The Apple Watch is now eleven generations old and full of useful features that are easy to miss at first glance. To help you get the most out of your new device, we’ve rounded up 15 handy tips you may not have discovered yet, including a few that longtime users often overlook.
Bouncing between two apps
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On your Apple Watch, double-tap the Digital Crown to see an overview of all currently open apps and rotate to scroll through them. From this view, you can return to the last app you were using. Simply tap an app’s screen to access it, or swipe left on its card and press the red X button to exit it.
Change app view
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If the app grid looks messy, switch to list view. Open the Watch app on iPhone, tap App View and choose List View. From there, pressing the Digital Crown will bring up your apps in a simple, drop-down list.
Rearrange apps
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You can rearrange your apps so that the ones you use most are within reach. Simply tap and hold on any app in grid view, then drag it where you want. You can also open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to App View ➝ Arrangement, and move items around instead.
Ping your iPhone
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If you’ve misplaced your iPhone but are sure it’s nearby, open Control Center by pressing the side button, then tap the phone icon to ping it. Tap and hold this icon and the iPhone camera flash will also flash, which can be useful if it’s hidden under something.
Skip the countdown
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If you can’t wait to start a workout, the three-second countdown to start can be skipped. Simply tap the screen when the countdown begins and your workout will begin immediately. If you do this regularly, consider enabling precise start in Settings ➝ Training.
Customize vibration strength
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If you continue to miss notifications, go to Settings ➝ Sounds & Haptics ➝ and change it from Default to Prominent. This adds an extra pressure pattern before the alerts so they are harder to ignore.
Perform precision timing
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The Chronograph Pro watch face transforms into a real chronograph. Press the outer edge surrounding the main 12 hour dial on this watch face to record time in 60, 30, 6 or 3 second scales. You can also select the tachometer time scale to measure speed based on time travel over a fixed distance.
Go to the top
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If you’ve scrolled down in an app and want to go back to the top, just tap the time in the top corner of the screen. This works in most apps and saves a lot of scrolling.
Delete apps
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Deleting apps you don’t use on your Apple Watch is easy. In List or Grid view, long-press the screen until the apps shake, then tap the small x in the corner of the app icon to remove it. This works for most system apps and all third-party apps.
Customize Control Center
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By default, Control Center (accessed via the side button) gives you quick access to things like Wi-Fi, battery, and Do Not Disturb. But it’s worth seeing what you can add there that you’d like quick access to. Tap the Edit button at the bottom, then tap the + icon in the upper left corner of the screen. System options like New Note and Lights are particularly handy, and you may also see some third-party options listed, depending on your installed apps.
Say the time out loud
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If you’re using the Mickey or Minnie watch face, tap the character and it will say the time out loud. Just make sure your sound is turned on. In fact, you can also ask Siri to read the time on any watch face by pressing and holding with two fingers on the screen. But again, the sound must be turned on.
Personalize Smart Replies
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Smart Replies come in handy when you want to respond with just a few words. In the Watch app on iPhone, go to Messages and tap Default Replies to customize what’s shown. Then, when a message arrives, simply swipe down to choose one of your predefined responses.
Pause activity rings
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Not feeling well but hoping to keep your streak intact? In the Activity app, select your rings to access the ability to pause them for the day, or set a break that lasts until a date you choose up to 90 days in advance.
Create a note
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In watchOS 26’s new Notes app, you can’t edit existing notes on Apple Watch, but you can create a new one by tapping the compose control in the lower right corner and speaking your text. Since Notes syncs via iCloud, you can fine-tune or rearrange everything later on a device with a physical or on-screen keyboard.
Disable and dismiss alerts
With a simple flick of your wrist, you can clear the current screen and return to the watch face. The same gesture can be used to mute calls, stop timers, and dismiss notifications. The feature, enabled by default, is supported on Apple Watch SE (3rd generation), Series 9, Ultra 2 and later.