Recommended Free Tools
The Apple Watch is smarter than your typical watch and can be used for far more than just telling time. With so many features packed away in the various menus and settings, it can be easy to miss some of the cool things you can do with it.
That’s where we come in. In this article, we’ll share the coolest things you can do with an Apple Watch, from opening your hotel door to competing against friends in a fitness challenge.
Cool Things Your Apple Watch Can Do
1. Taptic Time
With Taptic Time, your Apple Watch can tell you the time even when it’s on silent by tapping it out on your wrist. It does this using the same haptic feedback engine that the Apple Watch uses to send your notifications.
There are three different ways it can tap your wrist:
- Digits – long tap for every 10 hours, short tap for each 1 hour, long tap for every 10 minutes, short tap for each 1 minute.
- Terse – long taps for every 5 hours, short taps for the rest of the hours, long taps for every 15 minutes.
- Morse Code – taps each digit individually using morse code.
These might sound slightly confusing but it is easy to pick up once you’ve been wearing it for a day or two. Digits is the simplest whereas morse code will take a bit more learning.
To turn Taptic Time on:
- Go to the Settings app.
- Select ‘Clock’.
- Select ‘Taptic Time’ and turn it on.
- Choose from the 3 options above.
2. Use your Apple Watch as a Walkie Talkie
The walkie-talkie feature allows you to easily speak to other Apple Watch users by tapping and holding on their name via the walkie-talkie app. It’s similar to sending voice notes via messaging apps.
You will need to add friends to the walkie-talkie app from your contacts and they’ll need to accept the invite before you can use the feature. Both parties will need to have an Apple Watch and iMessage installed on the companion iPhone.
#1 Best Overall
- [Fit All Models]: Sunnywoo sports nylon watch bands - Compatible with apple watch for women and men, Fits all apple watches, iWatch Bands for Se, Ultra 3/2/1, Series 11, Series 10, Series 9, Series 8, Series 7, Series 6, Series 5, Series 4, Series 3, Series 2, Series 1, iWatch wrist straps offer two size options, ① 5.11"–7.87" (130–200mm) fits 38/40/41/42mm cases ② 5.51"–8.66" (145–220mm) fits 44/45/46/49mm cases. Please check the size on the back of the watch and choose the right size
- [Easy to Wear]: Our watch bands for women men feature a magic tape closure for easy, one-handed length adjustments, ensuring a snug fit during workouts and outdoor adventures. Durable, breathable, and comfortable, they keep your smartwatch securely in place no matter how active you get
- [Skin-Friendly Material]: Sunnywoo watch straps are crafted from high-quality nylon, as soft as silk, ensuring all-day comfort. With excellent breathability and a lightweight design, they keep your wrists cool and comfortable during outdoor activities. Plus, cleaning is super easy, allowing you to maintain freshness and comfort no matter where you are
- [Multi-Colors]: With 14 stunning colors to choose from, you can easily match your daily outfit and create a personalized style statement. The Sunnywoo smart watch bands for women men are the perfect fashion watch accessory to complement any look, making them a must-have for your wardrobe
- [Warm Presents]: Know someone who loves their iWatch and has a passion for fashion and fitness? Treat them to a Sunnywoo nylon watch band! With 14 vibrant colors to choose from, they can effortlessly match their band to their daily style. It's the ultimate thoughtful Presents that combines practicality with personal flair
3. Pay for Groceries (or Anything Else)
Like the iPhone, your Apple Watch has NFC technology which allows you to make contactless payments.
Even if you already have Apple Pay set up on your iPhone, you’ll need to add your cards to your watch.
To do this:
- Open the Watch app on your companion iPhone.
- Choose the ‘My Watch’ tab.
- Select ‘Wallet & Apple Pay’.
- Here you can add cards from Apple Pay on your iPhone to Apple Pay on your watch.
- You’ll need to enter the CVV number for each card you add.
Once set up, you need to double-tap the side button on your watch to activate Apple Pay and hold it near the card reader.
4. Compete Against Friends
One of the biggest advantages of the Apple Watch compared to other smartwatches is its health and fitness tracking. With the fitness app on Apple Watch, you and your friends can share your progress with each other for a bit of healthy competition.
The Fitness app uses three rings to show your daily progress on calories burned, time spent doing brisk activity, and how many times you’ve stood and moved for at least 1 minute per hour. By sharing this with friends. you’ll be able to watch each other complete the rings and provide motivation.
To do this:
Rank #2
- Compatible Models: The HEARTBOOM magnetic nylon sport bands compatible for iWatch all versions. Suitable for Apple Watch Series 3/2/1 (38mm), Series 4/5/6/SE/SE 2/SE 3 (40mm), Series 7/8/9 (41mm), Series 12/11/10 (42mm). Pls check the model on the back of your watch to select the correct size
- Comfortable & Fit: HEARTBOOM stretchy apple watch band is made of recycled polyamide with a fabric weave, which is skin-friendly, breathable, lightweight, washable, sweat-resistant and quick-drying. Perfect for Fitness, Running, Yoga and daily wear, as it ensures that your wrist remains comfy and gentle feeling
- Multi Colors & Freely Adjustable: Our iwatch bands come with Various rich & muted colors for your choices, personalize your smartwatch to fit your outfit in daily life and easy change for every occasion. Suitable for women and men with 5.5"-9.6"(140mm~244mm) wrists. One size fit for most people,no need to measure your wrist to choose the size like the traditional braided bands
- Confidently Secure with Upgraded Magnets: Experience the perfect blend of style and security with our braided stretch band for Apple Watch. The enhanced magnetic Closure creates a strong, reliable connection that is easily adjustable for a flawless custom fit. Designed for all-day comfort and peace of mind, it stays put during any activity. Tool-free installation and one-click removal make it incredibly easy to use
- Perfect Gift: This apple watch bands blend fashion with functionality, look more fashionable and youthful. It's a a thoughtful and well-made gift. Suitable for Christmas, New Year's, Father's Day, Mother's Day and birthdays as a surprise for your parents, loved ones, and friends.We offer 24/7 friendly support
- Open the Fitness app on your iPhone.
- Go to the ‘Sharing’ tab.
- Select ‘Account’ and choose the ‘+’ button.
- Here you can choose up to 40 friends to share your progress with.
Once you are sharing your activity with friends, you can invite them to a 7-day competition in which you earn points by filling your activity rings.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
5. Custom Watch Faces
As well as a huge range of watch faces to choose from, you can also use your own photos from your photo gallery.
- Go to the Photos app on your Apple Watch.
- Swipe until you reach the photo you’d like to use.
- Tap the watch icon.
- Then choose ‘Create Watch Face’.
You can use live watch faces and if you have a favorite GIF, you can use a site like Giphy to turn it into a live photo.
However, keep in mind that animated watch faces can use more battery power. If you’re looking to increase the battery life on your Apple Watch, we recommend choosing a static photo or a simple watch face.
Rank #3
- Water Resistant: Our innovative splash-proof stretchy apple watch band allows droplets slides away which makes it handle sweat, light rain, and even accidental splashes without any issues. For some types of spills on this apple watch strap, like coffee, just a quick rinse under water within 1 minute and you will get a clean band
- Variety of Colors: With 10 colors in one pack to match any outfit, these apple watch bands for women and men offers a fashionable touch to iWatch. With a range of color options, you can easily switch up your look to suit any occasion, from professional meetings to casual outings. Enjoy the versatility of a band that complements your lifestyle and personal style effortlessly
- Comfort & Durability: Enjoy all-day comfort with our iwatch bands for women, designed to fit your wrist without any constriction. Crafted from soft, skin-friendly and durable sweat-wicking nylon, this apple watch se band is lightweight and breathable, preventing irritation and ensuring your wrist stays comfortable and cool, even during workouts
- Customizable Fit: Find your perfect fit with these iphone watch bands for women. Featuring a reinforced stainless steel buckle, these wristbands are fully adjustable to your desired length. The stretchable design ensures a snug and comfortable fit, suitable for both women and men with wrist sizes from 4.5" to 8.7"
- Compatible Models: Butifacion elastic apple watch sport band compatible with Apple Watch 38mm 40mm 41mm 42mm 44mm 45mm 46mm 49mm, iWatch Series Ultra/Ultra 2//Ultra 3/Ultra 4 & Series 12/11/10/9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1/SE 3. The Water-Resistant design and comfortable material makes it suitable for everyday activities and outdoor fun, also ideal as a surprise for Birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving Day
6. Use it as a Flashlight
Apple have a feature that allows you to use your Apple Watch as a flashlight. Don’t get too excited as it’s just the screen on at full brightness, but it’s handy for those moments when you’re left in the dark.
The flashlight button can be found in the Control Center menu by swiping up from your home screen and tapping the light icon.
Swiping left and right will allow you to change through different modes including a flashing mode and a red light mode.
7. Use your Apple Watch as a Hotel Key Card
If you’re planning to visit an Aloft, Element, or W hotel, their owner Starwood Hotels announced that their Apple Watch app will now allow guests to open their hotel room doors as well as getting directions to the hotel and checking in. To do this, you’ll need their Starwood Preferred Guests app for Apple Watch.
The number of hotels offering this is expected to grow in the coming years as Apple has updated its Wallet app and partnered with several hotel lock manufacturers.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute8. Use Siri Hands-Free
Just like an iPhone, tablet, or HomePod speaker, you can access Siri through your Apple Watch to ask questions, control the watch, send messages, and more.
By default, there are three ways to access Siri, by raising your wrist, saying ‘Hey Siri’, or pressing and holding the digital crown.
You can adjust the ways to access Siri by heading to the Settings app and choosing ‘Siri’ where you will find plenty of options.
Rank #4
- 【Fit All Models】SuperNaNa Sport silicone watch band compatible with apple watch bands 40mm 38mm 42mm 44mm 41mm 45mm 46mm 49mm women men,Soft breathable replacement sport strap for iwatch bands series 12 series 11 series 10 series 9 series 8 series 7 series 6 series 5 series 4 series 3 series 2 series 1. and iwatch Ultra 3 2, Ultra, SE(2nd Gen). All iwatch versions can attach perfectly and seamlessl.
- 【Soft Silicone Material】apple watch bands for women men are made of premium soft silicone, prevents skin from irritation, lightweight, persistent, skin-friendly, touch comfortable, water-resistant and sweat-proof; iphone watch bands for women perfectly fit for runs, hiking, rides, camping, climbing, swims, workouts, traveling and more outdoor activities. iWatch bands 40mm womens completely unburdened to wear on the wrist, perfect for all day.
- 【Adjustable size for all wrist】Our Sport apple watch strap compatible for 38mm/40mm/41mm/42mm(series 12 11 10), this size fits for 5.1"-7.1" (130mm-180mm) wrist; soft silicone iwatch strap compatible for 42mm(series 3 2 1)/44mm/45mm/46mm/49mm, this size fits for 5.9" - 7.9" (150mm-200mm) wrist. Please check the size on the back of your watch to choose the right size.
- 【Easy installation & removal】Our watch bands for women come with Innovative pin-and-tuck closure design, which locks onto smart watch interface precisely and securely. No tool needed,easy to install and remove,provides a secure and comfortable fit for extended wear.
- 【20+ Colors Choice】Silicone iwatch bands for women come with 20+ different cute colors available for women men. black starlight apple watch band etc colors personalize your Apple Watch and fit your daily mood and outfit. A idear option for your smartwatch accessories.
9. Find Your iPhone
If you’re the type of person that puts your phone down and then forget where it is, this nest cool Apple Watch feature is just for you. With the built-in Find My iPhone feature, you can locate your device with the tap of a button.
To do this:
- Swipe up from the home screen.
- Choose the ‘Find My iPhone’ icon (small icon of a phone buzzing).
Yes, it’s that simple. Your iPhone should now start emitting a sound. If you’re still struggling, tap and hold the Find My iPhone button and it will turn on the LED light and start a louder chime.
10. Use your Apple Watch as a Bedside Clock
The Apple Watch has a neat bedside mode which you can use your Apple Watch as a bedside alarm clock.
When you plug it in to charge at night, the screen will display the current time, date, and any alarms you set.
To enable it:
Best Value
- Compatible Models: Unbeinst stretchy solo loop band is compatible with Apple Watch Ultra/Ultra 2/Ultra 3 band 49mm for men, for Apple Watch Series 11/10 band 46mm 42mm, for Apple Watch Series 9/8/7 band 45mm 41mm, for Apple Watch Series SE3/SE2/SE/6/5/4 band 44mm 40mm, for Apple Watch Series 3/2/1 band 42mm 38mm. Please check your watch model and wrist size before ordering
- Upgraded Parachute Clasp: Our Apple Watch Ultra 2 band has been upgraded with a parachute clasp that ensures a secure fit. The clasp at the top can be opened and closed with ease, and the buckle at the bottom can be used to adjust the length of the strap. This ensures maximum stability, preventing the strap from loosening during daily use
- Premium Nylon Material: The apple watch ultra 2 bands for men are made from high-quality nylon material. It is breathable, lightweight, comfortable, doesn't fade, dries fast and is easy to clean. It is also comfortable enough to wear every day. You can wear it for any occasion
- Stretchy & Adjustable: The stretchy bands for apple watch ultra 2 sport band is equipped with lugs at both ends, which can be opened and closed very quickly with the buckle. Two sizes: 38/40/41/42 mm for 5.1 "-7.9" (130mm-200mm) wrist,42/44/45/49/46 mm for 5.5 "-8.3" (140mm-210mm) wrist
- What You Will Get: Package included 1 * parachute clasp nylon sports band for apple watch. Any problem with our apple watch band, please let us know straight away. We will get back to you within 24h
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Choose ‘General’.
- Use the slider to turn ‘Nightstand Mode’ on.
11. Control Your Smart Home Devices
With the Home app on your watch, you can control HomeKit devices around your home including lights, plugs, and cameras. You can also trigger scenes that you have set up.
Setting up devices on your watch can be awkward due to the small screen so we recommend using the Home app on your phone or tablet.
You can set scenes as favorites from your phone to make them easier to find on the watch.
To set a scene as a favorite:
- Go to the Home app on your iPhone.
- Choose ‘Rooms’.
- Find the device or scene you want to add to favorites, tap, and hold on it.
- Choose ‘Include in Favorites’.
Remember, you can also use Siri on the Apple Watch to control your smart home too.
12. Access Your Boarding Pass
Many airlines around the world now allow you to have a boarding pass on your Apple Watch. This includes American Airlines, Air France, and more.
In order to use your boarding pass on an Apple Watch, you’ll need to have the airline app installed and use this to check-in.
Once you pull up the boarding pass, your iPhone will save it to your Apple Wallet which will make it available on your Apple Watch too.
However, if you’re traveling to an airport that you’ve never visited before, you might want to take a backup paper copy as the gates are designed for paper passes and some do not have room to fit your wrist or watch underneath.
13. Share Your Location
With Apple’s Find People app, you can share your location with those important to you, and vice versa. The app is available across most of Apple’s devices including iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch.
To do this:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Open the Find Friends app.
- Select ‘Share my Location’.
- Choose a friend from the list or type in their email address or phone number.
- Finally, choose how long you wish to share your location.
When you share your location, it will appear on their Find Friends map along with anyone else who has shared their locations.
From the same app, you can stop sharing your location or notify friends and family members of your departure or arrival.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.
