There’s one feature every Apple Watch owner should know about – one that makes navigating menus, tapping tiny icons, interacting with complications on the small display, among other things, much easier.
The little-known feature gives you complete control of your Apple Watch right from your iPhone’s screen. It’s called Apple Watch Mirroring and it’s new in iOS 16 and watchOS 9. It might sound like an unnecessary tool, but it definitely has practical uses that anyone could benefit from.
Why is Apple Watch Mirroring useful?
It’s primarily an accessibility setting for people with physical, motor, and vision disabilities, making it difficult for them to interact with the Apple Watch’s tiny elements and buttons. But there is more to it than that. Here are some examples of when Apple Watch Mirroring could be useful for all types of users:
- When you forget your prescription glasses and can’t easily see the small text on the display of your Apple Watch. Your iPhone could magnify everything to make it easier to see.
- When you want to monitor your current heart rate without staring at your wrist or lifting it every few seconds or minutes. This might come in handy when you are working on your computer.
- If you want to more easily change your workout views in the Workout app on your Apple Watch. You could previously do this in the Watch app on your iPhone, but not on watchOS 9 and iOS 16. For some reason these settings are now only available on the Apple Watch, and it’s a hassle to access them on a small screen and too edit .
- If you want to use the walkie talkie app to talk back and forth with a friend with an apple watch. In some situations, it may be more convenient to press the talk button on your iPhone.
- When you want to use your Apple Watch while it’s charging or out of range.
- If you want to use an Apple Watch only app on your iPhone.
- If you want to use your iPhone’s assistive functions to control your Apple Watch, e.g. B. voice control or switch control. The latter could allow controlling your Apple Watch with specific tones, head movements, or custom on-screen gestures.
What devices does it work with?
Apple Watch Mirroring is only available for Apple Watch Series 6 and newer models running watchOS 9. The device you mirror to can be any iPhone model running iOS 16. The feature does not work with iPadOS or macOS.
Here are all compatible devices:
- Apple Watch Ultra
- Apple Watch Series 8
- Apple Watch SE (2nd generation)
- Apple watch series 7
- Apple watch series 6
- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
How to Use Apple Watch Mirroring?
There’s not much to do as long as your Apple Watch is paired and connected to your iPhone and within Bluetooth range. Also, you must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network on both devices.
To enable the feature, go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Apple Watch Mirroring on your iPhone. A modal window will immediately appear, taking up the bottom two-thirds of the screen, showing a mirrored view of your Apple Watch.
Since it loads via AirPlay Mirroring, it may take a few seconds for the mirrored view to appear.
An “Apple Watch Mirroring: Sharing Started” warning will appear briefly on your Apple Watch, and then you’ll see a blue border around the screen to indicate the screen is being mirrored.
On your iPhone, you see everything on your Apple Watch. You can then use your iPhone to control your Apple Watch, using tap and swipe gestures to navigate menus, use apps, and even use the digital crown and side button. You can still interact directly with the Apple Watch as usual.
Your iPhone and Apple Watch displays stay on during the mirroring session, so both displays don’t go to sleep if you have Auto-Lock enabled or Always On disabled. Leaving mirroring on may drain your batteries.
Once you’ve mirrored your screen, tap the “X” button on iPhone. The blue box will disappear on your Apple Watch and you will see “Apple Watch Mirroring: Sharing Done”.
Can you toggle Apple Watch mirroring faster?
Yes. You can go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Accessibility Shortcut and make sure Apple Watch Mirroring is enabled. If that’s the only thing enabled, triple-clicking the side or home button will activate Apple Watch Mirroring. If more than one option is checked, you need to select Apple Watch Mirroring from the options after triple-clicking.
Alternatively, you can go to Settings -> Accessibility -> Touch -> Back tap, select “Double tap” or “Triple tap” and assign Apple Watch Mirroring to the gesture. Every time you double or triple tap the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone, Apple Watch Mirroring will turn on.
There’s also an action called “Launch Apple Watch Remote Screen” in the Shortcuts app, but it just spits out errors for me and everyone I know, so it needs some work before it becomes useful.
Are there problems with Apple Watch mirroring?
Not many, but there are some. Aside from the potential battery drain mentioned above:
- You cannot use any other iPhone app. You cannot swipe to other apps without exiting Apple Watch mirroring. You can open Control Center or Notification Center, but they hide behind Apple Watch mirroring modal window and you cannot interact with them. However, you can take screenshots and record the screen as long as you launch it before enabling Apple Watch Mirroring.
- The Apple Watch Mirroring UI needs an overhaul. It can be very laggy, sometimes taking a few seconds before taps and swipes are recognized. And can therefore inadvertently perform other actions.
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Cover photo, screenshots and GIF by Justin Meyers/Gadget Hacks
Source: ios.gadgethacks.com
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