
15 Hidden Apple Watch Hacks One Must Know
The Apple Watch is a highly functional wearable that allows users to check the time, send messages, listen to music, and track personal workouts and fitness levels. Although it’s effortless to use the Apple Watch, there are a few important features that one might miss out on. The wearable has a ton of functional specifications that can improve user experience. Let’s take a look at the following hacks.
1. Take a screenshot
Open the Watch app on iPhone. Select General and click on Enable Screenshots. Upon activating the feature, one can take screenshots on the Apple Watch by pressing both the side button and the digital crown simultaneously.
2. Control commands with hand gestures
Apple watch users can utilize some of its capabilities without touching the screen or clicking any buttons if they learn how to use hand gestures to control certain commands. Simply open the settings app on the watch or the Apple Watch app. Tap on Accessibility > Assistive Touch > Hand Gesture. Choose a gesture and select an action one wants to perform to activate it as a command.
3. Customize workouts
Fortunately, metrics can be added or removed from the watch screen as desired. Simply launch the Apple Watch app, navigate to Workouts > Workout View, and choose the exercise to activate this feature.
4. Use the Handwashing feature
To activate this feature, open Settings on the Apple Watch app on the iPhone and tap on Handwashing. Turn on the Handwashing Timer, it will automatically detect when one washes hands and start a 20-second timer. For alerts, toggle on Handwashing Reminder.
5. Turn on Theatre Mode
One can activate the Theater Mode when one does not want to be distracted while watching a movie or playing a game. To do this, swipe up from the Control Center on the Apple Watch and tap on the Theater Mode button. Once activated, the display won’t turn on when raising the wrist unless one taps on the screen or presses the Digital Crown. However, one will still receive haptic notifications.
6. Translate with Siri
The Apple Watch’s built-in voice assistant can translate text in 11 different languages in real-time. To activate this feature, hold the side/home button and say “Hey Siri” and continue by speaking the sentence or word that needs translation. One can go on to say, “how do I say {word or phrase} in {language}?”
7. Connect Apple TV
The Remote app on the Apple watch allows one to control the Apple TV and other devices like Mac computers and HomePods remotely. To set this feature, open the Remote app on the watch. The app will display a list of devices available around. Choose the required device and click on the pairing indicator. Once paired, enter the four-digit password displayed on the device to activate the connection.
8. Unlock iPhone with a Mask
Apple introduced a function letting users unlock their iPhones with their Apple Watch while wearing a mask. Despite its seemingly insignificant size, this feature is quite helpful.
9. Protect Apple watch from water
Apple watches are not waterproof; they are water-resistant. However, there are certain things one can follow to protect the water resistance of the watch, which Apple says ages over time. One of the more interesting aspects of the Apple Watch for swimmers is the Water Lock technology, which activates immediately when one chooses a swimming program on the watch.
10. Enable Apple Pay
Open the Watch app on the iPhone, choose Wallet & Apple Pay from My Watch, and it will enable one to accept contactless payments. The card selected from the available list will automatically appear on the watch. Next, to pay with an Apple Watch, double press the Side/Home button and hold it up to the contactless terminal.
11. Find iPhone
Apple Watch can provide directional and distance cues for a lost iPhone. Known as Precision Finding, the feature can locate a misplaced iPhone even if it’s in a separate room by providing visual, haptic (pulsing on the wrist), and aural guidance in addition to distance and direction.
12. Clear notifications
To remove every notification from the Apple Watch, just touch and hold the top of the screen, then swipe down to the bottom of the notifications (or turn the crown down). Next, select Clear All.
13. Optimize charging
The optimal battery charging setting on the iPhone is probably more well-known than anything else, but it is also supported by the Apple Watch Series 8. However, the Apple Watch has also provided efficient battery charging since watchOS 7. To choose battery health, open the battery settings and turn on “Optimized Charging of Batteries.”
14. Adjust the watch
Southpaws, who typically wear their watches on the right arm, are not the greatest fans of the Digital Crown. That said, left-handed users can configure the Apple Watch to operate with the crown on the bottom left instead of the top right. Select the preferred wrist and Digital Crown position on the Apple Watch by going to Settings > General > Orientation.
15. Turn the watch into a bedside clock
Those who do not prefer wearing the watch for sleep tracking can still make use of it as a bedside clock. To activate the Bedside Mode, turn the watch sideways while it’s connected to the charger. One can also manually change the settings. Open the watch app on the iPhone and select General. Toggle on the Bedside mode for activation.
These simple hacks can be used in Apple Watch Series 8 and Series 9.