For hiking, diving, and everyday use, the most useful Apple Watch Ultra changes are the ones that put the right action or information within easy reach. Set the Action button for the task you use most, tailor a compatible watch face to the activity, and configure Depth only with a clear understanding of its limits. Menus and options can vary by Ultra model, region, app, and watchOS version.
Choose an Action button shortcut for the activity
The Action button can launch or start a task with a press. Apple lists Workout, Waypoint, Backtrack, and Dive among the available actions. Choose the assignment that suits the activity in front of you; a shortcut is useful only if it opens the task you actually need.
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To change it, open Settings on the watch and tap Action Button. Select an action and configure any available options shown for it. The Quick Switch menu lets you keep multiple actions available rather than treating one assignment as permanent. You can also turn off Siren hold activation if you do not want holding the button to trigger it.
- For hiking: Choose Waypoint to mark a location, Backtrack to record or retrace a route, or Workout for quick access to workout tracking.
- For diving: Choose Dive to open Depth or a compatible third-party app, depending on the selection available on your watch.
- For everyday use: Assign your most-used quick task, then use Quick Switch if you regularly need more than one action.
Apple says Backtrack can switch between Record and Retrace using the Action and side buttons together. Button combinations and available options can depend on software and configuration; check the prompts shown on your watch.
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Set up Compass Waypoints for hiking
A Compass Waypoint saves a location so you can later view its direction, distance, and relative elevation. You can create one at your current location or enter coordinates. A Compass Waypoint complication can also provide access from a compatible watch face. See Apple’s Compass Waypoints guide for the supported controls and readouts.
Use a waypoint as one piece of navigation information, not as a replacement for a map, route plan, or sound judgment about conditions. Signal waypoints are approximate records of where a watch or paired iPhone connected or may have detected a network; they do not promise that a connection will be available when you return. Apple notes that surroundings and environmental conditions affect availability, and reconnecting near a marked point may not be possible.
In Apple’s cited guide, emergency-call waypoints are limited to the United States, Canada, and Australia. Cellular waypoints require an iPhone running iOS 17 or later and an Apple Watch cellular plan. Availability depends on the region and supported setup.
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Make the watch face useful for the outing
Apple recommends customizing the Modular Ultra or Wayfinder face with complications suited to the activity. For a hike, select information you expect to check at a glance, such as compass or waypoint information, if the complication is available for your face and setup. There is no single layout that suits every hiker.
Both faces support Auto Night Mode, which can turn the display red after dark to help preserve night vision. If you use one of these faces outdoors or at night, check its Auto Night Mode setting and choose whether it fits your routine. Apple’s Ultra watch face guide covers customization and night mode.
Configure Depth before diving—and understand its limits
In the Depth app settings, you can choose whether Depth opens automatically when submerged, another compatible selected app opens, or the watch stays on its face so you can use complications. You can also change depth and temperature units. The Action button can be assigned to Dive and set to open Depth or a compatible third-party app. If you choose another app, follow that app’s own instructions; do not assume it behaves like Apple’s Depth app.
Apple says Depth is limited to 40 meters (130 feet). It measures current and maximum depth, underwater time, and water temperature. Tracking starts beyond 1 meter when the watch has been submerged for more than 5 seconds. Underwater, the screen locks and Water Lock turns on. Apple says a dive ends after the watch has been out of water for 10 minutes; another descent before then can be grouped into the existing session. These are Depth app operating details, not a substitute for dive planning.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep everyday settings simple
For everyday wear, assign the Action button to a task you reach for often, choose Modular Ultra or Wayfinder complications that show information you routinely need, and enable Auto Night Mode if you use either face after dark. These are personal preferences, not a universally best configuration. Change one setting at a time and make sure the button and face behave as expected before relying on them during an outing.
Quick Recap
Pick settings by access, activity, and consequence
| Setting choice | Best fit | What it puts within reach | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action button: Workout | Hiking or everyday activity tracking | Quick access to Workout | Useful when workout access is more important than marking a spot or starting Backtrack. |
| Action button: Waypoint | Hiking | Saving a location | Pair it with a compatible Compass Waypoint complication if you want quick face access. |
| Action button: Backtrack | Hiking | Recording or retracing a route | Know how the Action and side buttons switch between Record and Retrace. |
| Action button: Dive | Diving | Depth or a selected compatible diving app | Depth is not a dive computer; follow Apple’s depth and safety limits. |
| Modular Ultra or Wayfinder complications | Hiking or everyday wear | Selected information on the face, such as waypoint access | Face and complication availability depend on compatibility and setup. |
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