The Apple Watch boasts a plethora of impressive features. In this guide, we’ve curated ten simple yet very useful tips and tricks that we deem essential for every Apple Watch owner.
1. Ping to find your iPhone
If you cannot find your iPhone, tap the phone icon in the Apple Watch Control Center, and your phone will make a sound.
You can also touch and hold that icon, and now your iPhone will both play a sound and flash its LED to help you find it in the dark.
2. Find your Apple Watch using HomePod
Can’t seem to find your Apple Watch? You can either ping it from your iPhone or even ask your HomePod to help you find it.
3. Get alerted when your heart rate goes very high or low
You can measure your heart rate at any time by using the built-in Heart Rate app. However, your Apple Watch can automatically take heart rates at regular intervals and alert you if it goes very low or high.
4. Take an ECG
In addition to measuring your heart rate, your Apple Watch can even take an ECG. Note that it’s available on Series 4 and later, except for the SE models.
5. Get AirPods battery level
Even when your AirPods are connected to your iPhone, you can tap the Apple Watch percentage icon in the Control Center and then rotate the Digital Crown to see the battery level of connected accessories.
6. Get to the Notification and Control Center even when inside apps
You are not restricted to seeing your notifications or quick controls only from the watch face. With simple gestures, it’s easy to get to them even when you are inside Apple Watch apps.
7. Switch from the honeycomb Home Screen layout to a list view
Out of the box, all your Apple Watch apps appear in a honeycomb layout without the app name labels. If you prefer, you can switch to a list view instead, which will show the app icon and the app’s name.
8. See battery percentage in Nightstand mode
When your Apple Watch is charging and is in Nightstand mode, simply tap the battery icon and it will show the battery percentage.
9. Use your Apple Watch as a flashlight
Unlike your iPhone, your Apple Watch does not have a flashlight. However, its tiny screen can turn into a bright white torch or even go fully red for times when you are jogging at night.
10. Have your watch get help when you fall down
God forbid it ever happens, but if you suffer a hard fall, the fall detection feature on your Apple Watch can automatically call emergency services as well as text your emergency contacts to get help.
On a related note: 15 actually useful tips and tricks every iPhone owner should know about