5 Apple Watch tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner

September 2, 2019

By Kim Komando

There’s no way around it: The Apple Watch is a revolutionary device. Not only do you have the power of a computer in a package small enough to fit on your wrist, but you also have a top-notch health device and productivity tool to boot.That said, actually using the Apple Watch can be a little tricky. Sure, Apple provides instructions on how to use the watch and its various functions, but the capabilities of this device are vast enough to fill a book. In other words, it takes some real know-how to figure out every secret trick up the Apple Watch’s sleeve.Fortunately, we’re making it easier than ever for our readers to master the Apple Watch with our guide to some of the device’s best-kept secrets. If you use an Apple Watch in your daily activities, you won’t want to miss these handy tricks that will help you get more out of your device than you ever thought possible.

1. Take screenshots on your Apple Watch just like you would on your iPhone

One of the handiest features on any computer or mobile device is the ability to take screenshots. Not only can you share what you’re doing with your friends and family this way, screenshots make it easy to show problems to tech support, or present concepts and processes for work. You can even screenshot your health-related achievements from your watch and share them on social media.To enable screenshots on your Apple Watch, open the Watch App on your iPhone and tap the My Watch tab. Then, tap General. In this menu, toggle Enable Screenshots. Your watch is now ready to take screenshots.All you need to do to capture what’s on your watch face is to use two fingers and hold down both the Digital Crown and the Side Button. Your screenshot will automatically save to the camera roll on your iPhone. Easy, huh?

2. Give yourself a custom wallpaper using your iPhone

Just as you can take pictures from your watch and save them to your phone, the same logic can apply in reverse. If you have a photo of, let’s say, a beloved pet you’d like to use as your Apple Watch’s wallpaper, it’s actually easy to set up. All you need to do is play around with your “favorites.”To make sure the photo you want synchronizes with your watch, open the photo on your phone and tap the heart icon at the bottom of the screen to make it a favorite. All favorites save to the Favorites album, which makes it easy for you to access. This data will also pull directly to the Apple Watch.Now, on your watch, open the Photos app and scroll until you find the photo you want to use. Next, press down on the screen with pressure and tap on the icon to Create Watch Face. Then, tap on the option for “Photos Face” to turn the picture you selected into your new watch face.

3. Enjoy the benefits of your watch without disturbing others with Theater Mode

Having a glowing, functional Apple Watch is cool, but it can be quite distracting to others in a dark place like the movie theater. But Apple, ever the forward thinkers, engineered a solution right into the watch’s operating system that dims the screen and silences the watch without requiring you to turn it off. This is called Theater ModeTo access Theater Mode, simply swipe up from the bottom of your watch’s screen and select the two masks icon. Now, your watch will be silenced and your screen won’t light up unless you tap it. To quickly see the time without flashing your screen, however, gently twist the Digital Crown to slightly adjust the brightness. Then, you’ll see the time readout without disturbing other viewers.

4. Use the remote shutter feature to perfectly time and pose your pictures from a distance

Sometimes, you just want to be part of a picture — but someone still has to take the shot! Fortunately, that person can still be you even if you’re part of a photo thanks to the Remote Shutter app on your Apple Watch.When opened, it lets you see through your phone’s camera lens, and you can even delay your shutter by three seconds in order to properly strike a pose. To open this app, simply open your app menu and pick the icon shown above. There may be a slight lag, but this is perfectly normal since the devices are communicating over wireless. Say cheese!

5. Misplace your phone? Easily find it with the Apple Watch

This will probably be one of the most useful features to any reader since everyone misplaces their smartphone at one time or another. You probably already know that you can remotely ping your phone via icloud.com, but what you might not be aware of is that your Apple Watch contains the exact same feature.To find your phone, simply swipe up on your watch’s screen and select the Find Phone icon that looks like a phone with rings coming off of it. After pressing the button, your phone should start to chime. Now, you’ll be able to find your iPhone even if it sank deep into the couch cushion. It’s a must-try feature.Of course, these are only a few of the many handy tricks that Apple Watch owners can expect from their wearable device. What you ultimately do with your very own wrist powered computer is up to you. But with that much technology packed in such a small area, it’s absolutely worth trying some apps to see just how capable the Apple Watch really is.How will you get the most from your Apple Watch?

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.