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Apple designed theApple Watchto be as approachable as aniPhone, with user-friendly controls, familiar apps, and the general hardware and software polish the company is known for. But as the smartwatch has changed and gained features over the years, knowing what the Apple Watch can actually do requires digging through layers of menus, settings pages, and a whole separate companion app that most people just aren’t going to have the patience for.
We’ve tested and collected some of the most helpful tips and tricks for getting the most of your Apple Watch below, covering the smartwatch’s use as a health and fitness tool, an extension of your iPhone, and … a watch.
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Some of these features you might use once a day, others you’ll touch once and comfortably forget about, but the point is that all of them should make your experience wearing and using your Apple Watch better.
Using the Apple Watch as a watch
It’s goofy to consider now, but clocks have been “smart displays” that showcase pieces of information about the time, date, and even the weather that you could passively consume throughout the day. The Apple Watch, at its most basic, is the modern version of that idea on your wrist.
How do you change what appears on the always-on display?
To hide sensitive information from complications from appearing on the display when your wrist is down:
To hide notifications when your wrist is down:
To turn off the always-on display feature entirely (to save battery or for extra privacy):
How to edit the Smart Stack on Apple Watch?
Added inwatchOS 10, the Smart Stack is a place for widgets and app controls that you may easily access.
To find your Smart Stack:
To add, remove, or rearrange widgets in the Smart Stack:
Using the Apple Watch as a health and fitness tracker
The fact that the Apple Watch’s disc-shaped sensor takes up nearly as much space as the screen on top does is as good a sign as any that Apple cares about its ability to monitor your health. With software to monitor your heart, sleep, movement, and body temperature, it has several ways to offer insights.
How do you change your activity goals on an Apple Watch?
To change the level of activity, you need to meet to close your rings (steps, calories, time standing, etc.) first go to your watch:
To adjust an individual activity goal:
To adjust coaching reminders for your activity goals:
How do you turn on heart health notifications on Apple Watch?
To set a high or low heart rate notification:
To turn on irregular rhythm notifications (for identifying symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation):
How do you track your state of mind on Apple Watch?
Included as part of watchOS 10’s new features, you can use your iPhone and Apple Watch to track your mental and emotional well-being.
To log your state of mind, go to your watch:
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Using the Apple Watch as an extension of your iPhone
The Apple Watch is directly connected to your iPhone (unless you’re using a device connected to someone else’s phone via Family Setup) and has access to many, if not most, of its abilities. That means you can send messages, make calls, get notifications, and even use apps directly from your wrist.
How to silence a call?
To mute an incoming call:
How do you unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch?
To allow your Apple Watch to bypass Face or Touch ID:
you’re able to enable the same feature for your Mac by going to theTouch ID & Passwordsection of the System Settings app.
How do you control what apps get automatically downloaded to your Apple Watch?
Your Apple Watch can download corresponding apps to your iPhone apps. To stop automatic downloads:
Alternatively, to toggle the same feature on your watch:
More Apple Watch reads to become an expert
For more information on how to use your Apple Watch to the fullest, check out our guides onsetting up your Watchandhow to use it for tracking runs. If you’re in the market for a new Apple Watch, we havea great guideto read for that too.
