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How to Pair Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 with Your Phone

The Galaxy Watch 5 pairs with Android phones running Android 8.0 or higher using the Galaxy Wearable app. The watch is not compatible with iPhone.


Before You Start

Prepare both devices for a smooth pairing process.

  • Charge watch to at least 30% battery
  • Enable Bluetooth on your phone
  • Install Galaxy Wearable app from the Google Play Store
  • Keep devices within 1-2 feet of each other during pairing

Pairing Steps

Follow these steps to connect your Galaxy Watch 5 to your Android phone.

  1. Turn on the watch by pressing and holding the Home button for 2-3 seconds
  2. Select your language and accept terms on the watch
  3. Open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone
  4. Tap Start the journey (or tap the + icon if you've paired devices before)
  5. Select Galaxy Watch5 from the device list
  6. Verify the 6-digit passkey displayed on both devices matches
  7. Tap OK on your phone and the checkmark on your watch
  8. Sign in to your Samsung account for backup and sync features
  9. Grant permissions for contacts, calls, messages, and notifications
  10. Wait for initial sync (5-10 minutes) to complete

After Successful Pairing

Verify the connection and complete initial setup.

Check connection status:

  • Watch face should show a solid blue Bluetooth icon
  • Galaxy Wearable app should display "Connected"
  • Send yourself a text to test notifications

Initial configuration:

  • Update software: Settings Software update
  • Set up Samsung Pay for contactless payments
  • Customize watch faces and tiles
  • Configure health tracking preferences in Samsung Health

Pairing Bluetooth Accessories

You can pair earbuds and other Bluetooth accessories directly with the watch.

To pair Bluetooth earbuds:

  1. Put earbuds in pairing mode
  2. On watch: Settings Connections Bluetooth
  3. Tap Audio under Available devices
  4. Select your earbuds and confirm

This allows you to listen to music stored on the watch without your phone nearby.


Troubleshooting Pairing Issues

If pairing fails, try these solutions.

Watch not found:

  1. Restart both devices
  2. Turn Bluetooth off and on again on your phone
  3. Move devices closer together
  4. Ensure no other device is currently paired to the watch

Pairing fails repeatedly:

  1. On your phone's Bluetooth settings, forget any existing "Galaxy Watch5" entries
  2. Update the Galaxy Wearable app to the latest version
  3. Factory reset the watch: Settings General Reset Factory data reset

Connection drops after pairing:

  1. Disable battery optimization for Galaxy Wearable: Phone Settings Apps Galaxy Wearable Battery Unrestricted
  2. Ensure all permissions are granted to the app

See Also: How to Connect Galaxy Watch 5|Not Pairing Troubleshooting