFi. The Series 6+ supports 5GHz except for the SE., and almost all watches support 2.4GHz networks.
2. Your Apple Watch must have at least 50% charge, and you also have to plug in the charge and ensure that it’s charging while the update takes place.

Use the Apple Watch Itself for the Update Using Wi-Fi Instead of Bluetooth

If you own an Apple Watch with a WatchOS 6 or higher, you can update it from the Apple Watch itself using your WiFi connection. Complete the following steps to do this:

1. Put your Apple Watch on charge and ensure that it’s charging.
2. Make sure that your Apple Watch is connected to a Wi-Fi connection by going to Settings and clicking on Wi-Fi.
3. After connecting your Apple Watch to a suitable Wi-Fi network, go to the Settings menu and select General.
4. Click on Software Update and select the Download and Install option.

If this method is not working for you and you face any hurdles, you can try disconnecting the Bluetooth and WiFi on your paired iPhone to give it a go once again.

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings, go to Wi-Fi, and toggle it off.
2. Go back to the Settings menu and go to Bluetooth to toggle it off as well.
3. Follow the four steps mentioned above again.
4. Once the download and installation are complete, you can turn your paired iPhone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi back on.

Update Using Wi-Fi on Your Paired iPhone Instead of Bluetooth

This process is a little complicated because it will require you to turn the Bluetooth off at a specific time during the update. Take the following steps to force your iPhone to update the WatchOS on WiFi instead of Bluetooth:

1. Connect your Apple Watch to a charger and place your iPhone near it.
2. Ensure that your Apple Watch and paired iPhone are connected to the same WiFi network.
3. Open the Watch app on your phone and click General > Software Update.
4. Click the Download and Install option and accept all terms and conditions for the update to begin.
5. Once the estimated time for the update is displayed, go to the iPhone’s settings and toggle Bluetooth off [This has to be done via the settings app and not through Control Center].
6. Return to the Watch app and select Cancel if you see a message asking you to connect to Bluetooth.
7. The estimated completion time should reduce once the update moves to WiFi.
8. Once the WatchOS update has been completed, turn your iPhone’s Bluetooth back on.

Update the Apple Watch Overnight

You’ll need to set an automatic update for your Apple Watch, so you don’t have to wait a long time for the update to complete. This way, you won’t lose any time and will wake up to an updated Apple Watch. Complete the following steps to update your Apple Watch overnight:

1. Open the Apple Watch app on your paired iPhone and click on the My Watch tab.
2. Select General, then tap on Software Update.
3. Choose Automatic Updates and toggle it on.
4. Connect your Apple Watch to its charger and place it near your iPhone.
5. Ensure that your iPhone is connected to a WiFi network and go to sleep.
6. Once you wake up and the Watch update is complete, toggle the Automatic Updates back off.

Repair Your Apple Watch With iPhone Before Updating

Although a time-consuming process, un-pairing your Apple Watch with your iPhone and then pairing it as new is the only solution if the Watch update has been stuck for hours or even days. Complete the following steps to do this:

1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap on My Watch > All Watches.
2. Tap the info button next to your Apple Watch and then press Unpair.
3. Confirm the decision to unpair and enter your Apple ID password.
4. Repair the Apple watch as new, the same way you did when you first got your Apple Watch.

How Long Does It Take for WatchOS 7.5 to Install?

The WatchOS 7.5 is approximately 200MB and might take several minutes or hours to install, depending on the speed and quality of your WiFi and the traffic on Apple’s servers. The download and installation file size will also factor in the estimated download and installation time.

Some Apple Watch users have complained about their WatchOS taking longer than five hours and to no avail. Therefore, we’d recommend following the steps mentioned above to speed up the process.

How Long Does the WatchOS 7 Update Take?

The WatchOS 7 update can take anywhere from an hour to approximately 2.5 hours, depending on which WatchOS software your Apple Watch was using before the update. Additionally, the size of the update for the Apple Watch Series 5 is 987MB.

The speed of the update depends on the traffic on Apple’s servers as well as the quality and speed of the WiFi connection. This blog has covered several solutions for Apple Watch users who want to speed up the update of their WatchOS.