{"id":367852,"date":"2025-12-25T10:55:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T10:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/367852\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T10:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T10:55:17","slug":"7-apple-watch-features-to-try-first-from-wellness-tools-to-gesture-controls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/367852\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Apple Watch features to try first \u2014 from wellness tools to gesture controls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you just get a new Apple Watch under the tree? Excellent! You now own one of the best smartwatches<\/a> out there, packed with features to track and improve your health and fitness, keep you safe, allow you to stay connected with loved ones, and help you remain organized.<\/p>\n

The latest Apple Watch SE 3<\/a>, Apple Watch Series 11<\/a>, and Apple Watch Ultra 3<\/a> each offer so many features \u2014 courtesy of Apple’s watchOS 26<\/a> operating system \u2014 it\u2019s hard to decide which to check out first.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s where I come in. I\u2019ve been reviewing Apple Watches for years, and I\u2019m constantly evaluating the latest refinements, from new gesture controls to potentially life-saving holistic tech. With that in mind, here are the seven Apple Watch features I recommend checking out first.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

1. Daily Sleep Scores<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t even need to have one of the best Apple Watch<\/a> models (i.e., the latest devices) to unlock Apple’s daily sleep scores. Apple added this handy metric, on a scale from one to 100, via software release in the fall of 2025. Here\u2019s a step-by-step guide to enabling your Apple Watch sleep score<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The score is determined by a combination of factors, including the consistency of your bedtime, the amount of time you\u2019ve spent asleep, your percentage of sleep time spent in various sleep cycles, and any sleep disturbances.<\/p>\n

These metrics are included in your daily sleep report along with the numeric sleep score. Note: Sleep tracking can take a few weeks to properly calibrate<\/p>\n

2. Sleep apnea detection<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Speaking of sleep, all three of the latest Apple Watch models \u2014 along with several older ones, like the Apple Watch 9<\/a>, the S<\/a>eries 10<\/a>, and the Ultra 2<\/a> \u2014 support sleep apnea detection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

This fairly common condition, where users experience unusual or obstructed breathing patterns, is difficult to diagnose and frequently goes unnoticed. However, it can lead to serious health issues down the line<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s sleep apnea detection is not meant to diagnose the condition, but rather alert users to potential signs<\/a> that they might have it, with the recommendation to seek further medical analysis by a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n

For the feature to work, you\u2019ll need to first turn on sleep apnea detection, and then wear your new Apple Watch for at least ten nights in 30-night period. Remember, a sleep apnea notification doesn\u2019t necessarily mean you have it, but it does mean that you should talk to your doctor.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

3. Wrist flicks<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s latest gesture control, wrist flick, is a simple and effective method for dismissing incoming calls, notifications, alarms, or timers with, you guessed it, a flick of the wrist. Best of all, it\u2019s super easy to switch on. Here\u2019s how to enable wrist flicks on your Apple Watch<\/a> in just four steps.<\/p>\n

4. Notes app<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Tim Cook and Co. finally brought the Notes app to the Apple Watch<\/a> in 2025, and it\u2019s a simple yet effective tool for staying organized and recording important tidbits of info while on the go.<\/p>\n

Best of all, all of the Notes you\u2019ve saved on your other Apple devices are accessible from the Apple Watch Notes app, though you won\u2019t be able to edit them. What you can do is start a new note and\/or edit any notes created via the Apple Watch.<\/p>\n

I find dictation to be the quickest and easiest way to capture my ideas in the Apple Watch Notes app, but you can also type them in with the tiny keyboard or draw them in letter by letter.<\/p>\n

5. AI fitness coaching<\/p>\n

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\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

While all of the latest Apple Watch models support Apple\u2019s new personalized fitness trainer, Workout Buddy<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to have your watch paired with one of the latest-gen handsets (iPhone 15 Pro<\/a> or newer) to get the most out of this AI-powered tool.<\/p>\n

Once Workout Buddy is enabled, it uses Apple Intelligence to analyze your physical fitness data and trends. The result is highly customized training advice and plans, along with real-time audio feedback and motivational messages while you sweat.<\/p>\n

As of writing, Workout Buddy can help coach you during the following activity types: outdoor and indoor walks, outdoor and indoor runs, outdoor bike rides, traditional and functional strength training, and HIIT.<\/p>\n

6. Hypertension alerts<\/p>\n

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\"Apple\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Apple)<\/p>\n

The Apple Watch SE 3 unfortunately doesn\u2019t support hypertension alerts,<\/a> but the Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3 all do. A first-of-its-kind wellness monitoring tool for a smartwatch, it works by monitoring your blood vessel response over thirty days using the optical heart rate sensor.<\/p>\n

Note: Apple says the feature is only for users over 22 years of age, those who aren\u2019t pregnant, and folks who have never been diagnosed with hypertension.<\/p>\n

Similar to sleep apnea detection, hypertension alerts are not intended to diagnose any conditions (it\u2019s also not a blood pressure monitor<\/a>) but instead alert users to potential signs of hypertension. If you do get a hypertension alert, don\u2019t panic, but do mention it to your doctor.<\/p>\n

7. Auto volume adjustments<\/p>\n

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\"Close-up\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia\/Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Last but not least, I recommend enabling Apple\u2019s new automatic volume adjustment feature<\/a> as soon as you get your new Apple Watch unboxed and charged up. This useful bit of tech continuously monitors the ambient noise levels in your environment and adjusts the output volume of the watch accordingly.<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re in a library and receive a text, the watch will make sure that the notification is only loud enough to alert you but not others around you. On the flip side, if you\u2019re having a phone conversation using your Apple Watch on a city street and a firetruck roars past, the audio levels will automatically be increased.<\/p>\n

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\"Google\n<\/p>\n

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More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Today’s best Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Did you just get a new Apple Watch under the tree? Excellent! You now own one of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":367853,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[49,48,195,61],"class_list":{"0":"post-367852","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-gadgets","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=367852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/367852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/367853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=367852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=367852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=367852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}