Resident Apple Watch expert Kate takes you through, step-by-step, how to set up your Apple Watch and the settings to change first for an optimized experience. From how to update Apple Watch software, to how to turn off Apple Watch notifications, to how to change the font size on Apple Watch, to how to make your Apple Watch battery life last longer, consider this the ultimate guide for new Apple Watch users.
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00:00In this video, I'll take you through a simple game plan of how you're going to set up your new Apple Watch
00:05and some of the settings you're going to want to change first. Let's get into it.
00:08Setting up an Apple Watch might feel familiar if you've ever set up an Apple product before,
00:12meaning it's a pretty straightforward step-by-step experience.
00:16The most important thing you'll need is your iPhone nearby, as you'll use it a lot during the Apple Watch setup process.
00:22If your phone recognizes a new Apple Watch nearby, you'll see a pop-up to initiate the process,
00:27but you can also go into the Watch app on iPhone and add a new watch here.
00:31You have two choices. Most people are going to set up for themselves,
00:35but note that you can set up an Apple Watch for a family member if you'd like.
00:39Otherwise, you're going to follow the prompts, assign the wrist orientation,
00:43agree to some terms and conditions, confirm your Apple Health and Activity Ring settings,
00:48set up a passcode, add some payment methods if you'd like.
00:51So now your Apple Watch should be syncing with your phone.
00:54This would be a good time to run a software update, which you can check for in the general settings in the Watch app.
01:00Most new watches coming out of the box are probably an interim watchOS update or two behind,
01:05so chances are you'll need to initiate the update.
01:08Going forward, you'll either want to enable automatic updates or just update your software regularly
01:13to ensure you're getting the best user experience.
01:16Before we move on, I'd like to say thanks to the returning viewers
01:19who have been following along with my Apple Watch videos on this channel over the years,
01:23but also welcome to those who are here for the first time.
01:26This channel is all about helping you make the most of your tech,
01:29so make sure to subscribe so you never miss a new video.
01:32Back to how to set up your Apple Watch, there are a couple of settings I recommend enabling from the jump.
01:37First, fault detection doesn't come enabled, so do that.
01:40It's a great safety tool, one that you don't hope to need, but you will be glad to have it if you do.
01:45Next, if you skipped this during setup, reconsider adding a passcode and payment information.
01:50It's still optional, of course, but note that you do need a passcode in order to use Apple Pay on your watch.
01:56Next, I'd suggest setting up noise alerts by going to Settings, Noise,
02:00and toggle on Environmental Sound Measurements to enable noise notifications
02:04that will alert you if your surroundings are dangerously loud.
02:07In a similar vein, you might also want to set up sleep tracking if you plan to wear your watch to bed.
02:12You can use the Watch app or Health app on iPhone to create a sleep schedule,
02:16set up sleep tracking, and if you have an Apple Watch Series 10 or Ultra 2,
02:20you can also set up sleep apnea detection.
02:23Again, these are all things that won't work unless you proactively enable them,
02:27not saying you need them, but I want to help you make the most of your watch's features.
02:31Taking things a step further, there are some additional settings you can change
02:35to make your Apple Watch better suited for your needs.
02:37I suggest rearranging your smart stack that's accessed by turning the digital crown.
02:42If you press and hold on the screen, you can rearrange the order of which the widgets appear.
02:47Another thing to change is your text size.
02:50If it's too small, you can do that in Settings on your watch or on the Watch app on your iPhone
02:54in the Display and Brightness settings.
02:56While we're here, make sure you're happy with the App View.
02:58You can choose Grid View or List View. That's simply based on your preference.
03:02One of the biggest complaints I see from new users with Apple Watches
03:06is how many notifications you get.
03:08Right up top in Settings, you'll see Notification Settings.
03:11You can basically go app by app and decide which ones you want notifications for.
03:17If you don't mind the notifications but dislike the haptics,
03:20you can disable System Haptics in Sounds and Haptics settings.
03:23A big one here, if you go into the Activity settings,
03:26you can change all of the movement-based goals that buzz throughout various points of the day.
03:30And just in general, in case you didn't know, you can silence all notifications in one swoop
03:35by enabling Do Not Disturb.
03:37Press the side button to open the Control Center to access it.
03:40Another thing new Apple Watch users should know
03:43is how to make your Apple Watch battery life last longer.
03:46There are a few settings you can enable.
03:48First is pretty straightforward.
03:50It's a low-power mode that disables all of the most battery-draining features.
03:54This is also accessed through the Control Center.
03:57From there, you can further disable additional features,
04:00such as Sleep Tracking, Automatic App Refreshes, the Listen for Siri feature,
04:04and finally, make sure you are using Optimized Charging
04:07to maintain your Apple Watch's battery health long-term.
04:10I hope you either got the answers you were looking for
04:13or learned something new from watching this video.
04:15I'm thinking I might do a video on the first Apple Watch apps you should download,
04:19so let me know in the comments if that's something you'd want to see.
04:22Thanks for watching. I'll catch you next time.