(Credit: René Ramos, Angela Moscaritolo)
The Apple Watch may not be as powerful as an iPhone or iPad, but it offers plenty of versatility in a small package. It can track your workouts, play music, monitor your heart rate, show photos, and much more. With watchOS 26, Apple has added a few new features to the watch. You can now tap into a Workout Buddy during a workout, flick your wrist to mute calls and notifications, and set up a better Smart Stack. To make sure you have all the latest skills, make sure you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 26 and your watch to watchOS 26.
Here are our top tips for Apple Watch owners, whether you have the latest Series 11, an Ultra 3, or any of the company's older models. You may have tried some of these features before, but there are likely still some tasks you didn't know your smartwatch could perform.
1. Listen to Music
You can listen to music on your watch, including songs, albums, playlists, and Apple Radio stations from Apple Music (if you're a subscriber). To set this up, connect your earbuds, headphones, or speaker via Bluetooth. Open Apple's Music app on the watch to access your library. From the player, you’re able to pause, resume, skip ahead, go back, and control the volume. With the built-in radio feature, you can tune into Apple Music 1 and certain news and music stations.
Looking for your favorite music app? You can download such services as Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio from the App Store on your watch to access your stations or library. Some apps even allow paid subscribers to listen to music offline.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)2. Listen to Podcasts
Apple has its own Podcasts app that lets you download podcasts on your iPhone and listen to them on an Apple Watch. With an LTE-enabled watch, you can listen to podcasts without hopping onto a nearby Wi-Fi network. Open the Podcasts app on the watch to access your library of subscribed podcasts or episodes. From the Podcast player, you can pause, resume, jump ahead 30 seconds, go back 15 seconds, alter the speed, and change the volume. Podcasts can also be played from your phone, using the watch as a controller. If you're not crazy about Apple's Podcasts app, alternative apps are supported.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)3. Get Motivated By Workout Buddy
The Apple Watch shines for its health and fitness capabilities, and one of its handiest features is the ability to track your workouts. Using the built-in Workouts app, you can record your progress at a variety of activities in and out of the gym, including biking, walking, hiking, jogging, rowing, elliptical, stair stepper, swimming, and yoga. And now you can get some encouragement from a Workout Buddy.
To set this up in the Workout app, choose the activity you want to perform. If that activity is supported by the Workout Buddy (not all of them are), you should see a clear alert icon in the lower right. If so, tap that icon. At the next screen, select Workout Buddy and make sure the switch is turned on. You can then choose a voice for the buddy among the three listed. As you kick off and go through your workout, the Workout Buddy periodically chimes in to offer encouragement and tell you how you’re doing
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)4. Monitor Your Heart Rate
Monitor your heart rate with the help of the Apple Watch's built-in Heart Rate app. Open the app to measure your current heart rate. As long as the watch is in display mode, or you glance at the face, measurements are periodically taken. Tap the arrow in the upper left, and the app displays your current rate, resting rate, average rate, and rates based on specific activities.
Don't like the Heart Rate app? There are several alternatives that can monitor your heart rate and possess more bells and whistles than the built-in option. Apps like Cardiogram, Heart Analyzer, HeartWatch, and Talking Heart Rate are worth considering.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)5. Take an ECG
With an Apple Watch Series 4 and up, you can take an electrocardiogram to check your heart rhythm and possibly identify any irregularities, such as atrial fibrillation. To perform an electrocardiogram, open the ECG app, tap OK, then hold a finger on the Digital Crown. The app will count down for 30 seconds, then the app will display your sinus rhythm and heart rate.
For a more accurate reading, make sure the watch is on the wrist you designated in Settings. You can also add a note in the app about any symptoms you may be experiencing.
This is not something you'd necessarily do on a regular basis unless you have a heart condition or are experiencing some type of symptom. In certain circumstances, the app can flag possible issues that you can convey to your doctor. However, if you’re feeling chest pains, don't waste time with the app; call emergency services.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)6. Protect Your Hearing
Loud noises are annoying, but also potentially damaging to your hearing. Introduced in watchOS 6, Apple’s Noise app can alert you if surrounding sounds are above a safe level that could lead to hearing loss. By setting a certain decibel threshold, the watch will send a notification if the ambient sounds are too high.
To turn this on directly on your watch, go to Settings > Noise > Environmental Sound Measurements and turn on Measure Sounds. Go back to the previous screen and tap Noise Notifications. From there, you can set the decibel level. If your watch determines that the surrounding sound is too loud, a notification pops up as a warning.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)7. Practice Mindfulness
When you need a quick break from the daily grind, turn to the Mindfulness app for help focusing on something other than the normal stress and strain we all sometimes feel. Use Reflect mode to think about something in your life—a challenge, difficulty, success, memory, or idea—and ruminate on it for a minute or longer. Breathe mode has you breathe in and out for a minute; it can be set to automatically remind you to practice deep breathing at specific times of the day.
You can also log your state of mind to track moods and emotions. In the Mindfulness app, tap State of Mind and log how you’re feeling right now or how you’ve felt today. You’re then asked why you feel this way and to choose the item with the greatest impact on your state of mind. You can even type or dictate a note here to add to your log.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)8. Track Your Sleep
If you need to track your sleep, third-party sleep tracking apps have long been available, but Apple introduced its own built-in sleep tracker back in watchOS 7. The Sleep app can track how much time you’re asleep at night, analyze your night-time schedule, and record your sleeping patterns over an extended period—all to help you get better sleep.
To get started, head to the Health app on your iPhone and tap Get Started next to Set Up Sleep on the Summary screen. Set a goal for the number of hours you’d like to sleep, create a bedtime and wake time weekly schedule, and program an alarm. You can enable Sleep Mode to automatically turn on Do Not Disturb at bedtime; Wind Down mode also eliminates distractions before sleep. You can also turn on sleep tracking directly from the Sleep app on the watch.
Once everything is set up, just wear the watch to bed and sleep with it on. In the morning, check the sleep data on your iPhone to see the results.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)9. Track Your Vitals
Introduced with watchOS 11, the Vitals app helps you view key health factors captured during sleep, including heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, sleep duration, and blood oxygen. You can check these metrics each day and receive an alert if any of them seem out of whack.
To set this up, open the Vitals app and follow the screens. The app says you'll need to collect seven sleep sessions to record the necessary data for the feature. After the data has been collected, return to the app to view the results.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)10. Call Emergency Services
If you own the cellular version of the Watch Series 5 or higher, you can call emergency services directly from your watch. The feature also supports international calls to emergency services, regardless of your carrier or where you live. So if you're an American visiting London, for example, and need help, the watch will call 999, instead of 911.
To make an emergency call, press down on the side button for a few seconds until you see the screen for Power Off, Medical ID, and Emergency SOS. You can either slide Emergency SOS to the right or continue holding down the side button. After a short countdown, the watch calls emergency services. If you start the countdown by accident, release the side button. If you start a call by accident, press down on the screen and then tap End Call.
As an added feature, you can add an emergency contact through the Medical ID screen in the Health app on your iPhone. That person then receives a text with your location after the emergency call ends.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)11. Set Up an Apple Watch for a Family Member
You once needed an iPhone to use an Apple Watch. Now, you can set up an Apple Watch for a family member, even if they don't own an iPhone. You’ll need an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14 or higher, while the family member will need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later. Certain features require a cellular connection on the watch.
To set this up, position the watch next to your iPhone and open the Watch app. Tap the All Watches link at the top, then tap Add Watch > Set Up for a Family Member. From there, follow the steps to enable or modify the necessary settings. Your family member can then use the watch without an iPhone, though you'll be able to manage the watch from your phone.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)12. Talk to Siri
Yes, you can talk to Siri on your watch. And Siri will even talk back. Long-press on the Digital Crown, and Siri will appear, awaiting your command or question. You can also get Siri's attention by voice. On your watch, go to Settings > General > Siri and enable Hey Siri so you can say "Hey Siri" or just “Siri” to your watch. Enabling Raise to Speak lets you raise the watch to your mouth, then say "Hey Siri" or “Siri” to chat with the voice assistant.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)13. Find a Family Member
Want to track the location of a friend or family member? You can determine their whereabouts through the Find People app on your Apple Watch, which lists any family members who have agreed to share their location with you. Tap the person to view a map and address. You can also get directions to their location and be notified if they leave their current spot.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)14. Browse Photos on Your Watch
You can view certain photos from your iPhone on the watch. By default, your watch displays the photos you've tagged as favorites, but you can change the album. To do this, open the Watch app on your iPhone and go to the My Watch section. Tap Photos and change the Synced Album to one of your choosing. Open the Photos app on your watch to see all your synced pictures. You can then browse your collection or zoom in on a photo using the Digital Crown
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)15. Dictate an Email or Text
Want an easy way to enter text on your Apple Watch? Dictate it from your watch's microphone. In the Mail or Messages app, for example, tap the field that says Create Message, Add Message, or iMessage, then select the microphone icon and speak what you want to write. When your message is complete, send it.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)16. Organize Your Watch Apps
Your home screen can quickly get cluttered with apps, but you can rearrange those icons and change the layout. On your phone, open the Watch app, choose My Watch, select App Layout, then move your icons. To do this from your watch, go to the home screen and press down on one of the icons until they start jiggling. You can delete an icon by tapping its X or drag it around.
With watchOS 10 and higher, you can swipe to the bottom of the home screen and tap List View to view your apps in an alphabetical list. Swipe to the bottom and tap the gear icon to return to Grid View.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)17. Access Apps from the Smart Stack
You can quickly access your favorite apps through the Smart Stack. Just swipe up on your current watch face, find the app you want, then tap it. You can also tap All Apps to view the Home screen. To modify the Smart Stack, tap Edit, then choose which items you wish to see, and tap the checkmark.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)18. Customize Your Watch Faces
Tired of looking at the same watch face every day? You can change them. To see a different face, swipe to the right or left of your watch screen and then tap the face you want to see. To set up new faces, open the Watch app on your phone, go to Face Gallery, then tap a face and change the color or style. Tap Add to make it a default watch face. At the top of the My Watch screen, tap Edit to remove faces or change the order in which they appear.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)19. Control Your Watch With Hand Gestures
Sometimes you're not able to control your watch with button presses and screen taps, like if you're wearing gloves. Instead, you can use gestures to control it with your wrist. To set this up, go to Settings > Accessibility > AssistiveTouch and turn on AssistiveTouch and Hand Gestures. By default, pinching your thumb and forefinger moves forward to the next item on the screen, double-pinching moves back, clenching your hand activates the current item, and double-clenching opens an Action menu with an array of commands.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)20. Flick Your Wrist to Mute Calls and Notifications
Introduced with iOS 26, a new option lets you flick your wrist to mute calls and other notifications. With this enable, you just turn your wrist over and back to mute and dismiss incoming calls, timers, notifications, and more. For this to work, however, you need an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, or Apple Watch SE 3. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Gestures and turn on Wrist Flick, if it isn't already.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)