This issue just started after the last system updates for my watch & phone.
Phone: S23Ultra Model: SM-S918U, on Android 14, One UI Version 6.1. On Verizon. Last software update to "S918USQS5CXL7" was completed on Jan. 27, 2025.
Watch: Galaxy Watch Ultra Model: SM-L705U, System Version 14, Wear OS Version 5.0, Software version: L705USQU1AXL7, One UI Version: "6.0 Watch". On Verizon. Last Software Update was completed Approx. Jan. 25th, 2025?
**When using the "Hard Reset" menu to "Clear System Cache" on both devices (as a regular performance maintenance task), my Watch will not connect to my phone. Both behave as if they were never connected, prompting me w/ instructions to connect.
I have *NO* other issues w/ either device with exception of the "Clear System Cache" causing a failure to connect.
The problem is, once this happens, *NO* reconnection processes or troubleshooting works until I factory reset my watch. I tried reboot, restart, clearing Cache again, etc on both devices & nothing works. Once factory resetting my watch, setup & reconnection work perfectly (with exception of the "Watch Backup" not restoring all apps I previously installed on my watch).
NOTE: I've had this phone for over a year & I've had my watch since mid-November, 2024. I've performed the same "Clear System Cache" via "Hard Reset" menu steps at least weekly on both my phone & watch since I got them & never had this issue until the last software updates ~1 week ago. Now they seem to lose connection at least 75% of the time after clearing system caches. Which then requires that I factory reset my watch to successfully reconnect.
Anybody else having this same issue? Anybody willing to test it to try recreating & report back how many times they tried & their results?
I have the exact same issue. I have the Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra and my phone is the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Bought the watch in December as an upgrade from Galaxy Watch 5 Ultra. Everything worked great until the update last week. Have had to factory reset twice. Once after the update and now again this morning. I have all the latest updates on both devices. I also have the Galaxy ring, and it has not had this issue.
Thanks for the response, I very much appreciate the reaffirmation.
I apologize for a potentially redundant question. Can you please clarify, have you only had to factory reset your watch after "Clearing System Cache" on it?
Or have you had to factory reset it even without first "Clearing System Cache" (Suggesting the issue was caused by something other than "Clearing System Cache")?
I ask to better confirm if this "Having to Factory Reset to restore connectivity" issue is directly caused by the "Clearing System Cache" function.
First time I never cleared the cache. It was right after the latest update, and when it rebooted, it forced me to reset. I tried to just reconnect to my phone at least 10 times with different errors each time. I finally gave in and reset. Then yesterday, about a week later, it forced a reset for no reason again. I did run the battery to 2%, and it went to watch only mode, which turns off the radios. I charged it fully, and then it reconnected fine. Woke up the next morning to a reset demand. After searching, I found the flush cache procedure and tried that first before resetting. That didn't work. I also tried just reconnecting to the phone both before and after flushing cache. Nope, nothing but a full reset worked.
BTW: This stupid members app is a peice of junk as well. It gives a three line view of the message you are typing. Very hard to see typos and read your message before posting. No way they did any type of UX testing which says something about their software development practices.
Perhaps the underlying issue is simply caused by "Rebooting/Restarting" the watch or "Turning off radio(s)" & not so much the specific function of clearing of watch's system cache.
I never restart/reboot my phone or watch w/o "Clearing System Cache" via "Hard Reset Menu" during that reboot as part of my ~weekly "performance maintenance" routine. And my watch battery almost NEVER gets into "Power Saving" mode. Mainly because my daily routine of showering & washing dishes @ home, etc. (During which I take my watch off to keep it clean & charge it) typically allows more than enough charging time to keep the battery sufficiently charged).
Regardless, I sure hope Samsung investigates this issue & quickly implements a solution!
And I mean a REAL solution, not just saying, "Don't restart, you shouldn't have to" or "Don't clear system cache, there's no need & we don't recommend it". Especially when both functions are most definitely boasted as common troubleshooting steps to address performance-related issues before performing a "Factory Reset".
Thanks again!
EDIT: I should have mentioned, I already contacted Samsung this past weekend to report the issue. There was little to troubleshoot @ that time, as my watch was already reconnected to my phone (after factory resetting it). And the Samsung Representative didn't want to make me recreate the issue & risk having to factory reset the watch again... She supposedly submitted a ticket of sorts to have their "Development Team" investigate. She committed that I'd receive updates. Fingers crossed!
It is absolutely not necessary to clear cache with every restart. The cache is there for a reason. Only clear it if you suspect it's corrupt or to force a rebuild of the information in the cache. I only did it as a last-ditch effort to get my watch to connect without a full reset. It is not something that should be done all the time. Having said that, clearing the cache should not cause the watch to force a reset.
I don't typically restart my watch either, but I sometimes will have the battery run low. It just did again, but I did it on purpose to see if it forces me to reset again. It's charging now so I'll see in a few hours.
