How to use the Digital Crown and Side Button on Apple Watch in watchOS 9
The introduction of watchOS 9 has made Apple Watch even more convenient and adaptable, providing a range of ways to interact with your device. Whether you’re a regular user or a new user, there are always innovative and fun ways to get the most out of your Apple Watch. Here are some of the most useful ways to use the Apple Watch Side Button and Digital Crown.
- How to use the Apple Watch side button
- 11 things you can do with the Apple Watch Digital Crown
- What you can do with the Apple Watch button combination
- Using the Action button on Apple Watch Ultra
The side button on Apple Watch is the physical button located on the right side of the device. You can use it to perform a variety of tasks, including communicating with Siri, activating the Dock, and turning your device on or off. Below I have described all the functions.
Note. You cannot change any of the following options as they are set by default.
1. Turn your Apple Watch on or off.
To turn on the watch, you need to hold the side button for about 4-5 seconds until the Apple logo () appears. On the other hand, to turn off the device, follow the steps in the following instructions.
- Press and hold the side button for 4-5 seconds.
- Tap the power icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Slide the power button from left to right.
2. Access to medical records
Your life can be saved by a medical ID in dire situations. Make sure you set up Medical ID on your iPhone before using it on your Apple Watch. If you’re sure it’s set up correctly, you can view it on your wearable by following the procedures below.
- Press and hold the side button.
- Slide the Medical ID button from left to right.
3. Use SOS
SOS is a built-in feature of the iPhone and Apple Watch, which is a recognized distress signal around the world. When this feature is enabled, this feature automatically alerts local emergency services and your emergency contact, letting them know your location. To use SOS on your Apple Watch, follow these simple steps.
- Press and hold the side button.
- Slide the SOS icon from left to right.
Read our article on how to use the SOS feature on Apple Watch for more help and information.
4. Use compass return
If you get lost, you can use the backtrack feature in the Compass app on your Apple Watch to retrace your steps and find your way back. Note that Family Setup devices do not support rollback. The following steps will demonstrate how to use Return on Apple Watch.
- Press and hold the side button.
- Slide the compass return icon to the right.
To learn more about this feature, check out our article on how to use Compass Waypoints and Backtrack on Apple Watch.
5. Open the dock
The Dock on your Apple Watch is more than just a way to get back to your last app. It can save you time if you use it correctly. Pressing the side button on the watch once will access the dock menu, where you can view the ten apps you’ve recently used.
However, there are other ways to use the docking station. If you’d like to learn more, check out our article on how to use the dock on your Apple Watch.
6. Activate Apple Pay
Apple Pay is an easy way to pay with your iPhone or Apple Watch. You can use it just about anywhere, and the best part is that you don’t even have to carry your iPhone around. It’s much easier to use if you have an Apple Watch.
Just double-tap the side button and the Apple Pay app will appear.
If you’re new to Apple Pay, I recommend reading our guide on how to set up and use Apple Pay on Apple Watch.
11 things you can do with the Apple Watch Digital Crown
The Apple Watch Digital Crown is a round physical button that you can rotate and press to interact with the device. It allows you to navigate menus, zoom in and out while capturing images, change the volume, take screenshots, and more. Scroll down to find out how.
1. Wake up your Apple Watch
The primary and primary function of the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is to wake up your device. To do this, you must first enable this feature. To enable the wake up feature on crown rotation, follow the steps below.
- Launch Settings on your Apple Watch.
- Go to screen and brightness.
- Turn on Wake up on crown.
Now you can wake up the screen of your wearable device by turning the dial up. You can also turn it down to put it to sleep again if you haven’t fully woken the screen to full brightness.
2. Activate Siri
Siri on Apple Watch is a useful virtual assistant that makes it easy to perform many tasks on your device. You can access Siri in a variety of ways, including using voice commands. However, there may be times when the Siri voice command feature doesn’t work properly or you can’t access Siri with a voice command.
In these situations, you can use the Digital Crown to interact with Siri. To do this, you first need to make sure that the Siri feature is enabled on the Crown. Follow the steps below to enable this feature.
- Launch the Settings app → navigate to Siri.
- Turn on the button next to the Press Digital Crown.
Now that you’ve enabled this feature, you can press and hold the Digital Crown to access Siri on your wearable.
3. Return home
If you’re using the app on your Apple Watch and want to return to the Home screen, just tap the circular dial once and you’ll be taken back to the Home screen.
4. Return to the watch face
While you’re on the Apple Watch home screen, just press the Digital Crown once, and this action will immediately return you to the watch face of the wearable.
5. Go to the previous application
With the Digital Crown, you can easily switch between Apple Watch apps. If you’re using two apps at the same time, just double-tap the circular switch to easily switch between them.
6. List and Grid Views
You can navigate the List or Grid view on Apple Watch using the Digital Crown. In the list view, you can scroll up and down to move through the list by turning the crown. It’s a bit trickier in grid view though, as scrollable apps can open apps, but it’s a tricky choice.
7. Change volume
While listening to music on your Apple Watch or connected to Air Pods, HomePods, or Bluetooth speakers, you can use your Apple Watch as a remote control and easily adjust the volume by turning the round dial.
In addition, this feature also works when you listen to music on your iPhone or any other Apple device with the same Apple ID.
8. Get an ECG
In addition to navigation, the Digital Crown can also capture ECGs, but make sure this feature is enabled on your device before doing so. If you’re new to the Apple ecosystem or haven’t set up this feature yet, be sure to check out our post on how to use and set up ECG on Apple Watch. To take an ECG with a wearable device, launch the ECG app on your Apple Watch and place your finger on the round watch face.
9. Turn off the water lock and sleep mode.
With the round dial on your watch, you can deactivate the waterlock and sleep functions on your wearable device. To do this, simply press the crown for a few seconds and check if the function is disabled. Also, check out our article to learn more about how to use Water Lock to remove water from your Apple Watch.
10. Zoom when taking pictures
If you have an Apple Watch, you won’t need anyone’s help to take photos as you can easily use it to take perfect shots for yourself. Alternatively, you can use the wearable’s Digital Crown to adjust the zoom so you fit perfectly into it. Here are the steps to use your Apple Watch to control your iPhone camera.
11. Digital steering
If you love games, you’ll be pleased to know that your smart wearable can also be used for games. The round dial of your watch provides smooth game control. Be sure to check out these top Apple Watch game recommendations for your wearable.
We’ve already looked at the capabilities of the Apple Watch buttons individually, but in the next part, I’ll cover the different actions you can perform on your Apple Watch using button combinations. These combinations can allow you to access various features and perform various tasks on your wearable.
1. Take a screenshot
Taking a screenshot on your Apple Watch is very easy. You just need to use a combination of two buttons located on the device. To take a screenshot, simply press the Digital Crown with one finger, then press the side button with another finger.
2. Pause your workout
The Workout app on Apple Watch is a valuable tool to help you on your fitness journey. The app boasts an extensive list of workouts from which you can choose to your liking. However, once you start your workout, you can quickly pause it by pressing the Digital Crown and side button at the same time. Resuming a session is just as easy; just press both buttons again.
Note. If the Quick Screenshot feature is enabled, your device will also take a screenshot when you pause or resume your workout.
3. Force Close Apps
Let’s say you’ve come across an app on your Apple Watch that isn’t responding or isn’t working properly. In this case, force quitting the app is the best idea. To do this, press and hold the side button on your Apple Watch until the Shut Down screen appears to force quit the app. After that, press and hold the side button again until the app you want to force quit closes and you’re back to the watch face.
The Apple Watch Ultra is a powerful addition to the acclaimed Apple Watch series. It comes with an astounding feature set and contains the famous digital crown, side button and action button. A wearable watch can be the right choice for people who are looking for a watch that meets the demands of an active lifestyle. Read our article to learn how to use the Action button on your Apple Watch Ultra.
FAQ
The digital crown on the Apple Watch is located on the right side of the watch, near the top edge. It’s a small round button that protrudes slightly from the side of the watch. The Digital Crown is one of the main Apple Watch control features that you can use to navigate menus, scroll through content, zoom in and out, and perform various other functions depending on the app or task you are performing.
Turning off the Digital Crown is very simple. You just need to launch the Settings app → go to Sound & Haptics → disable the button next to Crown Haptics.
The Dock is a feature of Apple Watch that lets you easily access the apps you use most often. To access the dock on a wearable, just press the digital crown, and when you see the watch face, press the side button on your device and you will see your dock.
That’s all!
The Apple Watch buttons and Digital Crown allow you to interact with your device and access its features in several ways. From scrolling and zooming with the Digital Crown to accessing Siri or switching apps with the side button, these features make controlling your Apple Watch quick and easy.
What function are you going to use? Don’t forget to comment below!
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