WatchOS 8.5 lets you restore your Apple Watch with a nearby iPhone running iOS 15.4

Apple finally released iOS 15.4, which will be the last big update before iOS 16 which would probably come with the new iPhone 14 series release. Now AppleInsider reports that it seems the company has introduced a helpful little tweak with iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5, which will allow you to restore an Apple Watch simply by a nearby iPhone. Apple has also published a new support document with the process.

You can now restore an Apple Watch with a nearby iPhone

You need to have iOS 15.4 on the iPhone, and watchOS 8.5 on the Apple Watch for this process to work, though, so keep that in mind. These new software updates will allow you to restore Apple Watch firmware using an iPhone.

This fix is for users who have an Apple Watch issue that requires it to be restored(the Apple Watch needs to be on watchOS 8.5). If you bring the smartwatch near an iPhone running iOS 15.4, it will display an animation showing an iPhone and Apple Watch together.

You need to have the Apple Watch on the charger for the restoration to be working. In order to do that, you will need to double-click the side button of the Watch and then follow the steps on the iPhone to proceed.

If the process doesn’t work, Apple suggests that you try a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network instead of a 5GHz network. The iPhone also needs to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on.

Before this update, Apple Watch models that had a red exclamation point on their screens needed to be sent to an Apple Support center and get service. Now, you will be able to restore your wearable without Apple Support’s help. One thing that the document doesn’t clarify is which Apple Watch models support the feature. We know that all Apple Watch models starting with Apple Watch Series 3 can update to watchOS 8.5.If, after the process, the red exclamation mark on your Apple Watch is not gone, you will need to contact Apple Support and get the watch serviced.

WatchOS 8.5 and iOS 15.4: other new features

The update also brings a few other features to Apple Watches. There is the new non-binary Siri voice for American users, which is also reflected on the Apple Watch as well as on iOS 15.4. The watches also get 37 new emojis for iMessage.

Here are other features watchOS 8.5 brings:

• Possibility to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions;
• COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format;
• Updates to irregular rhythm notifications which designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification (Available in US, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and other regions where the feature is available)

On the other hand, Apple has also now released iOS 15.4 to supported iPhones. This update is the last major update before iOS 16 drops. The update brings the useful ability to unlock your iPhone with Face ID and a mask on. Previously, you needed an Apple Watch for this to work, but now, you can do it without the smartwatch. The update also brings the new American Siri voices, as well as some 123 new emojis.

On top of that, the iOS 15.4 update brings iPhone users with a business the possibility to accept Apple Pay, Visa, American Express, Mastercard, and Discover just by using their iPhone. The feature is called “Tap to Pay on iPhone”, and it can make your iPhone into a point of sale (POS) machine. Of course, it requires a special app by the merchant for the process to work.