Have you got or just bought an Apple Watch? Then the desire is strong to tear open the package and test it immediately. There are a few steps to go through before you get started and to guide you through these, we have put together this article, so you can get started with your new Apple Watch in the best way.
Below we will help you through the installation process and give tips on how you can best use it. It’s relatively simple, but there are some things that are worth knowing and looking out for.
No matter what Apple Watch you have, from the latest Apple Watch 7 via the more wallet-friendly one Apple Watch SE to older generations who Apple Watch 3 so the process is relatively similar.
Just remember, you will need an iPhone to be able to fix your Apple Watch and it is highly recommended that you make sure you are running the latest version of iOS before we get started.
Before you start your Apple Watch
Resist the temptation to start your new Apple Watch immediately. Before you start everything, make sure that you choose a bracelet that suits you well. Otherwise, you will find on the underside of your Apple Watch two indents next to the bracket for the bracelet.
These two indentations are for releasing the bracelet from its holder, so you can loosen it and pull it to the side to remove it. In the box for your Apple Watch you will find two lengths of bracelet, if you are not quite sure which one you need, feel free to try both to see what fits your wrist best.
Then place your Apple Watch on a flat surface to make it easier to sync with your iPhone, avoid manual pairing as much as possible. Make sure that Bluetooth is running on your iPhone and that it is connected to wifi networks or mobile data before you start.
On the side of the watch you will find a flat, oblong button that you use to start your Apple Watch, among other things. Press and hold until it vibrates and displays the home screen. Hold your iPhone close to your Apple Watch and wait for the pairing screen to appear on the iPhone, then click “Continue”.
If this does not work, you can manually open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and press “Pair new watch”.
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The next step is to press “Set for myself” (assuming it is you and no one else who should have the watch) and when the app tells you to, place the Apple Watch so that it fits in the camera bar of the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. This allows the watch and telephone to be connected.
If this is your first Apple Watch, then choose to set it as a new Apple Watch and if you already have one, you will have the option to restore a backup to continue where you were.
You may be asked to update watchOS to the latest version, if a new one has been added since the watch was manufactured.
After that, you can read and accept the legal terms and possibly log in with your Apple ID, although it is possible to postpone to later with some limited functionality as a result.
You will also be asked to turn on the activation lock if the “Find” feature is not turned on in your iPhone.
After that, you will have the opportunity to make a number of settings, including choosing which ones to share with your iPhone. If you activate certain functionality on the iPhone, such as the “Find” function or location services, these will automatically be activated on your Apple Watch as well.
For older models, you may have to specify which wrist you wear your watch on during activation. This does not affect which direction the screen is turned, it is done separately, but affects how the watch senses how you raise the arm and thus decides whether the screen should be turned on or not.
If you are unsure, you can always correct the settings via the Apple Watch app on your iPhone in a later mode.
For security, in case your watch is lost or stolen, you also get the opportunity to set a lock code. Apple Watch uses sensors on the back to determine when you take it off and after that the code needs to be entered to unlock the device.
You do not have to set a lock code now, but we strongly recommend that you do so. If you want to use Apple Pay in the watch, it is absolutely mandatory.
By default, a four-digit code is used, but if you want, you can also enter up to ten-digit code instead. Much harder to guess past, but probably necessary only for a few.
Additional protection and features
On the security front, you can also set your Apple Watch to delete itself after ten incorrect code entries. This is done after installation via “Settings”, “Password” and “Delete data”.
Back to other settings, it is now time to set up Apple Pay and other features such as automatic updates, “Activity” and on model variants with SIM card, mobile network. Follow the instructions on your Apple Watch for all of this and skip anything that is not relevant or interesting to you.
You will also be asked if you want to install all available apps from your iPhone, but we think it is better to handle this manually at a later stage partly to speed up the process, partly because you may not want or need exactly all apps found in your iPhone.
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Finally, your Apple Watch syncs with your iPhone and as soon as this is done (usually takes a few minutes) it is completely ready to use. Put on your watch, tap the screen and enter your lock code. When you now turn up your arm, the screen should come to life.
Set the home screen
If you did not install all available apps from your iPhone during activation, you can now manually select which ones you want to add.
Locate “Available Apps” in the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and select which ones you want installed on your watch.
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Apps can be moved around and third-party apps uninstalled directly from your Apple Watch home screen. Touch and hold an app icon and then “Edit apps”. Now you can move apps around and delete the ones you do not want left with the X button that appears on the icon.
However, it is easier to move around apps via the Watch app on your iPhone. To do this, go to the “My Clock” tab, “Appview” and then “Setup”. Now you can easily move and drag around apps via the screen on your iPhone so that the layout suits you better.
Which settings should be changed immediately?
The Apple Watch is a more complex device than you might think, with a large amount of settings spread across different areas.
There are two different options to change settings, partly via “Settings” directly in your Apple Watch, where you will find the most basic and important settings to change.
The second option is via the Watch app on your iPhone, where you will find everything from the watch and more, which makes this the best place to start.
Restrain the notices
Getting a large number of notices in your Apple Watch can quickly become a burden. Slow down the pace a bit by going to “Notices” in the Watch app on your iPhone. From here you can control which apps are allowed to display notices and in some cases also what they are allowed to display. Different apps offer different levels of detail, but all have at least the basis of choosing between “Mirror my iPhone” or to customize in more detail.
If you select the former, a summary is displayed below and to adjust this you have to go to the Settings in your iPhone and adjust the note behavior there.
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Customize notices
Tap “Custom” to select how an apps notification is handled on your Apple Watch. Three options are available, “Allow Notices”, “Send to Notice Center” and “Notices Off”.
“Allow notifications” means that notifications appear in the Notification Center and that your Apple Watch tells you about it. “Send to Notice Center” sends the notices right there, but without telling you and “Notices off” unexpectedly closes notices completely for that app.
Some apps have more complex settings. The app “Activity” for example gives you the opportunity to control if you want to be reminded to get up regularly, daily training tips and if you achieve today’s goals or get special challenges.
Get rid of the red dot
If you have notices you did not dismiss, a red dot will appear at the top of the screen of your Apple Watch. Turn off the “Notice Indicator” in the “Notice” settings of the Watch app on your iPhone if you find this annoying.
Reduce transparency
Even though the relatively small screen in the Apple Watch makes it relatively privacy-friendly to begin with, you may still want to improve the mode. Under the “Notices” settings in the Watch app, you will find the option to “Show summary on lock screen” or not.
If you turn this off, only the type of notice and sender will be displayed instead of more detailed information.
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search for updates
An important feature of your Apple Watch is the ability to check for software updates. You can find this under “Settings”, “General” and “Software update” either via Apple Watch (may be model dependent) or in the Watch app on your iPhone. If there is a new version of watchOS, it is a good idea to update to it.
To do this, your Apple Watch needs to be on a charger and have at least a 50% battery. The latest version at the time of writing is watchOS 8.3 and all models except the first two should be able to update to that version.
If you are buying an Apple Watch today, then it is probably Apple Watch 3 or later.
Automatic installation of apps
In order not to have to remember to manually install new apps, you can activate “Automatic app installation” via the Watch app on your iPhone, if it is not already activated.
This way, you automatically get with the Watch app if available, immediately when you install a new app on your iPhone.
Check the storage space
Older models of Apple Watch offered only 8 GB of storage and that space fills up quickly as only around 5.9 GB is actually available to you. Series 4 has 16 GB of storage and Series 5 and newer ones have 32 GB of storage built-in, something that clearly leaves more space for apps and media files. If you want to find out what takes up space, do so via “Settings”, “General” and “About”.
Fast forward
If you want to set the clock to show a little later, you can do this via “Settings” on your Apple Watch, then “Clock” and press where it says +0 min. Then spin the digital crown to change how far in advance the time should be displayed on the dial.
Note that this only affects the display of time on the dial, not any time-dependent notices.
Find your iPhone
Not an attitude as such, but still well worth knowing. If you have placed your iPhone, Apple Watch can help. Open “Find Devices” on your Apple Watch and tap the device you are missing, then tap “Play Sound” for that device to start ringing and help you find it again.
You can also show on a map where the device is located, if the app can locate it.
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