6 Cool Apple Watch Features You Didn’t Know

If you’re an Apple Watch user, you’re likely familiar with Apple’s frequent habits of creating new product updates. From new watch faces to features, it can be somewhat overwhelming to find out what your watch will do next. At the same time, many users may find it exciting to see how much their Apple Watch makes their lives easier. 

For instance, when the sleep tracker first launched, users were delighted to see they could wear their watch and keep track of their sleep habits. It can measure and record your heart rate while estimating your time in each sleep stage. This app is especially useful for those who have trouble sleeping, and it’s amazing to see how this wearable tech helps you reach your sleep goals. 

Yet, what are all the cool and fun things that your watch can do for you? Here are some of the best hacks you probably didn’t know about.

1. Reminds You to Wash Your Hands

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, most people have become weary about what they might catch — even if it is the common cold. That is when hand washing started becoming more important. Picking up this habit on a daily basis was and is still essential for your health and those around you.

However, many people are unaware there is an effective way to ensure your hands are clean after washing them. Some people are in a rush to wash their hands after they use the restroom. Therefore, they think only a few seconds of hand washing will do the job.

On the contrary, scrubbing your hands and fingernails for 20 seconds is imperative to rid yourself of all the germs. Some experts say singing the “Happy Birthday” song while washing your hands equates to 20 seconds. Yet, who wants to sing that in their head every time they wash their hands?

The Apple Watch takes care of this for you by automatically displaying a timer on the screen. It has a hand-washing feature that detects you are washing your hands, showing a 20-second countdown. To turn this reminder on, go to settings > general > hand washing and get to cleaning.

2. Notifies You When Your Heart Rate Is High

Generally, a heart rate during inactive periods consistently falls between 60-100 beats per minute (BPM). When you’re active, a normal heart rate consists of 100-175 bpm. Your watch is always monitoring your health, notifying you when your rate is abnormal or elevated.

This notification is especially useful for those with heart conditions or panic disorder. Because when your heart rate increases to 120 bpm during a 10-minute rest period, the watch will send an alert to let you know.

A feature like this has saved lives, helping people discover a heart problem before they were aware. It’s also a nice-to-have if you’re working with your doctor to monitor your heart health, as it records data for your health care provider to see. 

3. Calms You Down During a Panic Attack

Aside from the health benefits of heart monitoring, your watch can also calm you down during a panic attack. If you or someone you know has ever experienced a panic attack, then you know that it can be a frightening ordeal. 

Someone who experiences a panic attack is likely to encounter dizziness, disorientation and trouble breathing. It can make you feel like you’re having a heart attack or will faint. Yet, the worst part is that you feel as if it’s out of your control and there’s nothing you can do about it.

However, the Apple Watch can save you from another episode with the Breathe app. This awesome app works by displaying a flower-like image and guides you through your breathing. It can distract your mind and calm your body, allowing you to regain control of your breathing while you stare at the screen.

The Breathe app is also helpful in general, whether you’re trying to reduce stress or lower your blood pressure. Either way, it’s a good feature to have when you want to practice deep breaths. 

4. Ejects Water After Swimming

Do you often go for a dip in the pool or jog, even when it’s raining? The latest models are great for getting wet because of their waterproof exteriors. However, it’s still important to be on the safe side to protect your device from water damage. 

That’s where the water ejection feature comes in handy. This feature allows you to rid your device of any leftover water after a few laps in the pool. You can do this manually by going to the Apple Watch Control Center. Tap on the icon that looks like a water droplet and start turning the Digital Crown to remove the water from your watch.

This feature is truly convenient, so you can keep moving without having to consider drying it out through other methods.

5. Acts As an Intercom

Aside from your iPhone or iPad, your watch also acts as an intercom. So, if you have a family household, this can be a great way to send them a message. You can enable this option by going to your Home app and tapping on settings. Add the devices to your Home app and invite anyone else living there. 

Once you have the Intercom feature turned on, you can let your family know you’re on the way out to get groceries or dinner is ready. All you have to do is say, “Hey Siri, intercom,” and leave a message for your household. 

The message will play over their Apple devices as well as your HomePod, as long as everyone has opted in. People in the same household will then receive the message even when they’re not around. 

6. Controls and Monitors Your Car

Another cool feature of the Apple Watch is its ability to connect to your car. It can act as a remote starter, unlock and lock the vehicle, or provide information about it. For instance, it can tell you how low your tire pressure is or how much gas you have left. It can even give stats to determine if your car needs maintenance. 

However, this feature only works if your vehicle supports this. If it does, you can download your car’s app from the App Store and start using your digital car key today.

The Apple Watch Does More Than You Think

Your Apple Watch has some amazing features you must check out. Consider exploring all that it does and find out which is most useful to you. While you may not need all the features and new updates it comes out with — it’s still fun to play around with to see all it does. Keep an eye out for what’s to come next if you love this technology that sits on your wrist.