It’s September 2020 and Apple has released another exciting version of the watchOS. watchOS 7. As always, the new OS comes packed with a lot of exciting new features.
If you are ready to upgrade to watchOS 7, this guide will help you with the process.
If you are using Apple Watch Series 3, you might face an error during the install. “watchOS 7 requires more than 3.1 GB of free space ….”.
This post also shows how you can free up space on your Apple Watch Series 3 and install watchOS 7.
Can my Apple Watch run watchOS 7?
To install watchOS 7, you need one of the Apple Watch models listed below :
Also, watchOS 7 requires iPhone 6s or later or later running iOS 14.
Install watchOS 7 on your Apple Watch
To install watchOS 7, you need an iPhone (6s or later) running iOS 14.
Ensure your iPhone and Apple Watch meet the following conditions before you upgrade to watchOS 7.
iPhone :
- iPhone 6s or later
- should run iOS14
- should be connected to wifi
- should have sufficient charge or be connected to a charger.
Apple Watch :
- should be placed on a charger
- should be charged > 50%
- should have more than 3.1 GB of free space.
On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
In the “My Watch” tab, navigate to General > Software Update > Download and install
After you ‘Agree’ to the terms and conditions the install should begin automatically.
The process tends to be slow, so be patient. (Could take up to an hour)
Installing watchOS 7 on Apple Watch Series 3
If you are trying to install watchOS 7 on an Apple Watch Series 3, there is a high chance you might not have enough space on the watch. When you try to install the watchOS 7, you get an error that says something along the lines “watchOS 7 requires 3.1 GB of free space on your watch”
The memory available on an Apple Watch Series 3 is limited and you have to free up some space on the watch.
| Apple Watch Model | Memory |
|---|---|
| Series 3 - GPS Only | 8 GB |
| Series 3 - (GPS + Cellular) | 16 GB |
You have two options to free up space.
- Remove third-party apps, delete content on your watch like photos, podcasts, music, etc.
- Unlink/Unpair the Apple Watch from your iPhone and set up the watch again.
Remove third-party apps and content.
Check how much space the different apps and their content is consuming on your watch.
To check the Space usage : On your iPhone, open the Watch app, navigate to “My Watch” Tab > General > Usage
Review the apps listed and decide if any third-party apps can be removed. Content such as music, podcasts, photos, etc also tend to occupy large amounts of space. Check if any of these can be removed.
Note: The content of some apps like Mail etc cannot be removed. You would then need to use the option listed below.
Unpair the Apple Watch and reinstall watchOS 7
If you are not able to free up the required 3+ GB of space use the method
** Warning: This process will reset your watch and any data stored on the watch will be lost! **
Follow the steps listed on the Apple support website to unpair your watch.
Once the watch is unpaired successfully, follow these steps.
- Unpair the Watch from your iPhone. Use instructions from Apple
- Pair the Watch to your iPhone. Use instructions from Apple
- During the pairing process, you will be asked if you want Restore from backup or Setup as a new watch ?. Select Setup as a new watch
- Another step check if you want to “Install Available Apps”. Select “Choose Later”
Once the pairing is complete, your Apple Watch Series 3, should have enough space to install watchOS 7. Follow the instructions in Install watchOS 7 on your Apple Watch