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WatchOS 6.1.1 update taking a really long time to install

Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 21, 2012
36,104
53,627
In a van down by the river
The new watchOS 6.1.1 update is taking so long to install on my series 5. The update is only 181mb and it has been running about 1.5 hours thus fur and still have 40 minutes or so to go.

Heads up to those who haven’t started the install: pack a lunch. It will be a while.
 
I absolutely have hated doing updates on the Apple Watch, as, yes, it is always slow!!! Haven't done this latest one yet, will address that tomorrow...... I was hoping that now that we can update directly on the watch itself and not need to have the iPhone available every step of the way that this would expedite matters somewhat....
 
When I'm ready to update, I turn off Bluetooth on the phone so that the update file gets loaded to the watch via WiFi. I just ignore the warning message about turning Bluetooth back on. I think the update is a little quicker that way, but I have no way of doing a controlled experiment to compare.

Edit: I just updated my Series 3, and it took 17 minutes.
 
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I just updated my S4 and it took not even 6 minutes. Downloading was done in like 30 seconds (yep, I have a really good cable connection @ 1.000mbit) and installing was really fast and painless. Maybe downloads were slow yesterday just after release.
 
My S5 took about a half hour to download (slow wifi), but didn't really take too long to install. I meant to time it but forgot. Install did not take me more than 10-15 minutes if that.
 
Mine locked up on installing screen. Restarted watch and it worked taking about 15 minutes. Download was maybe another 15 last night.
 
BasicGreatGuy said:
The new watchOS 6.1.1 update is taking so long to install on my series 5. The update is only 181mb and it has been running about 1.5 hours thus fur and still have 40 minutes or so to go.

Heads up to those who haven’t started the install: pack a lunch. It will be a while.
Click to expand...
Should not take that long unless you have very slow Wi-Fi.
 
Download was relatively quick on my Series 2, but I'm going on 20 minutes on the install and it appears to only be 30% complete...ugh

EDIT: Done after 45 minutes.
 
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It took less than 15 minutes to complete the download and install on my S4. So far 6.1.1 seems smooth.
 
I can't even update mine. it keeps saying "Unable to Check for Update. An error occurred while checking for a software update." WTH!
 
After several frustrating tries at getting past "verifying," I finally got smart and restarted the watch (Series 3), and that took care of the problem. After that it took about a half-hour, I didn't check the time it actually started the process after I'd restarted the thing.
 
DotCom2 said:
I can't even update mine. it keeps saying "Unable to Check for Update. An error occurred while checking for a software update." WTH!
Click to expand...
Not meaning to insult your intelligence but did you make sure the watch was charged to at least 50%? That’s the error that usually happens when it’s below 50%.
 
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I started mine at 7am this morning and still have 8 hours remaining. It is pathetic that Apple basically blew up my watch to get this update installed. It will not pair to my phone until the update is done. Is it too much to ask to be able to download to the phone and update the watch from that at a later time? It may be time to pull all of my music out of iTunes and go back to Android.
 
When I was updating my AW4 to 6.1.1, I happened to see the progress circle on my watch complete then my watch was trying to set up pairing with my phone, while my phone was "preparing" to install the update to my watch and it was stuck like that. I reset my watch and "canceled" the install from my phone and then paired the AW to my phone and it paired just fine and the update was already installed in my watch.

Had I not seen the initial install was complete and just happened to see the phone was still trying to install the update, I would of been mistaken and probably wait for a long time before I gave up.
 
Smoothie said:
When I'm ready to update, I turn off Bluetooth on the phone so that the update file gets loaded to the watch via WiFi. I just ignore the warning message about turning Bluetooth back on. I think the update is a little quicker that way, but I have no way of doing a controlled experiment to compare.

Edit: I just updated my Series 3, and it took 17 minutes.
Click to expand...

Thank you for this, original estimate was 20 hours, turned off bluetooth and it dropped to 50min. That's still long as hell, but what are you gonna do since only 2.4Ghz wi-fi is supported by the series 3 anyways. Btw I'm updating from 5.3.5 to 6.1.3.
 
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