The normal restart procedure for an Apple Watch is a simple process that can be completed in a few steps. Here's how to perform a normal restart:

• Press and hold the side button (located below the Digital Crown) until the power off slider appears on the screen12

• Drag the power off slider to the right to turn off your Apple Watch12

• Wait for about 30 seconds to ensure the watch has fully powered down

• Press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo12

• Release the button and wait for your Apple Watch to restart

It's important to note that you cannot restart your Apple Watch while it's charging1. If your watch is unresponsive or frozen, you may need to perform a force restart instead.

When your Apple Watch becomes unresponsive or experiences issues that a normal restart can't resolve, a force restart may be necessary. Here's how to perform a force restart on your Apple Watch:

• Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously for at least 10 seconds123

• Keep holding both buttons until the screen turns black and the Apple logo appears2

• Release both buttons once you see the Apple logo124

• Wait for your Apple Watch to complete the restart process, which may take a few seconds to a few minutes4

This method works for all Apple Watch models, including the Apple Watch Ultra5. It's important to note that a force restart should only be used when your watch is unresponsive and other methods have failed23.

The process of turning off an Apple Watch varies slightly depending on the watchOS version. Here's a breakdown of the differences between watchOS 9 (and later) and watchOS 8 (and earlier):

• For watchOS 9 and later:

  1. Press and hold the side button until the SOS screen appears

  2. Tap the power icon in the top right corner

  3. Swipe the "Power Off" slider to the right to turn off the watch12

• For watchOS 8 and earlier:

  1. Press and hold the side button until the power off slider appears

  2. Swipe the "Power Off" slider to the right to turn off the watch32

To turn the watch back on for all versions, press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears13. It's worth noting that since watchOS 9, the watch enters power reserve mode instead of fully powering off when turned off4.