If you mainly use your Apple Watch to check the time and receive calls and notifications, you’re not using it to its full potential. Here, we’ll discuss nine tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Apple Watch.
1 Track Your Workouts
One of the primary uses of an Apple Watch is to track fitness metrics like calories burned. You can also use the wearable device to track data during workouts. It’s easy to start a workout on your watch.
Simply press the Digital Crown and select Workout from your list of apps. Pick your workout type and then begin. You can even start a workout with Siri. Say, “Hey Siri,” followed by “Start a workout,” or something more specific like “Start a 300-yard pool swim.”
During the workout, you’ll see information on the watch screen like time, active calories, total calories, and heart rate.
2 Connect AirPods or Bluetooth Headphones
You don’t need an iPhone to rock out with your AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones. It’s easy to connect wireless headphones to your Apple Watch.
For AirPods, enter Control Center by pressing the Side button once and selecting the Bluetooth icon. It’s a triangle with three circles above it. Then, choose your AirPods to connect. To pair and connect other Bluetooth headphones, head to Settings > Bluetooth on watchOS.
Once you’ve connected your headphones, you can stream music on Spotify or Apple Music or play songs stored on your watch.
3 Make the Most of Complications
Complications are one of the best features of the Apple Watch. They showcase a small piece of information from your apps right on your favorite watch face.
You can see data, like the current temperature, right along with the time. You can add complications when customizing your watch face. To help you get started, here are some of the best Apple Watch complications to start using.
4 Find Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch
Most of us have misplaced our iPhones at some point. However, if you have an Apple Watch, there’s no need to panic. Enter Control Center by pressing the Side button and locate the iPhone icon.
Press it once, and if your paired iPhone is within range, it will start playing a loud tune, even if it’s in silent mode. Long-press the icon to make your iPhone not only play the tone but also blink its LED flash. This is perfect for helping you find your missing iPhone under couch cushions or in a closet.
Your Apple Watch can also find more than just a paired iPhone. With the Find People, Find Items, and Find Devices apps on watchOS, you can locate your other Apple devices, friends with iPhones, and even AirTags.
5 Save Battery With Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode can be handy when you want your Apple Watch to last a bit longer before you can charge it. It turns off features like always-on display and heart rate measurements while minimizing background activity to help extend battery life.
According to Apple, Low Power Mode can double the usual battery life of your Apple Watch. For instance, if you own an Apple Watch Ultra, Low Power Mode can double its battery life from 36 to 72 hours.
You can turn on Low Power Mode from the Control Center. Select the current battery percentage. At the bottom of that screen, you can tap Low Power Mode and then choose to Turn On or Turn On For and set it for one, two, or three days.
For more information about the feature, feel free to check out our guide on using Low Power mode on your Apple Watch.
6 Control Your Apple Watch With Double Tap
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If you own an Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or a newer model, you can control your watch with a simple Double Tap gesture. This way, you don’t have to interact with the touchscreen, which is useful when your other hand is messy, or you’re in the middle of doing something else.
After raising your wrist, you can Double Tap your thumb and index finger in quick succession. That will select the main button of the app you’re currently using. So, you can answer a phone call, snooze an alarm, open the Smart Stack, and more with the Double Tap gesture.
7 Use Theater Mode
When you’re watching a movie, the always-on display and audible notifications of your Apple Watch aren’t ideal. In those situations, you can turn on theater mode on your Apple Watch. Once active, your screen will only turn on after being tapped once. Your watch will also be in silent mode with haptics turned on for notifications.
You can turn on theater mode anytime by heading to the Control Center and tapping the icon with two masks. It will turn orange to let you know the mode is active. You’ll also see the same icon at the top of your watch face.
8 Adjust Text Size and Screen Brightness
Since your Apple Watch has a tiny screen, you might often find it hard to read some of the smaller text and other information it displays. However, it’s easy to adjust both the text size and screen brightness.
Head to Settings > Display & Brightness on watchOS. Here, you’ll find options to adjust the screen brightness and text size and enable bold text to improve readability.
9 Customize Your Apple Watch Ultra’s Action Button
One of the standout features of the Apple Watch Ultra is its customizable Action button. It provides one-touch access to many features like starting a specific workout, turning on the flashlight, or running a shortcut.
Customizing the action button on your Apple Watch Ultra takes just a few seconds. Go to Settings > Action Button on watchOS and change it to whatever you like.
We hope these tips help you finally unlock the true potential of your Apple Watch. Remember that watchOS has several hidden features you can master over time. When used properly, your Apple Watch should be able to reduce the time you spend on your iPhone.