When Apple uncover itsfirst - ever smartwatchback in 2014 , it ’s fair to say that the world was n’t exactly sure what it was for … and neither was Apple . In those early days , along with the fitness factor which would stay an enduring part of the production ’s appeal , the company talked enthusiastically about partake water faucet , sketches , and heartbeats with friends , which would not . It guide time for substance abuser and third - party developer to learn Apple what they want from a smartwatch , and for the company to take that on plug-in .
Today , the Apple Watch is a mature and versatile product . It ’s so various , indeed , that you may not be cognizant of some of its most utilitarian capabilities . In this clause , we ’re sound to catch you up .
Take better iPhone photos
This was a superb piece of lateral thinking . There have always been situations where it ’s unmanageable or inconceivable to trigger a photographic camera because it needs to be out of reach , or out of sight , of the individual select the moving-picture show : when you ’re essay to snap the port around the back of your Mac , for example , or when setting up a formal group photo that everyone want to be in . timer used to be the main solvent , but often result in a unhinged scamper to place the camera right and get back in sentence before the time ran out . But the Apple Watch offers something safe .
open up the Camera Remote app on your watch , and it will at the same time open up the Camera app on the opposite iPhone . Whatever the iPhone ’s photographic camera can see , you may now see on your watch ; you may switch between the front and rearward cameras ( and toggle some other scope ) using the options push at the bottom right . Once you ’re happy , hit the three - second timekeeper button , bet up and smile , and enjoy your perfect photo .
Foundry
You can turn off the three-second timer using the options menu on the right, but it gives you time to compose yourself.
Unlock other Apple devices
An Apple Watch , once you ’ve unlock it with a single passcode input , remains unlocked as long as it stays on your wrist joint . It can thus act as a handy digital winder that ’s on you at all multiplication , unlocking your Mac and iPhone by proximity alone .
On iPhone , give the preferences app and go toFace ID & Passcode(orTouch ID & Passcodeon honest-to-goodness devices ) , then scroll down and exploit the on-off switch underUnlock With Apple Watch . On Mac , open System options and go toTouch ID & Passwordand click the on/off switch next to your Apple Watch .
Play games
As small as the Apple Watch ’s screen may be , it can still stick out some fun biz ; they just need to be designed with that limitation in idea . You need to be selective . We ’d recommendDeep GolfandLifeline , both of which make pure sentience in this formatting , but there are some more splendid suggestionshere .
Talk to ChatGPT
You in all likelihood have your own mentation on the ethics of AI , but it ’s hard to deny that ChatGPT is fun to play with . Thanks to thePetey app , you may now have those conversations on Apple Watch . Tap the ‘ Ask me Anything ’ release then type in a interrogation ( or better still , habituate the dictation push button and preserve your tapping finger ) and you ’ll soon hear what our future AI overlord reckon of the matter . There ’s even a complication , which mean Petey is never more than a tap aside .
Control navigation with air gestures
The standard control method acting for Apple Watch demand receive the gimmick on one radiocarpal joint , and then beg the screen and push and rotate the clitoris and dials with the other hand . But there are situations where you need to control the vigil with the same hand it ’s on . And this is potential , thanks to AssistiveTouch , one of Apple ’s ready to hand accessibility features .
launch the Watch app on the paired iPhone . ( or else , you’re able to set up the feature up in the Apple Watch ’s own options app , but I found this fiddly . ) In the My Watch tab , selectAccessibility , then scroll down until you seeAssistiveTouch . rap this , then tap the toggle at the top of the next screen to turn it on .
By nonremittal , doing a speck gesture with the watch - bearing bridge player will take you forwards in menus , while duple - pinching ( pinch doubly , rather than pinching once with two digit ) will take you back ; clench your clenched fist will act as a tap , while double - clenching will open a menu of action , which take a little getting used to . In fact , the whole thing has a learning curvature , but drill prepare perfect , and you could change the natural process tied to each motion .
You can turn off the three-second timer using the options menu on the right, but it gives you time to compose yourself.
Tell the time without looking
If for whatever understanding you are unable to look at your Apple Watch but you ’d still care to know the time , Speak Time is the lesser - screw feature film for you . To put it up , start the configurations app on the watch and go to Clock , scroll down until you see Speak Time , then rap to plough it on . ( Again , this can also be done in the Watch app on a paired iPhone ; again , go to Clock then hit Speak Time . ) Now you need only harbour two fingerbreadth on the spotter face for a second or so and it will order you the time out aloud .
Conversely , if you ’d care to know the sentence silently without looking at the blind , count Taptic Time . ( you’re able to become this on in the Watch app by going toClock > Taptic Time , or following a similar route in the Apple Watch ’s configurations app . ) There are various options but I chance the Digits data formatting easiest : this would for example give one long tap , followed by four little taps , take after by three long tap , followed by six little taps , to give you the time 14:36 .
Quickly reply to messages
The Apple Watch credibly does n’t seem like the optimal twist for writing out subject matter , but watchOS has been cleverly design to help . Tap a notification of an incoming message ( or unfold the Messages app on your Apple Watch and tap a message there ) and you ’ll see the pick to respond . This is easier than it vocalise .
The loose method is to take one of the pre - written response , such as yes , no , and “ Can I call you later ? ” One tap and the can reply is winging its elbow room to the receiver : soft . And if these replies seem too limited , write some of your own by open up the Watch app on your pair off iPhone and going to Messages > Default Replies .
If you ’d rather be unwritten , you’re able to typewrite out a response on your wrist in the onscreen keyboard , but we ’d advocate that you instead abstract up and select the Scribble keyboard or else : this has you scribble a missive at a clock time using the total screen , which is much loose than hitting tiny key . Or best of all , intercept the dictation push and speak your thought out loud .
Petey can handle life’s most serious questions.
Make your battery last much longer
Hardly anyone seems to know that the Apple Watch now has a Low Power mode – perhaps because it already had a Power Reserve mode , which was far more drastic and made the vigil essentially unusable . But Low Power , finallyadded in watchOS 9 in 2022 , is much close to the equivalent iPhone feature of speech , simply cutting back on features and options to eke out a petty more barrage aliveness .
To turn on Low Power modality , open Control Center by swiping up from the clock face , then intercept the battery per centum . Just below the Battery persist figure , you ’ll see a on-off switch labeled Low Power Mode . ( take down that inwatchOS 10 , Control Center is rather access by conjure the side button . )
Preserve your privacy
The always - on screen offered on the Series 5 onwards has many good qualities , but you might be disquieted that it means personal information may be seeable to other people . as luck would have it , you may adjust the configurations so that sensitive complications and notifications only appear when your articulatio radiocarpea is raised .
permit ’s start with complication , which could exhibit personal data such as calendar appointments or wellness data . start the Watch app on your couple iPhone . From the My Watch tab , go to Display & Brightness > Always On > Show Complications Data . From here you could pluck and choose which complications are allowed to display their data when the always - on screen is in dimmed mode .
likewise , if you go to Display & Brightness > Always On > Show Notifications you may fine - tune the notification which appear in dimmed mode , and which are only countenance to break their information when you ’ve raised your wrist joint .
By default the Messages app offers context-sensitive Smart Replies, but you can turn this off in the settings.
Get discreet directions
When you ’re lost in a new city , the last affair you desire to do is advertise the fact that you ’re a tourist ( or indeed the fact that you ’ve got an expensive smartwatch on your wrist and an expensive smartphone in your sac ) . For this reason , it ’s worthy to have Maps rede you of turning in a mode that ’s discreet and does n’t call for that you look at the concealment of your Apple Watch or iPhone .
While you ’re still somewhere safe , opened Maps on your iPhone and select a destination and the type of directions you want . Start the journeying , and check that you deform off the profound alerting by tapping the deaf-and-dumb person / unmute button on the right - mitt side . Tuck the iPhone away in a pocket .
Now , as you walk along , the Apple Watch will alert you to left turns by yield you three curing of two unforesightful buzzes and bespeak right turn with a rapid and even series of 10 to 12 haptic taps . ( You do n’t need to matter them , it ’s the musical rhythm that gives it away . ) When you contact your destination you get a long vibration .
Think carefully about information that could be embarrassing if seen publicly.
