When it comes to Apple’s technological gimmicks, we’ve already gotten used to finding new amazing things they can do. We love their design, usability, and endurance, and with each new upgrade, we get more excited about what’s coming next.
The entire Apple Watch series allows you to do much more than simply checking the right time. From offering “basic” options such as alarm and reminders to allowing you to text and get directions, and even helping you to burn calories and sleep better, your Apple Watch is surely a device you can get a lot from.
Still, this gadget can offer you even more if you know where to look and what to look for. Here are some of the less known Apple Watch hacks you will definitely love.
1) Locate your misplaced iPhone
In case you didn’t know, tapping the control center setting icon (illustrated as a phone with some waves coming out) will make your iPhone release a “ping” sound, helping you to locate it more easily.
However, if you misplaced your iPhone in a dark room where it’s surrounded by a lot of background noise (a typical party situation, for example), you can long-press the same icon to make your iPhone light up, making it easier to find.
2) Check your AirPods battery life
There’s nothing more frustrating than realizing you forgot to charge a device you need, and since AirPods have no way of showing their battery life, it can be especially annoying.
Luckily, your Apple Watch can help. Go to the control center settings and tap battery icon. Besides showing the device’s current battery life, it will also let you choose the Power Reserve mode and show you the current battery status of your AirPods as well.
3) Change the Apple Watch default home screen view
Most people love the iconic honeycomb-like view that is default on their Apple Watch screen. However, if you prefer to switch to a list view, you can do that, too.
Place your finger in the middle of your Apple Watch screen and press hard. You will be able to choose and switch between the default Grid View on the one hand and a List View on another.
4) Take quick notes on your Apple Watch
Although you’re very likely to use Apple’s Notes app on your iPhone or Mac, unfortunately, this app is not available for your Apple Watch.
This is where the Bear app comes in. It’s easy to use and it works both when you want to scribble a thought for later (long-press the microphone icon, and then +) and when you need to dictate a note (simply tap the microphone icon).
Underneath the “add a note” section, you will be able to see, edit, or delete your 10 latest notes.
5) Tweet from your Apple Watch with Jay
Ever since Twitter killed off its Apple Watch app, several alternatives were floating around, aiming to fill the gap the original application left behind. Luckily, there’s one that really does the job quite well and you should definitely try it out.
Jay is a good-looking, stable app that will allow you to write, read, and like tweets and follow other users, but the real showstopper is the app’s ability to let you watch Twitter videos, and even let you zoom the images using the digital crown.
6) Quickly unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
If you tend to make a lot of breaks during your work and have a password-protected Mac, this trick might save you a lot of time.
Instead of having to use Touch ID or password to wake up your Mac, use your Apple Watch to log in automatically. To get this hack to work, though, you need to have Watch OS 3 or later and macOS Sierra or later, with 2-step verification enabled for your Apple ID.
All you need to do is to turn on your Mac and tick the Allow Apple Watch to unlock your Mac in the System Preferences, Security & Privacy settings.
Conclusion
It takes time to find new apps and hacks that can make your Apple Watch even more powerful and useful, but it’s always worth your while. With each new gimmick, you get an opportunity to become more productive, monitor your health better, or approach everyday activities in new, simpler ways.
Staying up to date with the newest technologies and tricks that can make your life easier is a great way to take the most out of your gadgets, and Apple Watch is not an exception. Let us know in the comments which hacks surprised you the most, and which ones you see yourself using from this moment forward.
Author Bio
Sandra Dufrene is a freelance writer and an editor at essay roo review. She has a keen interest in photography and dedicates all her free time to it. Sandra has extensive knowledge in different fields such as technology, marketing, and blogging. You can contact her on Twitter.
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