Developer mode on Apple Watch

Has to be done on the watch directly, not via the iOS app. Go to Settings, Security & Privacy, and there should be a Developer setting down the bottom.

I enabled developer mode, but Xcode still says developer mode disabled

I got my watch repaired, reinstalled watchOS 9 and I can’t see the developer mode in developer build 6.

Developer setting is missing for me on an Apple Watch 8 with watchOS 9.1. It had been there on my old Apple Watch 4 running a previous OS (and I had successfully used it).

I had the same thing -- I plugged iPhone into mac laptop, received trust prompt on iPhone and accepted, then I was prompted on watch to trust device and trusted it, then after that, I was able to see developer mode option on watch under General > Privacy > (scroll to bottom and enable), requires watch restart.

Similar issue, solved by unpairing my old watch and connecting Xcode and toggling developer mode on the watch directly

I couldn't see the developer mode - had to 1) remove Apple Watch , 2) reconnect and setup as a new Watch - (not restore), 3) Build iOS app on physical iPhone, 4) then I could see the Developer Mode under Settings -> Privacy and Security. For me it was all about a new setup - something must have been stopping the developer mode from showing on the old Apple Watch setup.