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Use one of two different procedures: set up a replacement Galaxy Watch Ultra2 from the new phone and restore the old watch’s available categories, or keep the same watch and use Settings > General > Transfer watch to new phone. Back up the old watch before either process, because transferring an existing watch can reset it depending on the model and software.
Choose the workflow that matches your situation
A new watch and a new phone require different starting points. Choosing the wrong path can lead to an unnecessary reset or leave you looking for a backup that was never created.
| Situation | Start here | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing the old watch with a new Galaxy Watch Ultra2 | Install Galaxy Wearable on the new Android phone, select the new watch, and follow setup. | When Samsung offers a restore, choose the previous watch and the categories you want to bring over. |
| Keeping the existing watch but changing phones | On the watch, open Settings > General > Transfer watch to new phone. | The watch may reset and lose data, depending on its model and software. Back up before confirming. |
Samsung’s menus can change with the phone, watch firmware, provider and Galaxy Wearable version. Treat the labels below as the intended route, then use the closest matching label shown on your device.
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Phone requirements
Samsung’s general US Wear OS guidance lists Android 6.0 or later, at least 1.5 GB of RAM and Google Mobile Services as minimum requirements. That page does not name the Ultra2 specifically, so confirm the requirements for the exact regional model and software version you own. Wear OS Galaxy watches are not compatible with iOS under that guidance.
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The Ultra2 name is not used consistently in Samsung’s regional documentation: Samsung Japan refers to “Watch Ultra2,” while the US Wear OS page lists “Watch Ultra.” Compatibility, firmware and menu availability are not established as identical between markets. If your box, watch or regional support page uses a different name, follow that market’s instructions.
Accounts, connections and practical checks
- Have the Android phone, the watch and the old watch (if it is still available) nearby.
- Turn on Bluetooth. Keep the phone connected to the internet so Galaxy Wearable, Samsung account and Google account steps can complete.
- Sign in to the Samsung account used by the old watch. Samsung’s Ultra2 backup instructions require a Samsung account.
- Have your Google account credentials available for Wear OS and app restoration prompts.
- If the watch has LTE service, keep the carrier account details available. Wi-Fi/Bluetooth models do not need mobile-plan activation.
- Before disconnecting, trading in or resetting the old watch, make a current backup and wait for it to finish.
Do not erase the old watch merely because the new phone or watch is ready. Keep the old setup intact until you have checked the restored health records, watch layout, messages and important applications. This gives you a chance to repeat the backup or identify an account mismatch while the original data is still present.
Back up the old watch before you disconnect it
Samsung Japan’s support page, updated August 3, 2026, identifies the Watch Ultra2 backup as a manual process. The backup is handled through Smart Switch and saved to Samsung Cloud.
- On the phone currently paired with the old watch, open Galaxy Wearable.
- Open Watch settings.
- Tap Accounts and backup.
- If Galaxy Wearable offers to launch Smart Switch, accept it. In Smart Switch, choose Back up data, then Back up now.
- If the Smart Switch launch option is not shown, continue to the backup-data control presented in the same Accounts and backup area and start the available backup.
- Keep the phone connected until the backup reports completion. Do not reset or remove the watch while the operation is still running.
The Samsung account is required because the documented process saves the backup to Samsung Cloud. Menu placement can differ by device and software version, so an absent label does not necessarily mean that backup is unavailable; look for the equivalent backup-data control in the watch settings.
What a completed backup does—and does not—mean
A completed Smart Switch backup gives the later setup flow something to offer for restoration. It does not guarantee that every item stored by every third-party app will be copied. Samsung’s setup categories are the supported scope: apps, phone, quick panel, Samsung Health, settings, watch face, tiles, widgets and messages. Individual apps can still request a sign-in, permission or separate synchronization step.
If the old phone has more than one Samsung account, check which account is active before backing up. The new phone must use the account associated with the backup for Samsung’s restore flow to find it. Keep the old phone online until the backup confirmation appears, and do not assume that merely having Galaxy Wearable installed means a recent backup exists.
Set up a replacement Galaxy Watch Ultra2
Start pairing on the new Android phone
- Install and open Galaxy Wearable on the new phone.
- Turn on the new watch. Select its language when prompted.
- Place the watch near the phone and make sure Bluetooth is enabled.
- When Galaxy Wearable detects the watch, select it and accept the connection prompt on both devices. If it does not appear automatically, use Galaxy Wearable’s Add device path and select the watch from the list.
- Follow the on-screen setup instructions. Sign in to your Samsung account and Google account if requested, and allow the permissions needed for watch features.
Samsung’s setup guidance says that available screens and settings vary by provider, phone and watch. If a prompt appears in a different order, follow the wording on your screen rather than trying to force the sequence above.
Restore the old watch’s available categories
During setup, Samsung may offer restoration from a previous Samsung watch. Select the old watch when it is listed, then choose the categories you want. Samsung names these possible categories:
| Category offered by setup | What selecting it does |
|---|---|
| Apps | Restores the apps Samsung makes available through the setup flow. |
| Phone | Restores the phone-related settings or configuration offered by Samsung. |
| Quick panel | Restores the quick-panel arrangement offered by the backup. |
| Samsung Health | Restores the Samsung Health category included in the backup. |
| Settings | Restores supported watch settings. |
| Watch face | Restores the supported watch-face selection and configuration. |
| Tiles | Restores supported tile choices and arrangement. |
| Widgets | Restores supported widgets. |
| Messages | Restores the messages category offered by the setup process. |
You do not have to select every category. Select the items you want available on the new watch, particularly if you prefer to rebuild the layout rather than reproduce it exactly. The categories are presented by Samsung’s setup process, so the list or wording can differ with the watch generation, region and software.
The setup page lists these categories but does not promise a complete copy of every app’s private data. You may need to sign in to individual apps again, reauthorize services or verify app-specific synchronization after setup. A category being selected is not proof that every account, downloaded file or app-internal setting will transfer.
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- YOUR TRAIL GUIDE ON YOUR WRIST: Navigate challenging trails on your run with path, elevation and pace guidance on your Galaxy Watch Ultra2¹. The smart watch gives you personalized hydration alerts² along the way so you can run and feel your best.
- ONE PERSONALIZED SCORE TO KNOW YOUR HEART BETTER: Get an easy-to-understand view of your overall heart health³ with a single personalized score⁴ and guidance, so you can avoid the guesswork.
- INSTANT AI ASSISTANCE. NO SLOWING DOWN: Every second can be crucial when you're outdoors. With Galaxy Watch Ultra2, you can just raise your wrist, start talking naturally and get instant AI assistance⁵—no wake phrase needed, no slowing down.
- GREAT DURABILITY FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS: From rugged trails to under water, take this fitness watch anywhere as your dependable adventure partner. IP69K and 10ATM rated, it’s dust-tight⁶ and water resistant⁷ up to 100m so you can take on any challenge.
- YOUR BODY SPEAKS. LISTEN WITH VITALS: Understand your body better with Vitals⁹–it’s built to track 5 different health metrics while you sleep, catch shifts from your usual patterns, and also provide tailored guidance based on the insights.⁸
Finish the first-run prompts
Allow the watch and phone to complete their connection before changing settings. If Samsung presents a carrier-activation screen, continue only when the watch has a mobile plan and you want cellular service. Samsung says activation can be skipped for a Wi-Fi model or when you do not want to activate service; you can use the watch over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi instead.
After setup, open Galaxy Wearable and check that the new watch is the active device. Then inspect the restored watch face, tiles, widgets, quick panel, Samsung Health data and messages category you selected. Open important apps and complete any sign-in or permission requests they show.
When to start fresh
A fresh setup can be sensible if the old watch was configured for a different person, if you want a clean layout, or if the old backup belongs to an account you no longer use. Even then, make the backup first if you may later need health history or settings. You can choose fewer restore categories rather than accepting an all-or-nothing transfer.
Move the same watch to a new phone
Use this workflow when the watch itself is staying with you and only the phone is changing. Do not begin by deleting the watch from the old phone and hoping the new phone will discover it; Samsung’s reconnection instructions begin on the watch.
- Back up the watch using the Galaxy Wearable > Watch settings > Accounts and backup route before starting.
- On the watch, open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap Transfer watch to new phone.
- Read the confirmation screen. Depending on the watch model and software, the transfer may reset the watch and erase data stored on it. Confirm only after verifying that the backup completed.
- On the new Android phone, install and open Galaxy Wearable, enable Bluetooth and continue through the detected-watch connection prompts.
- Sign in to the requested Samsung and Google accounts, then follow any restore or setup choices that appear.
The reset warning is important even when the watch appears to be synchronized. A transfer can remove locally stored information, and Samsung’s instructions qualify the result by model and software. If you still need anything on the watch, stop at the warning and return to the old phone to create or verify the backup.
If the watch has already been reset, treat the next connection as a new-watch setup and use the available restore prompt. If the transfer option is missing, check that the watch software and Galaxy Wearable version are current enough for the feature and use the labels displayed on your model; Samsung states that menus vary by device and version.
What to verify after restoration or reconnection
- Watch identity: Galaxy Wearable shows the intended Ultra2 or regional equivalent, not an older watch still associated with the phone.
- Samsung account: The phone is signed in to the account that held the backup. A different account may show no usable backup.
- Health data: Open Samsung Health and confirm that the restored category and the expected account are selected.
- Apps: Launch apps that contain important account information and sign in again if prompted.
- Notifications and messages: Check permissions and notification access on the new phone; restored settings do not guarantee that every Android permission was carried over.
- Watch face and layout: Check the face, tiles, widgets and quick panel individually because each is a separate offered category.
- Connectivity: Test Bluetooth calls or notifications and Wi-Fi. For LTE watches, complete carrier activation only if service is required.
Leave the old phone and old watch untouched until these checks are complete. If a category is absent, first verify the Samsung account and whether that category was selected during setup. If an individual app is empty, use that app’s own account or sync controls rather than repeating the entire watch transfer immediately.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting setup and transfer problems
The watch does not appear in Galaxy Wearable
- Confirm the watch is powered on, unlocked if requested and close to the phone.
- Turn Bluetooth off and on, then reopen Galaxy Wearable.
- Use Add device in Galaxy Wearable instead of waiting for automatic detection.
- Check that the phone meets Samsung’s general Wear OS minimums: Android 6.0 or later, 1.5 GB RAM and Google Mobile Services.
- If the watch was previously paired to another phone, use Settings > General > Transfer watch to new phone on the watch before trying again.
The restore option is missing
Restore is offered during supported setup flows, not necessarily after every manual pairing. Confirm that you signed in to the Samsung account associated with the backup, then restart setup if you skipped the restore screen. Samsung’s setup documentation does not promise restoration of every app’s private data, so an absent app-specific item may be expected rather than a failed backup.
The transfer warns about a reset
Stop and return to the old phone if you have not made a backup. Run the manual Smart Switch backup, wait for completion and then retry the transfer. If you already confirmed the reset, reconnect the watch as a new device and use the available Samsung restore categories.
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Menus do not match these directions
Samsung explicitly notes that screens and settings can vary by provider, phone and watch. Look for equivalent labels such as Watch settings, Accounts and backup, Transfer watch to new phone and Add device. Use the support instructions for your market and the software version installed on the watch.
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LTE activation is not wanted or is unavailable
Skip the carrier step when the watch is a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth model or when you do not want mobile service. Complete it only when the watch supports LTE, a compatible plan is available and you want the watch to use cellular connectivity away from the phone.
A safe order of operations
- Identify whether you are replacing the watch or changing only the phone.
- Check the exact regional model and phone compatibility.
- Back up the old watch manually through Accounts and backup and Smart Switch.
- For a new watch, start Galaxy Wearable setup on the new phone and use the restore prompt.
- For the same watch on a new phone, start on the watch with Transfer watch to new phone and read the reset warning.
- Verify Samsung Health, apps, messages, layout and connectivity after setup.
- Activate LTE only when the watch and your plan require it.
Following that order preserves the only step that cannot be recovered after a reset: a current backup of the old watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move my Galaxy Watch Ultra2 to a new phone without losing data?
Yes, but back up first. On the paired phone, use Galaxy Wearable > Watch settings > Accounts and backup, launch Smart Switch if offered, and choose Back up data > Back up now. Then use Settings > General > Transfer watch to new phone on the watch. Depending on the model and software, the transfer can reset the watch.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDoes Galaxy Watch Ultra2 work with an iPhone?
Samsung’s general US Wear OS guidance says Wear OS Galaxy watches are not compatible with iOS. It lists Android 6.0 or later, at least 1.5 GB of RAM and Google Mobile Services as minimums. Confirm requirements for your exact regional model.
What can Samsung restore from my old watch?
The setup flow may offer Apps, Phone, Quick panel, Samsung Health, Settings, Watch face, Tiles, Widgets and Messages. Samsung does not promise that every app’s private data, downloaded file or account session will transfer.
Why is my old watch not listed during setup?
Make sure the new phone uses the Samsung account associated with the backup and that you are going through the supported Galaxy Wearable setup flow. If you skipped the restore screen, restart setup. Menus and prompts vary by device, region and software.
Do I need to activate LTE during setup?
Only if the watch supports cellular service and you want to use a mobile plan. Samsung says carrier activation can be skipped for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth models or when mobile service is not wanted.
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Create the manual backup, wait for Smart Switch to report completion, and finish setup on the replacement watch. Check Samsung Health, apps, messages, the watch face, tiles, widgets, quick panel and connectivity before resetting or handing over the old device.
The Bottom Line
Back up the old watch through Galaxy Wearable > Watch settings > Accounts and backup before disconnecting it. Use Galaxy Wearable setup and the restore prompt for a replacement Ultra2; use Settings > General > Transfer watch to new phone when only the phone is changing, and treat the reset warning seriously.
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