Whether you’ve snapped up the new Apple Watch Nike+ or your Apple-branded wrist wear has just celebrated its first birthday, there’s plenty your beloved techy timepiece is capable of. Look past its message-notifying, fitness-tracking basics, however, and there’s a deep, rich world of hidden Apple Watch features you might not have been aware of.
Want to get the most from your iPhone-friendly wearable? Check out these Apple Watch hacks and take yourself from the high-tech dark ages to the wonders of the modern world…
1. CHECK THE TIME WITHOUT DISTRACTING PEOPLE
Next time you’re sat in the cinema, trying to check the time on your Apple Watch without casting a guilt-highlighting beacon of light across your own embarrassed mug, give this a go. Instead of tapping your watch to life, twisting the digital crown on your Apple Watch 2 will see the display gradually brighten. Twist it just enough and you’ll be able to see the time without pissing off everyone in a three-seat circle of anger.
2. STOP ACCIDENTAL WATCH FACE SWITCHING
Noticed that since switching to the latest watchOS 3 software it’s all too easy to accidentally change your Apple Watch’s face? Well there’s a simple way to put an end to those left and right swiping mishaps. If you’re the sort that’s picked your favourite face and are sticking with it until the end of time, you can simply scrap the filler. In the Apple Watch iPhone app, head to My Watch > My Faces > Edit and here you can tick off the unused faces one by one. Sure, it’s a pretty heavy-handed solution, but it’s also effective. Deleted faces aren’t gone forever either. Simply removed from the wearable, they can be added again with another trip to the iPhone app.
3. TWIST THE CROWN TO OPEN APPS
Struggling with your podgy, unresponsive fingers accidentally tapping the wrong app every time you try and open something? Don’t worry, there’s a solution, a pretty simple one at that. The next time you tap the Digital Crown to launch the app map, keep a finger on it. Once you’ve swiped the screen to locate and centre the app you’re looking for, twisting the crown will drop you into the desired application.
4. HOW TO RENAME YOUR APPLE WATCH
There’s a number of reasons you might want to rename your Apple Watch. You don’t want people seeking it out on Bluetooth, you want to add a comedy edge to your connectivity searches, or you’ve got more than one and need to distinguish between the two. Whatever the reason, break out the Apple Watch app on iPhone, and go My Watch > General > About > Name. Here you’ll be able to give your timepiece whatever comedic or confusion-busting name you like.
5. STOP YOUR PHONE BOMBARDING YOU WITH NOTIFICATIONS
Need a break from all the buzzing? Want to watch a film without your wrist constantly reminding your that there are other people in the world besides you, bae? You got it. Just swipe up to launch the control centre and tap the icon that looks like a crescent moon. Congratulations, you’ve just enabled ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode and have blocked the world of incoming calls and alerts. Ah, bliss. Just so you don’t forget that you’re blocking the world out, a small moon icon will be shown on your watch face.
