14 Apple Watch tips and tricks that will keep you healthy and motivated

Summary

• Customize notifications for specific apps and change the way you view apps on your Apple Watch for a better experience.
• Set up a portrait watch face and make text larger to enhance readability on the small display.
• Utilize features like double tap gestures, changing haptics, setting passcodes, and tweaking notifications to optimize your Apple Watch.

With its never-ending fitness and health features, tight integration with iPhone and Mac, robust software support, rich app library, and range of variants and models, the Apple Watch is easily one of the top smartwatches. It’s a no-brainer purchase for iPhone users, and we aren’t surprised to see Apple’s wearables topping the sales chart every quarter.

The watchOS operating system is the heart and soul of the Apple Watch. It’s packed with nifty tricks to get the best out of a small display on your wrist. Whether you are a new Apple Watch user or an existing one, check the top tricks to use it like a pro.

1 Set custom notifications for apps

By default, Apple Watch mirrors your iPhone notifications to your wrist. However, you can tweak notification settings for specific apps. For example, you can receive alerts for a work calendar and turn off alerts for an app.

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Tap an app, for example, Calendar.

   

   

4. Tap Custom and check the available options at the bottom to tweak notification settings. You can turn off notifications for events, invitations, and responses and select a custom calendar for getting alerts.

   

2 Change app view arrangement

Apple Watch uses Grid View to showcase the default and installed apps. You can change it to List View for better readability or change the arrangement to keep your relevant apps at the top.

1. Open the Watch app and tap App View.
2. Tap Arrangement.
3. Drag and drop apps to your preferred position and go back to save changes.

   

   

3 Set up a portrait watch face

Portrait watch faces automatically recognize faces in the images and highlight the subject to deliver a better effect. Let’s check it in action.

1. Launch the Watch app.
2. Select Face Gallery and scroll to Portraits.
3. Tap Choose Photos. You can select up to 24 photos.

   

   

4. Tap Add and check your new watch face with portrait mode on your wrist.

   

   

4 Make the text larger

If you have a 41mm Apple Watch, the default text size may be too small to see. Here’s how to make text larger in watchOS.

1. Go to the Watch app and tap Display & Brightness.
2. Use the Text size slider to increase text on the Apple Watch.

   

5 Use the double tap gesture

This option is exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 9. Tap your index finger and thumb together twice to answer a call, reply to a message, control music, and more. Here’s how to activate and customize it.

1. Open the Watch app and tap Double Tap.
2. Turn on the toggle, change the playback function if you prefer, and try it once.

   

   

6 Change haptics

The default haptics pattern on watchOS is short, and you may miss important alerts on busy days. Change it to Prominent for stronger haptics.

1. Open the Watch app and go to the Sounds & Haptics menu.
2. Tap Prominent and check it in action.

   

7 Set a passcode

Turn on the passcode on your Apple Watch to avoid unauthorized access to your wearable. When you activate the passcode, wrist detection locks your Apple Watch when you are not wearing it.

1. Go to the Watch app and tap Passcode.
2. Tap Turn on Passcode.
3. Enter a four-digit PIN on the Apple Watch. Confirm the same.
4. Turn on the Unlock with iPhone toggle to automatically unlock your Apple Watch with your phone.

   

8 Tweak Activity notifications

By default, watchOS turns on all notifications from the Activity app. While some alerts are useful, other notifications can disturb you unnecessarily. For example, stand reminders can be irritating when you are in a long meeting or a class. Special Challenges is another irrelevant alert type for some.

1. Open the Watch app and scroll to Activity.
2. Tweak notification settings from the following menu.

   

9 Set up ECG

If your Apple Watch supports ECG, activate it using the Health app on your iPhone. ECG stands for Electrocardiogram, which measures the heart’s electrical impulses to detect abnormalities and diagnose many heart diseases.

1. Launch the Watch app and scroll to Heart.
2. Tap Set up ECG.
3. It opens the same in the Apple Health app. Enter your date of birth and tap Continue to follow the on-screen instructions.

   

   

4. Open the ECG app on your Apple Watch. Hold your finger on the crown and wait 30 seconds to measure your ECG.

   

10 Hide Apple Watch apps

Do you want to hide several apps on your Apple Watch? Follow the steps below.

1. Launch the Watch app and scroll to an app you want to hide.
2. Tap it and turn off the Show App on Apple Watch toggle.

   

11 Use Apple Watch as camera remote

This feature can be handy in specific situations. The Camera app on the Apple Watch acts as a remote to control your iPhone camera. Launch the Camera app, check the live feed on the iPhone camera, and tap the shutter button to snap a picture.

You can also long-tap the shutter button to record a video with the iPhone camera. There is also an option to snap a live photo.

12 Find your iPhone using the Watch

Did you misplace your iPhone somewhere? Here’s how to find it using your Apple Watch.

1. Press the side button to open the Control Center.
2. Tap the phone icon to ring your iPhone.
3. Check the directions on your Apple Watch to find your device in no time.

   

13 Set custom replies

watchOS enables smart replies for your incoming messages. You can set several custom replies.

1. Open the Watch app and scroll to Messages.
2. Tap Default Replies.
3. Tap Add reply.
4. Enter your replies and tap Done.

   

   

14 Use the Apple Watch to unlock a Mac

If you have a Mac, you can use the Apple Watch to unlock the device and access supported apps. Here’s how.

1. Open System Settings on Mac.
2. Scroll to TouchID & Password.
3. Find your Apple Watch and turn on the toggle.
4. Enter your Mac password for authentication and select Unlock.

   

From now on, when you open a locked app, check the notification on your Watch and double-click the crown to access the app.

15 Calculate tips and split bills

The watchOS Calculator app has a neat tip and split bill function. Instead of pulling out your iPhone, calculate the same on your wrist.

1. Open Calculator on your Apple Watch.
2. Enter your bill amount and tap Tip.
3. Use the crown to tweak the tip percentage.
4. Enter the number of people and check the bill amount for each individual.

   

   

Complete your watchOS setup

These are our cherry-picked tips for your Apple Watch. What are you waiting for? Go ahead, apply relevant ones, and elevate your Apple Watch experience in no time. While watchOS is rock solid most of the time, it can still experience issues. If you frequently run into glitches, reset your Apple Watch to squeeze bugs and start from scratch.