Error when trying to update watchOS

Question

Level 1

13 points

Error when trying to update watchOS

When I try to update the OS on my Apple Watch Ultra from 9 to 10 or 11 from the watch app on my iPhone it keeps telling me to first update my iPhone 8. I go to my iPhone settings and it tells me it is up to date (iOS 16.7.10).

I went round and round like that a few times, then hooked it up to my Macbook - same result, with the exception that I get three pop-ups in a row on my Macbook telling me that for some reason.

I tried doing the update from Settings on my watch and get "Unable to Check for an Update: An error occurred when checking for a software update."

It's not wifi connection issue. The watch phone and macbook are all linked.

Apple Watch Ultra

Posted on Jan 11, 2025 2:00 PM

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Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

268,527 points

Jan 11, 2025 3:30 PM in response to dvwlmn

Updating to watchOS 11 or greater requires an iPhone XS or later running iOS 18 or greater.

Similarly, watchOS 10 requires iOS 17.

The iPhone 8, released by Apple more than seven years ago, cannot support these updates.

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Answer 2

dvwlmn Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 11, 2025 8:13 PM in response to sberman

Thanks for telling me that! So I have a new Apple watch, and the most expensive model, but cannot keep its operating system up to date without buying a new phone??? It was not mentioned when I bought the watch. That's so typical of Apple. And the cryptic error messages on the phone and watch say nothing about this of course, giving the user no idea about what is going on. I should demand my money back, all the more because of how irritating the user interface so often is. Time to visit the Apple Store where I bought it.

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

268,527 points

Jan 11, 2025 9:13 PM in response to dvwlmn

Do what you have to do.

Good luck.

Note your “new” Apple Watch is not the current model. Also note it does run with its current watchOS version. You simply cannot update it because your iPhone is too old.

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