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8 Hidden Apple Watch Features

Apple Watch has a ton of interesting features you might not know about

By Emily Price Emily Price Writer Harvard University The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Emily Price is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a freelance tech writer who focuses on emerging technology. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 14, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section Take Screenshots Silence Your Watch by Covering It Up Find Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch Return to the Last App Change the Default Text Messages Clear All Notifications at Once Talk to Siri Share Your Location via Messages The Apple Watch has standout features, including the ability to make and receive phone calls, get directions, and monitor your movement. Beyond these basic abilities, Apple packed other small but interesting features in the watch that are worth looking at. Here are a few hidden Apple Watch features that make the wearable even more powerful. Information in this article applies to Apple Watches with watchOS 6. However, the instructions are similar for earlier versions of the software.

Take Screenshots

Want to show someone what an app looks like on your Apple Watch? Take a screenshot on the watch by pressing the digital crown and side button on the watch at the same time. The watch makes a shutter sound, and the screen flashes to indicate the screenshot was taken. Screenshot images are saved to the Photos folder inside the iPhone Photos app. You can access them later or tap the Share button to text the screenshot to a friend. Before you can take a screenshot on the Apple Watch, you must enable the feature in the Watch app on your iPhone. Here's how: Tap the Watch app on the iPhone Home screen. Scroll down and tap General. Scroll down to Enable Screenshots and move the toggle switch to the On/green position.

Silence Your Watch by Covering It Up

If you get a call during a meeting or movie and don't want to be disturbed (or disturb others), place your hand over the display for three seconds to mute the sound. As with taking screenshots, you must enable this feature first on your iPhone: Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics. Scroll down and move the Cover to Mute toggle switch to the On/green position.

Find Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch

If you misplaced your iPhone, use your Apple Watch to track it down. This feature requires you to be in Bluetooth range of your phone, so it won't do any good if you left your phone in a restaurant. However, it can pinpoint where your iPhone is in your living room if it's under the sofa. Swipe up on your Apple Watch display to show the control panel screen. Tap the iPhone icon to have your phone make a dinging noise. Press the phone icon several times as you listen for the sound the iPhone makes. The watch displays "Pinging iPhone" while the iPhone plays a sound.

Return to the Last App

If you need to return to the last app you were using, you don't have to go through the Apple Watch menu to get there. Double-press the digital crown to instantly launch the last app you used. This can be a lifesaver when you need to do something like pull up your plane ticket while you're in the boarding line.

Change the Default Text Messages

You're not stuck with the default text messages that came on the Apple Watch. To customize the built-in messages with your flair, go to the Watch app on your iPhone and select Messages > Default Replies. From there, you'll see the replies that are currently loaded onto your iPhone and can swap out the ones you don't like with something new. If you send the same messages to friends, this is the place to put them so that you have easy access to them later on.

Clear All Notifications at Once

Tired of clearing notifications on your Watch one at a time? You can clear all the notifications you have on the device at once. Pull down on the Apple Watch face to open the Notifications screen. Press and hold the Notifications screen. Tap the Clear All button to confirm the deletion.

Talk to Siri

You don't have to use a button to launch Siri. The digital assistant responds to you if you say, "Hey Siri!" while the Watch face is activated. This feature can be fantastic when you have both hands occupied while cooking or cleaning and don't want to get your watch dirty.

Share Your Location via Messages

Sharing your location is simple on the Apple Watch through the Messages app. If you're texting with someone on the Watch, press and hold the screen to get a Send Location button. Tap that button to instantly send the person you’re chatting with a pin with your current coordinates. That makes it easy for the person to navigate to your exact location, be it a restaurant or a patch of grass at an outdoor concert. The map you send includes the nearest street address and can be opened in Google Maps for detailed information. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Reset Your Apple Watch How to Unpair Apple Watch How to Hide the Red Dot on Apple Watch How to Use Maps on the Apple Watch How to Remove Apps from Apple Watch How to Use WhatsApp on Your Apple Watch How to Set Alarm on Apple Watch How to Fix Not Getting Text Notifications on iPhone How to Close Apps on an Apple Watch How to Use Your Apple Watch How to Make Phone Calls With the Apple Watch How to Use Apple Watch With Siri Is an Apple Watch Worth It? How to Avoid Notification Overload on Apple Watch How to Find My Apple Watch How to Back Up Your Apple Watch Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies