8 Things You're Doing Wrong With Your Apple Watch (Like Letting It Go Naked)
The Apple Watch isn’t just a timepiece—it’s a powerful companion that can elevate your health, productivity and daily convenience. Despite being packed with high-tech goodness, many users only skim the surface of what their Apple Watch can really do, leaving so many awesome features untouched. At UNIQ, we’re all about taking your everyday moments and making them extraordinary. With thoughtfully designed products that effortlessly fit into your lifestyle, we help you get the most of your Apple Watch. Because with the right tools and habits, it’s more than a watch—it’s your all-in-one genius!
Here are eight common mistakes Apple Watch users make and how to fix them—besides letting it go bare, which is an absolute no-no.
1. Sticking to the Defaults
Leaving your Apple Watch in its out-of-the-box state is like driving a sports car in first gear. Many users overlook customization options that can significantly enhance usability. From rearranging app layouts to tweaking complications on the watch face, the Apple Watch is designed to be personalized. Spend time exploring the Watch app on your iPhone to tailor notifications, displays, and widgets to your lifestyle.
Customizing the watch face can save time and keep essential information front and center. For example, fitness enthusiasts can add workout metrics, while professionals can prioritize calendar events or emails. The beauty of the Apple Watch is its ability to shift seamlessly between roles with a simple swipe.
Pro Tip: Create multiple watch faces for different needs—one for workouts, another for work, and a third for leisure. Swipe left or right to switch faces instantly, adapting to other parts of your day.
2. Underutilizing Siri and Other Smart Features
Siri is more than just a voice assistant; it’s your Apple Watch’s secret weapon. Many users disable Siri or rarely use it, missing out on hands-free productivity. Siri can send texts, set timers, launch workouts, and even open third-party apps. To simplify your life, raise your wrist and say, “Hey, Siri”. That’s all it takes.
Additionally, Dictation allows you to respond to messages quickly without pulling out your phone. You can even control smart home devices directly from your Apple Watch, making Siri an unbeatable tool for multitasking.
Quick Fix: Enable Siri under Settings > Siri & Search and experiment with voice commands that align with your routine—practice using Siri to set reminders or manage alarms to get comfortable with its capabilities.
3. Delaying Setting Up Emergency SOS
One of the Apple Watch’s most critical features is Emergency SOS, yet some users choose not to activate it. Holding down the side button in an emergency can contact local emergency services and notify designated contacts. It’s a small step that can make a life-saving difference.
This feature shines during outdoor adventures like hiking or cycling, where mishaps can happen far from help. Plus, it’s a great peace-of-mind booster for older users or anyone with health concerns.
Action Step: Go to Settings > Emergency SOS and ensure all necessary contacts and preferences are set. Test the feature to familiarize yourself with it, but cancel before placing a call.
4. Not Taking Advantage of Wallet Features
Apple Wallet on your Apple Watch isn’t just for payments. This feature can save time and reduce clutter, from boarding passes to event tickets and transit cards. Users often ignore Wallet because they rely on their phone, but having it on your wrist is far more convenient.
Apple Pay lets you ditch the phone and wallet—perfect for those gym runs or quick dashes when you don’t want to wrestle with your gym bag. And with transit cards in Wallet, you’ll glide through your commute without the dreaded gate fumble.
Try This: Open the Wallet app on your iPhone and add frequently used cards and passes to sync with your Apple Watch. Test it using Apple Pay for small transactions or accessing digital boarding passes.
5. Overcharging or Mishandling the Battery
Battery health is vital for longevity, yet overcharging or neglecting battery care is a widespread issue—many of us are guilty of it. The Apple Watch is designed to maintain optimal battery health when charged correctly.
Enable Optimized Battery Charging to slow the charge rate when the watch is left connected for long periods. This can prevent unnecessary wear on the battery over time.
Best Practice: Avoid leaving your Apple Watch on the charger overnight. To ensure slow charging during long periods of inactivity, use Optimize Charging (found in Settings > Battery > Battery Health). Consider topping off the battery throughout the day instead of relying on one long charge.
6. Ignoring Sleep Tracking Features
Apple Watch offers built-in sleep tracking, but many users forget to activate it or dismiss it as “just another feature I’ll never use”. Unbeknownst to many, tracking sleep can reveal patterns that improve overall health and productivity.
The sleep feature tracks sleep duration and gives you the lowdown on its quality. Over time, this data can help you adjust your habits to ensure better rest, leading to increased energy, more productivity, and less coffee.
How to Fix It: Enable sleep tracking through the Health app > Sleep and set up bedtime reminders to promote better sleep hygiene. Consider using a comfortable watch band designed for sleep to avoid discomfort overnight. No one wants to be woken up by their watch digging into their wrist.
7. Failing to Customize Workout Metrics
Fitness fans, don’t miss out on customizing your workout stats. By default, your Apple Watch might not show the juicy details you care about most. If you’re crushing a HIIT session, wouldn’t you rather see those calorie burns skyrocket instead of just tracking steps?
Adding metrics such as heart rate zones, distance, and pace can provide deeper insights into performance. Specific workout types can be customized on the watch to display relevant data for those focused on weight training or cycling.
Quick Fix: Open the Fitness app on your iPhone, select a workout, and adjust the metrics you want to see in real time. You can also customize intervals or goals for various activities to optimize your performance.
8. Not Using Focus Modes
Focus Modes help reduce distractions by filtering notifications based on user activity. However, many users don’t activate this feature, leading to unnecessary interruptions.
Setup Guide: Go to Settings > Focus and create modes for work, fitness or relaxation. Customize which apps and contacts can ping you during each mode to ensure you stay focused and undisturbed.
Conclusion
Think your Apple Watch is just for checking time? Think again! It’s a tech wonder designed to make life smoother. Avoid this simple mistake and watch it transform into your personal life assistant. Who doesn’t love a little help making things more fun and interactive?
At UNIQ, we’re all about turning your Apple Watch into a life-simplifying, fun-packed companion. Our lineup of accessories does exactly that—from Apple Watch bands so light you’ll forget you have them on, to cases tougher than a steel fortress. With our products and this article, you’ll be experiencing your Apple Watch in ways you never imagined.
Try it today by browsing our catalog now.