Don’t panic if your Pixel Watch 5 isn’t connecting yet — it will soon

Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The Pixel Watch 5 will officially be available tomorrow, but some customers who pre-ordered have received their watches early.
- Some users report that they have been unable to pair their Pixel Watch 5 wearables, with the Pixel Watch app showing an error.
- Google says this issue will be resolved today with updates to the Pixel Watch and Google Health apps.
Google’s new Pixel hardware was made available for pre-order last week. General availability officially starts tomorrow, but as per usual, some lucky customers are getting their orders early. Some folks who’ve received a Pixel Watch 5 ahead of schedule are reporting that their new watches aren’t working — but if you’re in that boat, don’t worry. Google says it’s normal.
User litalela posted a screenshot of the Pixel Watch app to the Pixel Watch subreddit that says “This Pixel Watch” (a Pixel Watch 5) “is not compatible with this version of the app.” Multiple users commented on litalela’s post to report similar experiences. On a separate post, though, Google commented to clarify that this issue will be resolved later today.
Some users suggested measures like uninstalling and reinstalling the Pixel Watch app, or even more complicated workarounds like trying to pair the Pixel Watch 5 with one phone then transferring its connection to another. According to Google, though, none of that is necessary, and connectivity issues will work themselves out once two app updates are distributed.
Google says that “both the Google Pixel Watch app and the Google Health app will receive an update on August 19th. Once updated, you will be able to connect and set up your watch.”
A handful of commenters report that they were able to get their Pixel Watch 5 up and running with no issues, so it sounds like Google’s promised updates are already making their way to some users.
Did you get your Pixel Watch 5 or Pixel 11-series phone early, ahead of their official release date tomorrow? Have you had experienced any pre-release weirdness? Let us know in the comments.
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