You probably already know your Apple Watch can do more than just tell time and track steps.
Or you probably own one without knowing that you have a wearable computer on your wrist.
Whether you’re a new user or a seasoned pro, these features will help you get the most out of your Apple Watch. Let’s check them out.
1. Apple Wallet on Your Wrist
Forget about fumbling for your wallet at the checkout line. Using the Apple Wallet on the Apple Watch has been a game-changer.
Cashiers sometimes look surprised when I hold my wrist up to pay, but the convenience is unbeatable. With a simple tap and a beep, I’m on my way.
It’s especially convenient on the subway—I no longer have to dig through my wallet for my pass; just a quick hold of my wrist near the reader, and I can swipe the rail pass.
I also use my watch to store and scan boarding passes for specific airlines, like United. This eliminates needing to carry a physical boarding pass or access it through my phone.
2. Get Directions from Your Apple Watch
Apple Watch has totally transformed my car navigation experience.
I don’t have to worry about missing an audio turn because the music’s up – the watch vibrates on my wrist with a distinct pattern for left (double taps, three times like a heartbeat) and right turns (rapid twelve taps).
This has saved me tons of time on long trips, especially when playing music. Plus, a long vibration lets me know when I reach my destination.
3. Restore a Bricked Apple Watch from iPhone
With tech, anything can happen; sometimes, you’ll be left with a glorified paperweight. Luckily, you can use your phone to restore your Apple Watch in 99% of situations.
To do this, first, make sure you’ve paired your watch to your phone with iCloud backups enabled at least once while the watch was working.
- Now, simply put the watch on your charger with your iPhone nearby. The iPhone must have iOS 15.4 or later, be connected to Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on, and be unlocked.
- Double-click the Side button on your Apple Watch
- You should see the option on your phone to “Restore Apple Watch.”
- Simply tap that option and follow the on-screen instructions.
Your Apple Watch should be back in working order in a few minutes.
4. Use Your Apple As a Flashlight
Did you know your Apple Watch has a built-in flashlight? Yes, it does, and you can access it through the Control Center.
When activated, a bright white light comes on, perfect for navigating a dark room or finding your keys at night.
But it gets even better. If you swipe left, you’ll get a strobe light, which I often use when I’m jogging to alert others.
If you swipe again, you’ll get a red light, which is super useful when I’m at the movies or don’t want to wake up my sleeping wife.
5. Use Accessibility Shortcuts on Apple Watch
Some apps are going to be more important than others, and you don’t want to fiddle around trying to get them at a moment’s notice.
To set the Accessibility Shortcut, follow the steps below:
- Head over to the Apple Watch app.
- Select “Accessibility” from the “My Watch” tab.
- Scroll down and select “Accessibility Shortcut“.
- From there, you can choose one of these options.
To use the shortcut, press the Digital Crown quickly three times. Triple-click the Digital Crown again to turn off the accessibility feature.
6. Reduce Motion
If you need to conserve battery life or don’t like all the on-screen movement of your watch, you can reduce it with the Reduce Motion feature.
On your iPhone, go to the My Watch app and navigate to General Settings. You’ll find a Reduce Motion option. Toggle it on, and the number of animations used will be dramatically decreased.
7. Check the Time Without Raising Your Wrist
In the Settings tab under Display and Brightness, toggle Always On to the “on” position. The watch face will stay on even with your wrist down.
8. Snag Songs on the Go With Sazam Complication
Ever hear a catchy song while driving and forget the title by the time you reach your destination? The Apple Watch has a hidden gem that most people don’t really use.
With the Shazam complication, I can identify songs with a simple tap on your watch face. I don’t need to ask Siri anymore. I can just tap one corner of my watch face, and the song will be saved in the My Shazam Tracks playlist.
9. Share Photos Via iMessage and Mail
Don’t want to grab your phone to share a picture or screenshot? Simply tap your digital crown, choose “Photos,” tap the photo you want to share, and tap “Share.”
From there, you’ll get to choose between your contacts or recent messages, and you can even add a little message before tapping “Send.”
10. Invite Friends to Compete in a 7-Day Competition
Want to see who can walk the most miles or burn the most calories in seven days? Invite them to a seven-day challenge on your Apple Watch, and your watches will keep track of each participant’s performance.
For this one, do the same as listed in tip 26, but set the duration to seven days. Each participant will be synced with shared information, and the winner will be declared at the end of the period.
