With the Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie feature, you can get in touch with something with just a tap. Here’s how to set it up and use it.
Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie requirements
To use the Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie feature, you and your friend must both be using an Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5 installed. You must also have FaceTime set up on your iPhone and be able to make and receive audio calls.
Note: The Walkie-Talkie feature isn’t available everywhere.
Getting Started
Using Walkie-Talkie requires an initial back and forth between you and the person you’d like to talk with. This requires adding your friend and having them accept your invitations.
Adding your friend
1) First, open the Walkie-Talkie app on your wearable device.
2) Next, tap the “+,” then find your contact.
3) Automatically, your friend is sent an invitation. Once they accept, their contact card in Walkie-Talkie goes from gray to yellow.
Removing friends
1) To remove a friend from Walkie-Talkie, swipe left on the person in the app.
2) Tap “X.”
You can also remove the contact in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone:
1) Tap Walkie-Talkie on the main screen, then Edit.
2) Tap “-” next to the name of the person you’d like to remove.
3) Tap Remove.
Accepting an invitation
If you’re on the other end and receive a Walkie-Talkie invitation, follow these steps:
1) Find the notification inviting you to chat by touching and holding the top of the watch face, then swiping down to open Notification Center.
2) Look for the Walkie-Talk invitation and then tap.
3) Tap Always Allow.
Couldn’t find your invitation? Make sure Do Not Disturb is off.
Using the Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie feature
It’s now time to make your first Walkie-Talkie call. To do so:
Turn Walkie-Talkie on/off
1) Open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.
2) Be sure you turn Available “on,” otherwise you’ll be unavailable when someone sends you a notification asking if you’d like to talk.
Note: If you turn on Silent Mode, you can still hear chimes and your friend’s voice. If you turn on Theater Mode or Do Not Disturb, it automatically makes you unavailable to talk with Walkie-Talkie.
Start a conversation
1) In the app, find and tap on your friend.
2) Touch and hold the Talk button, and begin talking. Let go when you’re done.
You might see “connecting” on the screen. If you do, wait for Walkie-Talkie to connect. Once this occurs, your friend can hear your voice and talk with you instantly.
Note: When your friend is wearing their Apple Watch, it will alert them when you want to talk.
Talking through Walkie-Talkie
1) Touch and hold the Talk button, and begin talking after you hear someone. Let go when you’re done.
Note: You can change the volume on your Apple Watch using the Digital Crown.
What’s old is new again
The Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie feature is simple to use just like a traditional walkie-talkie. Once you send or accept an invitation, all it takes to communicate is a tap. You can find more information about the feature on Apple’s support page.