Apple Watch

Customization, Tips for Travel, & Next-Level Texting

Customize Your Watch

Delete Third-Party Apps

When you first boot up your watch, you'll see many of the third-party apps from your iPhone already installed on your watch by default. And all those apps can be overwhelming. To delete apps from your watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone. Scroll down to the bottom of the My Watch screen to the Installed On Apple Watch section and then toggle off any listed apps to remove its watch app icon.

Add Apps to Your Watch

Now that you've gotten rid of the apps you don't want, it's time to add new ones. Open the App Store on your watch by pressing the crown and scrolling until you find the App Store icon. You can search for a specific app or browse popular apps. Select the app that you want to install by tapping the price. If there's no price listed, tap Get. When prompted, enter your Apple ID password on your iPhone.

Use Apple Pay on the

Apple Watch

A huge perk of Apple Pay on the watch is that it works when you're out of range of your iPhone. To begin setup, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap Wallet & Apple Pay in the My Watch section. If you have a card set up on your iPhone, tap it, and enter your security code to activate it. Otherwise, tap New Card and enter your info from there. Next time you leave your wallet at home, just hold your watch close to the card reader and double press the Side button to make a purchase.

Pick Your Favorite Watch Face

I love to try out different faces on my Apple Watch. You can pick the face that looks the best or that displays the functions you use most often. To pick a new face, open the Watch app on your iPhone. Make sure your software is up to date, then select the Watch Gallery tab. Tap the face you want, and then tap Add. From there, you can customize the complications and colors. Return to the My Watch tab. In the Faces section, select the face you want to use. Scroll down and tap Set as Current Watch Face.

Listen to Apple Music

When you're out for a hike and don't want to bring your iPhone, you can listen to music if you have a cellular model with an Apple Music subscription or if you've purchased or stored music via iTunes. First, pair Bluetooth headphones or earbuds by opening Settings on your watch and tapping Bluetooth. Next, open the Music app, select what you want to listen to, and tap Play to stream music. (If you don't have a cellular watch, you must sync music from Apple Music to your watch first.)

Take an ECG Reading

As long as you're getting a workout, you might as well learn how to take an electrocardiogram reading. This app records your heartbeat and rhythm so you can become aware of any irregularities and is available on the Apple Watch Series 4 or later. To set up the ECG app, open the Health app on your iPhone. Open the Browse tab, then tap Heart. Select Set Up ECG App. Now, on your watch, open the ECG app. Follow the on-screen instructions to get your results.

Activate Siri

Let's say you want to use Siri on your watch. You might be inclined to say, “Hey Siri,” only to find that your iPhone or iPad responds instead. To talk to Siri on your watch more easily, go to Settings on your watch, then scroll down and tap Siri. You can toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri.” To use a different method, you can toggle on Raise to Speak and Press Digital Crown. Now, raise your watch to your mouth or press the Digital Crown, and Siri will respond on your watch.

Set Your Watch to Wake to a Recent App

Your watch is set to return to the Watch Face when you wake your watch up. But what if you want to return to the text you were reading or go back to Maps? To set your watch to wake to the most recently used app, go to Settings, General, and tap Wake Screen. Under On Screen Raise Show Last App, select how long you want your watch to wait before displaying the Watch Face. Scroll down and toggle on any apps that you want your watch to display when awakened.

Increase Text Size

The Apple Watch is great, but let's face it, the small text size can make it hard to read texts or follow on-screen prompts. Fortunately, you can adjust your text size so it's perfect for you by going to the Settings app on your Apple Watch. Scroll down and select Display & Brightness. Tap Text Size, then use the letters to increase or decrease the type. Tapping the letters on the right will increase the font size, while tapping the letters on the left decreases the font.

Mute Disruptive Alerts

When you're in the middle of an important meeting or are on a FaceTime call with a loved one, the last thing you want are annoying alerts popping up on your Apple Watch. Luckily, you can use a simple gesture to mute an alert as long as you've enabled the feature in advance. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and select the My Watch tab. Tap Sounds & Haptics, then toggle on Cover to Mute. Next time your watch interrupts you, just cover the Watch with your free hand to silence the alert.

Find a Lost iPhone

If you can't find your iPhone, you can locate the missing phone using your watch. You don't even have to worry about your Find My settings to use this method. Wake your watch and then swipe up from the bottom of the watch face to access the Control Center. On the top left corner, you'll see a green iPhone icon to indicate that your iPhone can be located with your watch. Tap and hold the iPhone icon. This will cause your iPhone to ping and light up its LED flashlight.

Take a Screenshot

Maybe you want to save a funny text message or share a favorite song. Whatever the reason, taking a screenshot on the Apple Watch can come in handy, but that feature isn't automatically enabled. To take a screenshot, open the Watch app on your iPhone. On the My Watch tab, select General, then toggle on Enable Screenshots. On your watch, hold down the Digital Crown and Side button together to take a screenshot.

Send Texts with Your Apple Watch

Create a Custom Text

Message

Your Apple Watch comes with a smart list of replies for answering text messages. But what if you want to say something unique like “Shiver me timbers” or “10-4 good buddy?” You can create custom replies in the Watch app on your iPhone. Open the My Watch tab and select Messages, then tap Default Replies. Scroll down to the bottom and tap Add Reply. Enter your custom reply and tap done on your keyboard to add the response to your smart list.

Send an Audio Recording as a Reply

On your Apple Watch, you can send a transcribed message, but you can also send an audio clip if you want to avoid an embarrassing faux pas. On your iPhone, open the Watch app. From the My Watch tab, select Messages. Tap Dictated Messages, then set your replies to Transcript or Audio. Next time you use your voice to respond to a text, you'll be given a choice to send either the transcription or an audio clip.

Navigate from Your Wrist

Navigate with Apple Maps

When you're on foot, you don't want to walk with your iPhone out in front of you while you navigate Apple Maps. Instead, you can use your Apple Watch to find a location. Press the Digital Crown and open the Maps app. Tap Search to look up a location or select an address from the list. Next, select Walking. As you walk, Maps will display the next instruction. Your watch will also buzz on your wrist before every turn so you know when to consult the map.

Disable Maps Notifications on the Watch

If you're driving, then the last thing you want to worry about is being interrupted with Maps notifications on your wrist. To temporarily disable Maps on your watch, open the Watch app on your iPhone. On the My Watch tab, select Maps, then toggle off Driving and Driving with CarPlay. Now, your watch will only send you notifications when you're on foot or on public transit.