does apple watch have safari

How to Use the Secret Safari Browser Hidden on Your Apple Watch

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When you press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch, you won’t find the Safari app in the app bubble or list of watchOS apps. This might make you think there’s no way to browse the web on your Apple Watch. But that isn’t the case.

Using the guide below, you can open web pages on your Apple Watch in a secret Safari browser that is actually built into watchOS.

How to Browse the Web With Safari on an Apple Watch

Even though there is no visible browser on Apple Watch, if you receive a link in Messages or Mail, you can tap to open it and use a watchOS version of Safari to browse the web.

Here’s how to open any specific web page on your Apple Watch:

• Use your iPhone or Apple Watch to send the desired URL to yourself or someone close via Messages or Mail.
• Open the Messages or Mail app on your Apple Watch.
• Inside the Messages or Mail app, go to the conversation or email you just sent.
• Tap the URL . It’ll open in the secret Safari browser.

Tip: To send the URL to yourself, open the iPhone Messages app, tap the compose button, and in the recipient section, type the phone number or email associated with iMessage. Type or paste the desired URL and hit send .

You can also type the URL directly in a message conversation with the full QWERTY keyboard on the Apple Watch Series 7 . On other models, use dictation and say something like "apple.com."

Please note that, if you use the scribble feature to enter the website address, it often registers "o" of the word "com" as "0" (zero). So, use the watch keyboard, dictation, or your iPhone to send the URL.

Important Points About Browsing the Web on an Apple Watch

The browsing experience on Apple Watch isn’t as feature-rich as on an iPhone, and you must keep these points in mind to make the most of it:

• Scroll: Use one finger or rotate the Digital Crown to scroll up or down on the web page. Similar to iPhone, on Apple Watch, tapping at the top of the screen usually takes you to the top of the current page, but doing the same with a web page open does nothing.
• Open new pages: You can tap the interlinks on a web page to keep visiting new links.
• Use the on-page search box: If a web page (like Wikipedia) has a search box, you can tap it and enter the search query using the Apple Watch keyboard, scribble, or dictation.
• Enter a new address manually: You can’t tap the URL address bar to enter a new address, you need to use links on the page itself.
• Navigate between web pages: To go back or forward, swipe right or left from the edge of the Apple Watch screen.
• Zoom in on a web page: You can’t use two fingers to pinch and zoom into the web page. But you can double-tap to zoom in and out. Once the web page is zoomed in, drag it around with one finger.
• Reload the page: Tap the address bar at the top and tap Reload Page . This screen also shows the option to go to the Previous Page .
• Change view: Tap the address bar at the top and choose from Reader view or Web View . Not every website offers these options.
• Multitask: You can click the Digital Crown to use other apps. The web page will stay open unless you close the Apple Watch Messages or Mail app.
• Stop web browsing: To exit web browsing on Apple Watch, tap Close from the top left of the screen.
• Images: The hidden web browser on your Apple Watch may not display some images or take a lot of time to load them. Plus, tapping an image may not open it in full view.
• Fonts: Similarly, many custom fonts may not be rendered and displayed on the watchOS Safari. It will fall back to using standard fonts. As a result, a familiar website may look different on Apple Watch than on iPhone or Mac.

How to Clear the Browsing History on Apple Watch

The Apple Watch needs a companion iPhone to sync things like watch screenshots or voice memos you record. But your Apple Watch browsing history doesn’t sync and merge with the Safari history of your paired iPhone.

Here’s how to delete Apple Watch cookies, credentials, and other browsing data from the Apple Watch itself:

• Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
• Tap General .
• Scroll down and tap Website Data .
• Tap Clear Website Data and confirm by tapping Clear Data .

Why Doesn’t the Apple Watch Have a Normal Web Browser?

Apple doesn’t show the Safari icon on the Apple Watch. The main reasons for this are the tiny screen and its battery.

Compared to even the smallest popular smartphone, the biggest Apple Watch Series 7 has a tiny screen. Due to this, it isn’t very comfortable to type a URL and view web pages on it. Plus, due to other watchOS limitations, filling forms, uploading files, and other online interactions aren’t possible from a watchOS browser.

The Apple Watch also has a small battery that struggles to last a full day under the heavy use of existing apps and features. If a regular web browser was added, rendering feature-rich websites would drain the battery more quickly. And if watchOS tries to cut down the rich, battery-draining contents of a web page, it will offer a poor experience to users.

Related: How to Save and Extend Battery Life on Apple Watch

Third-Party Apple Watch Browsers

Major developers don’t have much interest or incentive in creating a browser for the tiny watch screen. That being said, if you truly need a web browser on your Apple Watch, you can check out µBrowser for $0.99. If you don’t wish to pay, Parrity is a free Apple Watch web browser you can give a shot.

Will Apple Add a Full Safari Browser to Future Versions of watchOS?

It’s hard to say. Apple doesn’t even let you listen to music on the watch’s internal speakers. You must connect it to AirPods or other Bluetooth earphones to play music added to the Apple Watch. All this is to extend the battery life and get you through the day. So, the chances of adding a full web browser where people can access sites like YouTube seems highly improbable.

But if battery technology reaches a point where it packs a lot of juice in a tiny form factor, we might get Safari on Apple Watch.

Related: The Most Promising Alternatives to Lithium-ion Batteries

Web Browsing on Apple Watch

Now you know the trick to visit a website on your Apple Watch. This isn’t useful for a lot of use cases, but suppose you’re leaving for a place where you can’t use your iPhone. In this situation, you can send the link to yourself on iMessage or email and then open it on your Apple Watch when needed.

• Safari Browser

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How to use apple watch's hidden web browser: surf the web from your wrist.

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A lesser-known Apple Watch feature allows surfing the web and even using search engines. Despite being so small, Apple's wearable is powerful enough to include a web browser — though with no dedicated app, it’s only accessible indirectly. While reading on such a tiny screen isn't really ideal, it can be quite handy when wearing an Apple Watch with cellular capability and if your iPhone isn't as easily accessible.

There are at least three easy ways to open the hidden Apple Watch browser : using Siri, from Messages, and from Mail. The trick is to get a link to appear on the screen. After a Siri search, a list of web results will be shown, and tapping any of the links from the list will open the browser. In some cases, the browser defaults to Reader mode. If this happens, touching the website address at the top and then ' Web View ' will show the page more like it appears on the iPhone. Back, Forward, and Reload buttons are also revealed by tapping the address bar.

Related: Apple Watch Series 8 Vs. Watch Series 7: Should You Upgrade?

More Ways To Open Apple Watch's Browser

In addition to using Siri, Apple Watch's hidden web browser can also be opened through Messages and Mail. Tapping a link from an email or from a message opens the page in the Apple Watch browser. From there, users can read the contents of the link as they would normally (albeit on a very small screen).

As a workaround for deeper searches, a batch of links can also be sent to serve as starting pages, such as Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other search engines. Google's search engine doesn't work, though, as the button that launches the search is replaced with an ' X ' to clear the text if desired. And, unfortunately, there is no way to proceed after entering keywords. It's also possible to directly type a link on the watch using Messages and, after sending, users can tap on that link to open it on the Apple Watch.

Is There A Safari-Like App For Apple Watch?

To date, Apple has not released an official Safari app for the Apple Watch, nor are there dedicated apps for other major browsers such as Chrome. It’s easy to understand why — browsing on the tiny device, while it might be convenient in a pinch, would come with serious limitations to the experience. It's also worth noting the Apple Watch did not have a built-in full QWERTY keyboard until the Series 7 release, which would make typing a search query difficult. A Safari app would likely fall far short of Apple’s high standards, and the company isn’t one for releasing half-baked products.

There are a few third-party browser apps, but the selection is limited and some are not that well rated. Parrity appears to be the most popular third-party browser for the Apple Watch, but even it has a fair share of issues. At the time of publication, Parrity has a 3.8-star rating and hasn't been updated in a long time. While the built-in browser can be tricky to access, it will likely be the most reliable solution and can take advantage of features that third-party developers might not be able to.

You Can Also Watch YouTube On An Apple Watch

While the web browser on the Apple Watch is limited in its functionality, the good news is that Apple Watch users can now watch YouTube right on their wrist . There's still no official YouTube app available, but a third-party app called WatchTube enables users to watch YouTube videos. The handy little app is actually quite feature-packed. It not only lets users search for YouTube videos, but also enables liking and subscribing. In addition, it displays recommendations and includes a library, complete with watch history, likes, and channel subscriptions.

The app even supports closed captions, although they're likely to be too small to be readable on the Apple Watch's tiny display. On the App Store listing page , the developer notes that it's also added support for opening WatchTube from other applications. This means that if an Apple Watch user were to tap on a YouTube link in an app like Messages , the video might open and play in the WatchTube app.

Source: Apple , Parrity/App Store , WatchTube/App Store

• Apple Watch

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How to browse the internet on Apple Watch

Updated on:

Key Takeaways

• To browse the web on your Apple Watch, you ask Siri to open a website by saying their name followed by “.com” like google.com. It will display search results, and tapping “Open Page” under the correct link launches the hidden Safari browser.
• Additionally, there are third-party browsing apps for Apple Watch, such as Browser, Parrity, and Squint AI

Surprisingly, there is no app for Apple’s default browser, Safari, in the whole bunch of apps available for the Apple Watch. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t browse the internet on Apple Watch. In fact, you can do more than surf the net; let me show you how.

How to open a website on your Apple Watch

While there is no Safari app icon, Apple Watch secretly boasts a Safari browser that comes alive when you click a link received in the Mail or Message app.

• Open the mail/message with the link on your Apple Watch.
• Tap the  URL . The secret Safari browser will open up.
• Tap Close once you are finished reading.

Don’t have a URL in the message or Mail app? No worries, try these tricks.

Open Safari browser on Apple Watch using Siri

• Press the Digital Crown to invoke Siri .
• Ask Siri to open the website, for instance, iGeeksBlog.com .
• In the results, scroll down and tap Open Page .

Note : Always say .com after the website name, or Siri will only show generic search results and not the website.

Access webpages on Apple Watch via the Message or Mail app

The idea is to self send the desired URL to click it and invoke the hidden Apple Watch Safari browser.

• Open the Message/Mail app on Apple Watch.
• Create a new message or mail .
• Type the URL using scribble, Apple Watch 7’s QWERTY keyboard, or any third-party keyboard app.
• Tap the microphone button and dictate the URL. While you can leave out the WWW. part, remember to add .com in the end; otherwise, the trick won’t work.
• Once done, Send the message/mail.
• Now, open the message/mail you just sent yourself and tap the URL to visit the link.

I know this one is a tad bit complex, but you gotta do what you gotta do. However, I do have a trick that’ll make things much easier.

Create a message/mail on your iPhone/Mac with all your most frequently visited websites and send it yourself. And when you need to view any of them, open the message/mail on your Apple Watch and tap the link.

How to search the web on your Apple Watch

One has to put so much effort into opening a website. How can you think about doing a Google search on that small screen? Because, if I can help it, nothing would be out of bounds for my readers. And if you want to Google something on my Apple Watch, here’s what you need to do.

• Use any of the methods mentioned above to open Google.com .
• Tap the search bar once Google’s website is loaded.
• Tap the microphone button to dictate the query, or
• Scribble or type in (Apple Watch 7)
• Tap Search .
• Select the search query from the options presented.

And that’s how it’s done. While I am sharing tricks, let me introduce you to some more hacks to improve your Apple Watch browsing experience.

Tricks to browse a website on Safari browser on Apple Watch

• Scroll up or down – You can either use your finger or the Digital Crown to move up and down the webpage.
• Search the website – Only possible if the website boasts a search box. Tap the search box, type/scribble/speak your query, and tap Search.
• Visit interlinks – If the page has interlinks (underlined blue text), tap to visit that link.
• Reload Page
• Previous Page

Note : You can also switch between the current and previous page by swiping right or left from the screen’s edge.

• Zoom in or out – Double-tap anywhere on the screen to zoom in/out. Navigate the zoomed-in page by dragging your finger.
• Switch to reader view – Tap the address bar from the top and if a reader view is available for the website, select the option. You can return to the web view by following the same steps.

Clear the browsing history on Apple Watch

Now, isn’t this funny? Apple doesn’t have a default browser app in the Apple Watch, but it has a setting allowing you to clear your browsing history. Well, that’s because the apps on your Apple Watch connect to the internet and leave behind cookies, cache, credentials, history, etc.

This step helps you get rid of that data to save storage and speed up the watch. Notably, this will not affect the usage of any app.

• Go to Apple Watch Settings .
• Tap General .
• Scroll and select Website Data .
• Tap Clear Website Data .
• Select Clear Data to confirm the deletion.

Restrictions for using Safari browser on Apple Watch

While we have figured out a way to surf the web on Apple Watch, there are some limitations. The first and foremost is that you’ll be unable to use the Message or Mail app (depending on where you’ve to click the link from) while using the Safari browser.

Plus, you can’t open multiple tabs, and some images and fonts won’t be displayed properly. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be deprived of a smooth browser experience because if not Safari, there are third-party browsing apps that you can use.

Best web browser apps for Apple Watch

1. µbrowser.

A micro-browser for Apple Watch, µBrowser is designed to enable and smoothen basic browsing. You can easily open any desired URL, search with DuckDuckGo and check out the last visited pages.

You can even save a page to favorites from history and manage these bookmarks from the companion iPhone app for quicker access. What’s more? It even boasts a handy watch face complication.

Price : $0.99

Parrity utilizes the paired iPhone’s power to create rich web content. This content is then broadcasted to the watch, enabling a fully operable, minified web browser experience.

You can either connect and interact with the browser live, save it for later, pre-load it on iPhone, and push it on Apple Watch. The app also supports most popular search engines such as Google, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, IMDb, and Amazon. Moreover, the Apple Watch app is totally free.

Price : Free

3. Squint AI

Squint AI is an Artificial-Intelligence based app that lets you add up personal keywords and web favorites on your iPhone, and they show up on your wrist.

The idea is to allow you to explore your favorite websites and search commonly used keywords quickly and effortlessly.

To load the data to the watch, ensure the Squint app is open and the Squint button is illuminated. The iPhone executes the Squint feature and sends the results, including pictures, back to the Smartwatch.

Price : $1.99

Signing off

There is no doubt that any of these Safari browser tricks or third-party apps can compete with the iPhone/iPad browsing experience. But you’ll have to understand the limitations of the small screen and make do with what we have and get.

The idea is not to leave you stranded in a pinch, and you can browse the web from your Apple Watch if you’ve forgotten the iPhone at home or it is inaccessible. And that, I guess, is manageable; what’s your take? Let me know in the comment section below.

Want to explore other superpowers of your Apple Watch? Check these now:

• All Apple Watch Icon and Symbol Meanings (A Complete Guide)
• How to use Memoji on Apple Watch in watchOS 8
• watchOS 8: How to use AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch
• Apple watch won’t turn on? 8 Fixes

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How to Browse the Internet on Apple Watch Through watchOS 5's WebKit Integration

With watchOS 5, Apple has added support for WebKit, which is designed to allow you to view content from the web right on your wrist, something that's entirely new to the Apple Watch.

There's no full web browser so you're not going to see a Safari app for Apple Watch anytime soon, but you can now click on and open web links in apps like Mail and Messages.

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WebKit in Messages

If someone sends you a link to your Apple Watch in the Messages app, you can tap on it to open up a little mini web browser right in the Messages app.

WebKit in Mail

Just like Messages, if you get an email with a web link in it, you can open it up using the Mail app. You can also view HTML emails on the Apple Watch for the first time thanks to the WebKit integration.

Using Google and Other Websites on Apple Watch

As we mentioned earlier, there's no built-in Safari app on the Apple Watch for browsing the web, but you can cheat. Here's how:

• From your iPhone or Mac, send yourself an iMessage with a link to Google.com (or any other search engine).
• On the Apple Watch, open up the Messages app.
• Tap on your name, and then tap on the Google.com link that you sent yourself.
• Wait for the Google site to load on the Apple Watch.
• Tap on the search field.
• Speak or spell out whatever you want to search for.
• Tap the search button.

You can load all kinds of websites on the Apple Watch, from Wikipedia to restaurant sites for finding menus, to airline check-in sites to websites like MacRumors.com. It's essentially a full browser that's been miniaturized for the wrist.

Some content will not load on the Apple Watch. You can't watch YouTube videos, for example, nor will other types of video content load. Complicated websites with a lot of content, such as news sites, can take awhile to load or can refuse to load all together, so simple browsing is best on the Apple Watch.

Where possible, the little Apple Watch browser will use Reader Mode for text heavy websites, so you will see simple, easy-to-view sites with no ads. Mobile optimized sites work the best on the Apple Watch.

For browsing the web on the Apple Watch, you will always need to use the search cheat because Apple doesn't allow access to the URL bar. You can tap it, but there's no way to enter a web address.

WebKit Gestures

WebKit on Apple Watch supports several gestures, which are outlined below.

• Use the Digital Crown or a finger on the screen to scroll.
• Double tap to zoom in and double tap again to zoom out.
• Long press to access options for Back, Forward, Reload, and Reader Mode.
• Swipe to move forwards or backwards through different sites.
• Tap a text field to speak or spell out text.

How to Clear Website Data on Apple Watch

Being able to browse the web on the Apple Watch through Mail and Messages means that your Apple Watch is storing some website data. You can delete all of this data in the Settings app. Here's how:

• Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
• Choose General.
• Scroll down to Website Data.
• Select "Clear Website Data."

Using this option will remove all website cookies, credentials, and browsing data. It does not appear that Apple Watch stores any browsing history in a viewable format, so there's no option to clear just history.

Availability

According to Apple, WebKit integration is limited to Apple Watch Series 3 models. WebKit and websites will not load on the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 models.

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Top Rated Comments

This looks like something intended only for consistency between different platforms of iMessages or so. Even then, doesn't the watch need to be paired to a phone anyways?

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How To Use Safari On Apple Watch

• Software & Applications
• Browsers & Extensions

Introduction

Safari, Apple's native web browser, has made its way onto the Apple Watch, bringing the convenience of web browsing to your wrist. This integration allows users to access the internet directly from their wearable device, providing quick and easy access to information without needing to reach for their iPhone. With the small yet powerful Apple Watch display, users can now browse the web, check important information, and access their favorite websites with just a few taps.

The introduction of Safari on Apple Watch marks a significant step in the evolution of wearable technology. It opens up a world of possibilities for users, allowing them to stay connected and informed without being tethered to their iPhone or other devices. Whether you want to quickly check the weather, read a news article, or look up a recipe, having Safari on your Apple Watch makes it all possible with a simple flick of the wrist.

This new feature not only enhances the functionality of the Apple Watch but also reflects Apple's commitment to providing a seamless and integrated user experience across its range of devices. By bringing Safari to the Apple Watch, Apple has further expanded the capabilities of its wearable device, making it even more indispensable in the daily lives of its users.

In this article, we will explore the various aspects of using Safari on Apple Watch, including setting it up, navigating websites, using bookmarks and history, managing tabs, and leveraging Handoff with the iPhone. Additionally, we will share some valuable tips and tricks to help you make the most of Safari on your Apple Watch. So, let's dive in and discover how to harness the power of web browsing right from your wrist!

Setting up Safari on Apple Watch

Setting up Safari on your Apple Watch is a straightforward process that allows you to seamlessly access the web from your wrist. To begin, ensure that your Apple Watch is paired with your iPhone and is running the latest version of watchOS. Once these prerequisites are met, follow the steps below to set up Safari on your Apple Watch:

Accessing the Watch App : Open the Watch app on your iPhone, which provides a centralized platform for managing various settings and apps on your Apple Watch.

Navigating to My Watch Tab : Within the Watch app, navigate to the "My Watch" tab located at the bottom of the screen. This section allows you to customize and configure the settings for your Apple Watch.

Selecting Safari : Scroll down the list of installed apps until you find Safari. Tap on Safari to access its settings and configurations.

Enabling the Show App on Apple Watch Option : Toggle the "Show App on Apple Watch" option to enable Safari on your Apple Watch. This action ensures that the Safari icon will appear on your Apple Watch's home screen, granting you quick access to the web browser .

Customizing Glances : If desired, customize the Glances feature for Safari on your Apple Watch. Glances provide quick, at-a-glance information from apps, and configuring this feature for Safari can enhance your browsing experience on the Apple Watch.

Completing the Setup : Once you have made the necessary adjustments, the changes will be synchronized with your Apple Watch, and the Safari app icon will be added to your Apple Watch's home screen.

By following these simple steps, you can seamlessly integrate Safari into your Apple Watch, empowering you to browse the web directly from your wrist. With Safari now readily accessible on your Apple Watch, you are equipped to explore the vast expanse of the internet with unparalleled convenience and ease.

This seamless integration of Safari onto the Apple Watch exemplifies Apple's commitment to enhancing the functionality of its devices, providing users with a cohesive and interconnected ecosystem that seamlessly spans across their range of products. With Safari now at your fingertips, the possibilities for quick and convenient web browsing on your Apple Watch are endless.

Navigating websites

Navigating websites on the Apple Watch's Safari browser is a unique and intuitive experience, tailored to the device's compact yet powerful interface. Despite the smaller screen size, Apple has optimized the browsing experience to ensure seamless navigation and efficient access to web content. Here's a detailed look at how you can effectively navigate websites on Safari using your Apple Watch:

1. Using the Digital Crown and Touch Screen

The Digital Crown, a prominent feature of the Apple Watch, serves as a versatile tool for navigating websites. By rotating the Digital Crown, users can scroll through web pages, allowing for precise and controlled movement. Additionally, the touch screen functionality enables users to tap, swipe, and interact with on-screen elements, providing a familiar and intuitive browsing experience.

2. Zooming In and Out

When viewing web pages with small text or intricate details, users can zoom in for a closer look. By double-tapping the screen and then using the Digital Crown to zoom in or out, users can adjust the magnification level to suit their preferences, ensuring a comfortable and personalized browsing experience.

3. Interacting with Links and Buttons

Navigating through hyperlinks and interactive elements on web pages is effortless with the Apple Watch. Tapping on links or buttons directly on the screen allows users to seamlessly access different sections of a website, open new pages, or interact with various web-based functionalities, all with the convenience of a few taps on their wrist.

4. Scrolling and Reading Content

Despite the compact display, Safari on the Apple Watch offers a smooth scrolling experience, enabling users to effortlessly browse through articles, news, and other textual content. The ability to scroll through web pages with ease ensures that users can consume information quickly and efficiently, making the most of the available screen real estate.

5. Utilizing Reader Mode

Safari on the Apple Watch includes a Reader Mode feature, which presents simplified, text-focused versions of web pages, making it easier to read articles and long-form content. This mode eliminates distractions and focuses on the main textual content, enhancing the readability of web pages on the Apple Watch's display.

6. Managing Text Input

When interacting with web forms or search bars, users can input text using the Apple Watch's dictation feature or by selecting letters and characters using the on-screen keyboard . This functionality enables users to engage with web-based input fields, perform searches, and interact with various web services directly from their Apple Watch.

By leveraging these intuitive navigation features, users can seamlessly explore the web, access information, and interact with a wide range of online content directly from their Apple Watch. The optimized browsing experience on Safari reflects Apple's dedication to delivering a cohesive and user-friendly web browsing experience across its diverse range of devices.

Using bookmarks and history

Utilizing bookmarks and history on Safari for Apple Watch adds a layer of convenience to the browsing experience, allowing users to access their favorite websites and revisit previously viewed pages with ease. Despite the compact nature of the Apple Watch, Safari offers seamless access to bookmarks and a comprehensive browsing history, empowering users to navigate the web efficiently. Here's a detailed exploration of how you can effectively leverage bookmarks and history on Safari for your Apple Watch.

Accessing Bookmarks

Accessing bookmarks on Safari for Apple Watch is a streamlined process. By tapping on the bookmarks icon within the Safari interface, users can view a list of their saved bookmarks, organized for quick and easy access. This feature allows users to jump directly to their preferred websites without the need to manually enter URLs or perform extensive searches, saving valuable time and effort.

Adding and Managing Bookmarks

Adding new bookmarks on the Apple Watch is a straightforward task. When visiting a website that you wish to bookmark, simply tap the "Add Bookmark" option, enabling you to save the current page for future reference. Additionally, users can manage their existing bookmarks, organizing them into folders or deleting outdated entries directly from their Apple Watch, ensuring that their collection of bookmarks remains tidy and relevant.

Browsing History

Safari for Apple Watch also provides access to a comprehensive browsing history, allowing users to revisit previously viewed web pages. By accessing the history section, users can view a chronological list of their recent web activity, making it effortless to retrace their steps and revisit pages they have previously accessed. This feature is particularly useful for quickly returning to a website that was recently viewed without the need to perform a new search.

Streamlining Web Browsing

The integration of bookmarks and history into Safari for Apple Watch streamlines the web browsing experience, enabling users to access their preferred websites and revisit previously viewed content with remarkable ease. Whether it's accessing a frequently visited website or retracing steps to find a previously viewed article, the seamless access to bookmarks and history enhances the efficiency and convenience of web browsing on the Apple Watch.

By seamlessly integrating bookmarks and history into the Safari experience on the Apple Watch, Apple has further enhanced the functionality of its wearable device, ensuring that users can effortlessly access their preferred web content and revisit previously viewed pages with unparalleled ease. This seamless integration reflects Apple's commitment to delivering a cohesive and user-friendly web browsing experience across its diverse range of devices.

Managing tabs

Managing tabs on Safari for Apple Watch offers users the ability to multitask and efficiently navigate between multiple open web pages directly from their wrist. Despite the compact screen size, Safari on the Apple Watch provides a seamless tab management experience, empowering users to stay organized and access multiple web pages with ease. Here's a detailed exploration of how you can effectively manage tabs on Safari for your Apple Watch.

Opening and Closing Tabs

Opening a new tab on Safari for Apple Watch is a simple process. By tapping on the tab icon within the Safari interface, users can initiate a new tab, allowing them to access additional web pages without disrupting their current browsing session. This feature enables users to seamlessly transition between different websites, enhancing their ability to access diverse content from their Apple Watch.

Closing tabs on Safari for Apple Watch is equally straightforward. By navigating to the tab management interface and selecting the desired tab, users can close individual tabs with a simple tap, ensuring that their browsing session remains organized and clutter-free. This streamlined tab management process allows users to maintain a tidy and efficient browsing environment on their Apple Watch.

Switching Between Tabs

Safari for Apple Watch facilitates effortless navigation between open tabs, enabling users to switch between different web pages with ease. By accessing the tab management interface, users can swipe left or right to navigate through their open tabs, allowing for seamless transitions between various web pages. This intuitive tab switching functionality ensures that users can access and manage multiple web pages without unnecessary complexity.

Managing Tab Order

Users can rearrange the order of their open tabs on Safari for Apple Watch, providing them with the flexibility to prioritize and organize their browsing sessions according to their preferences. By tapping and holding on a tab within the tab management interface, users can drag and reposition tabs, customizing the order in which they appear. This feature empowers users to tailor their tab arrangement to suit their browsing habits, enhancing their overall browsing experience on the Apple Watch.

Streamlining Multitasking

The seamless tab management capabilities of Safari for Apple Watch streamline multitasking, allowing users to access and organize multiple web pages with remarkable ease. Whether it's opening new tabs, switching between existing tabs, or rearranging the tab order, the efficient tab management features of Safari on the Apple Watch enhance users' ability to multitask and access diverse web content directly from their wrist.

By seamlessly integrating robust tab management capabilities into Safari for Apple Watch, Apple has further enhanced the browsing experience on its wearable device, ensuring that users can efficiently manage and access multiple web pages with unparalleled convenience. This seamless integration reflects Apple's commitment to delivering a cohesive and user-friendly web browsing experience across its diverse range of devices.

Using Handoff with iPhone

Handoff is a powerful feature that seamlessly bridges the gap between the Apple Watch and the iPhone, allowing for a fluid transition between devices while maintaining continuity in tasks and activities. When it comes to using Safari on the Apple Watch, Handoff plays a pivotal role in enhancing the browsing experience and ensuring a seamless transition between the small screen of the Apple Watch and the larger display of the iPhone.

With Handoff, users can effortlessly transfer their browsing sessions from the Apple Watch to the iPhone and vice versa, enabling them to continue their web activities without interruption. This feature is particularly beneficial when users encounter content that may be better suited for viewing on a larger screen, such as detailed web pages, multimedia content, or complex web applications.

The process of utilizing Handoff with Safari on the Apple Watch is intuitive and streamlined. When browsing a web page on the Apple Watch and wishing to continue the session on the iPhone, a simple swipe-up gesture on the iPhone's lock screen displays the Safari icon, allowing users to seamlessly transition to the iPhone and pick up where they left off. Similarly, when browsing on the iPhone and wanting to continue the session on the Apple Watch, the Safari icon appears on the Apple Watch's watch face, enabling users to effortlessly switch devices and maintain continuity in their browsing experience.

This seamless handoff of web browsing sessions between the Apple Watch and the iPhone ensures that users can leverage the strengths of each device without encountering any disruptions. Whether it's the convenience of accessing information on the Apple Watch or the enhanced visual experience on the iPhone, Handoff empowers users to seamlessly transition between devices, optimizing their web browsing experience based on their immediate needs and preferences.

By integrating Handoff with Safari on the Apple Watch, Apple has created a cohesive and interconnected web browsing ecosystem that transcends the limitations of individual devices. This seamless continuity in web browsing reflects Apple's commitment to delivering a unified user experience across its range of devices, ensuring that users can effortlessly transition between the Apple Watch and the iPhone while maintaining a consistent and uninterrupted browsing experience.

In summary, Handoff serves as a powerful tool for seamlessly transferring web browsing sessions between the Apple Watch and the iPhone, providing users with a fluid and uninterrupted browsing experience that adapts to their device preferences and usage scenarios.

Tips and tricks for using Safari on Apple Watch

Voice Search : When faced with the task of entering text on the Apple Watch's small screen, consider using the voice search feature. By tapping the microphone icon on the search bar, you can dictate your search queries, saving time and effort while ensuring accurate input.

Utilize Handoff : Take advantage of Handoff to seamlessly transfer web browsing sessions between your Apple Watch and iPhone. This feature allows you to continue browsing on a larger screen when necessary, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted experience across devices.

Reader Mode : When reading articles or long-form content, engage the Reader Mode feature to simplify the layout and focus on the main textual content. This enhances readability and reduces distractions, making it easier to consume information on the Apple Watch's display.

Customize Glances : Tailor the Glances feature for Safari on your Apple Watch to display relevant information at a glance. This allows you to access key browsing details, such as page load progress or website security indicators, without delving into the full browser interface.

Use Handoff for Multimedia : When encountering multimedia content, such as videos or interactive elements, consider using Handoff to seamlessly transition to your iPhone for a more immersive viewing experience. This ensures that you can enjoy multimedia content on a larger screen without interruption.

Bookmark Frequently Visited Sites : Save time by bookmarking frequently visited websites. This allows for quick access to your preferred web destinations without the need for manual entry or extensive searching, streamlining your browsing experience on the Apple Watch.

Explore Voice Commands : Familiarize yourself with voice commands for navigating Safari on the Apple Watch. By mastering voice interactions, you can efficiently perform tasks such as opening tabs, accessing bookmarks, and initiating searches, all through simple voice prompts.

Stay Updated with Notifications : Enable Safari notifications on your Apple Watch to stay informed about website updates, news alerts, or important notifications from web-based services. This keeps you connected to the web's latest developments directly from your wrist.

By incorporating these tips and tricks into your Safari browsing experience on the Apple Watch, you can optimize your web interactions, streamline your browsing habits, and make the most of the browser's capabilities on your wearable device.

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How to browse the web on an Apple Watch

How to browse the web on an Apple Watch: While Apple does offer a hidden browser, a new mini web browser is bringing the web to your wrist.

Apple doesn’t include its Safari browser on the Apple Watch for obvious reasons. It’s doesn’t believe you can achieve a worthy World Wide Web experience on a 45mm display.

There is a hidden browser of sorts that’s a product of Apple’s own WebKit API, introduced in watchOS 5. That comes into play when you receive a URL link within the Messages and Mail apps. Tap those links and you will see a functional web page where you can tap links and browse through websites, using the Digital Crown to scroll through pages.

This also applies with links that appear within Siri search results. MacRumors also points out a little hack where you can send yourself a link to Google via iMessages, perform the web search there and browse whatever you want.

Download the µBrowser for Apple Watch

While there is no Safari, where there’s a will, there’s the intrepid developer community. The µBrowser is described as a Mini Browser on your Watch and arrived on the App Store last week to great acclaim, with a 4.8 rating out of 5 so far. It only costs $0.99/£0.99 too.

You can download the µBrowser app for Apple Watch here .

It enables you to type in web addresses directly on the display or enter search terms to enjoy a micro browsing experience. The companion iPhone app also enables you to set up bookmarks to your favourite sites to avoid having to type them in.

You will need watchOS 8 installed on your Apple Watch and iOS 15 on your iPhone in order to use this app. It should work nicely on all of phones compatible with the latest update, although the larger displays available in the newer generations will naturally be best.

There are some issues, naturally, with readability on home websites, while 9to5Mac reports that images can take a while to launch, if they launch at all. Users do have to confirm they want to browse to that page after it launches.

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Developer, the app-tly named Arno Appenzeller writes : “I believe that µBrowser can be the perfect emergency browser when you are on the go and don’t have your phone with yourself. It is a start and I hope watchOS will improve so I can add new features to µBrowser. I’m pretty interested in deliver the best possible web experience on iOS.”

Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He's based in South Florida, USA.  …

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How to open web links on an Apple Watch

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The Apple Watch can be used to access so many things, from your instant messages to your calendar, photos, and more. There are so many tricks to using the Apple Watch . One thing it doesn’t have, however, is a web browser. Or does it?

Technically, the Apple Watch doesn’t have a web browser like Safari built in that would allow you to search for a web page. But there is a clever, hidden way to view web-based content on the smartwatch. This is through a hidden watchOS browser, delivered via Apple’s WebKit engine. It requires a simple workaround, but once you know you can do it, you’ll wow all your friends by showing them.

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How to open web links on Apple Watch

1. Find the web link you want from your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook.

2. Copy it (tap and hold and select Copy on an iPhone or iPad or Command + C on a MacBook).

3. Open the Messages app and start a message to yourself.

4. Paste the web link into it (tap and hold and select Paste on an iPhone or iPad or Command + V from a MacBook).

5. Hit Send .

6. Go to Messages app on your Apple Watch and open the message you just sent once it’s delivered.

7. Tap the web link and it will open.

How to use the web browser on Apple Watch

Once you have a website up on the Apple Watch, there are a few ways you can interact with it.

1. Move your finger up and down to scroll or use the Digital Crown and turn up and down.

2. When on a webpage, tap the URL bar to switch from Reader View (set as the default, which removes ads, navigation bars, and displays just text with a few images) to Web View and vice versa.

3. You can also tap the URL bar to Reload the page if it didn’t load correctly.

4. Tap the URL bar as well to go back to the Previous page.

How to access Google Search on your Apple Watch

Want to look something up on Google from your Apple Watch? There’s a workaround for that, too!

1. Send the Google.com link to yourself via an iMessage.

2. Open the Messages app on the Watch. Then go to the message you sent, and tap the live link.

3. Type a search query into the Google Search Bar (or select the mic and speak your query).

4. You’ll see results on the Google search page and can click any of the links to learn more.

What else should you know?

In addition to sending web links to yourself via Messages, you can also use the Mail app. If somebody else sends you a message or e-mail with a hyperlink, you can click on it directly from the Apple Watch and it will open. You can also click on hyperlinks from within websites once you've managed to open one on the Watch. However, you can't click the URL bar once the browser is open and type another website address to navigate to: it won’t work. You’d need to revisit the steps above or use the aforementioned Google trick.

Navigation when viewing websites on Apple Watch is simple, though you'll need to remember you’re manipulating a very tiny screen. This means you’ll likely only use this feature sparingly. But by and large, you can interact with websites much the same way you do on your phone once you get one up and running on the Watch.

It’s worth noting that the web browser feature only works on the best Apple Watch models , including the Apple Watch Series 3 and later. The QWERTY keyboard for typing search queries in Google only works on Series 7 models and later, including the newest and most premium model, the Apple Watch Ultra 2. There is the alternative method of typing the search query into your iPhone instead (a notification will pop up on the device if it’s connected to the same network and account), though this defeats the purpose. The best method is to use your voice.

You may also find that particularly complex websites don’t load properly and that Reader Mode is the cleanest, most pleasant-looking experience. Whatever your choice, the limited web browsing support on Apple Watch is a very cool feature you might not have known about.

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• Apple Watch

How to use the hidden Apple Watch web browser to browse the web

Apple Watch supports viewing web content on your wrist, and in this tutorial, we’ll show you how to use the hidden watchOS browser to visit any website you like.

How it works

Apple Watch doesn’t have a visible Safari browser. Therefore, you won’t find it in your app list. However, Apple’s WebKit engine is integrated into watchOS, making it possible to use the internet on your wrist.

So, how do you access the web if there is no Safari browser?

How to visit websites on your Apple Watch

• Open the Messages or Mail app on your iPhone and send yourself the link you want to access on your Apple Watch. This also works if someone has already sent you a text or email with a website URL.
• Press the Digital Crown to see all your apps. From here, open the Messages or Mail app.
• Tap the link , and it will open that web page.
• When you’re done, hit Close to exit web browsing and return to the Mail or Messages app.

Controls while browsing on Apple Watch

You can interact with the web view using these gestures:

• Scroll: Move your finger on the screen or rotate the Digital Crown.
• Zoom: Double-tap to zoom in, and double-tap again to zoom out.
• Follow hyperlinks: Tap a web link to load the underlying webpage.
• Enter text: Tap a text field to type, speak, or spell out some text.
• Back or Forward: Swipe left/right from the edge of the screen.
• Normal Web View or Reader View: Tap the URL bar at the top.
• Reload page: Tap the URL bar at the top.

Note: Apple made the right choice by defaulting to Safari Reader. In case you haven’t yet tried Reader Mode in Safari , it strips articles of annoying ads, navigation bars, custom stylesheets, and other distractions, leaving you with pure text and images.

Can I type in the URL bar?

Once a web page opens, you’ll see an address bar at the top which shows the site URL you’re currently on. Sadly, tapping that URL box doesn’t pop open the keyboard, and you can’t enter any other site name or address manually. However, you can tap any link on the current webpage, and it will work. For example, if iDownloadBlog is open on your Apple Watch, you can tap a link you see there (say for a post), and it will open.

How to open Google on Apple Watch

Just send yourself the google.com link and open it on your watch. A mobile-optimized Google search page will show up. You can type the search query in the search box with the QWERTY keyboard (on Series 7 & later), scribble or dictate your query, as well as select the desired item from the Google homepage.

WebKit integration on Apple Watch: What’s the use?

Implementing support for WebKit is a monumental achievement. The Cupertino technology giant doesn’t feel like browsing the web on such a tiny screen would make sense—that’s why Apple Watch doesn’t ship with Safari. That said, it’s possible for your Apple Watch to render web content, albeit in a limited fashion. For example, you can check out a restaurant menu or read a quick news article without pulling an iPhone out of your pocket.

In other words, the lack of manual input significantly reduces the web browsing ability on your Apple smartwatch. However, if there are links that you must open on your wrist for any reason, then you can send yourself the link via messages or email and visit it later. Besides that, if someone sends you a link in iMessage or email, the WebKit integration allows you to have a quick look from your watch, and for a deeper experience, you can always visit that link later on your iPhone.

Old Apple Watch?

Series 2 , Series 1 , and Series 0 models aren’t supported. Attempting to open an attached link on an unsupported model yields an error message saying, “This link isn’t viewable on Apple Watch, but you can open it on your iPhone.”

Web pages not loading on Apple Watch

Don’t expect the watch to render all websites properly. In our experience, webpages with complex layouts with embedded widgets and JavaScript code might get stuck, resulting in a blank page or refusing to load at all. Still, it’s nice knowing that limited web content support is there should you ever need it.

Third-party browsers for Apple Watch

Apple doesn’t offer Safari on Apple Watch, but you can use a third-party app to access the web. Here are two mini browsers you can try:

• µBrowser : $0.99
• Parrity : Free

Check out next:

• How to clear your browsing history on Apple Watch
• How to watch YouTube videos on your Apple Watch
• How to force-quit apps on your Apple Watch

watchOS 11 launches today — 5 features to try first on your Apple Watch

These new Apple Watch features will help you get started with watchOS 11

Make a new Photos watch face

Pause your activity rings, explore the smart stack, create a check in, get familiar with the vitals app.

The watchOS 11 software update is available to install as of September 16, meaning anyone with a compatible Apple Watch can start enjoying all the new features Apple initially announced at WWDC 2024  — yes, even if you're not buying an Apple Watch Series 10 .

In order to use watchOS 11, iOS 18 must be installed on your iPhone first. You’ll also want to make sure your Apple Watch meets the watchOS 11 compatibility requirements. Those with an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer (including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 ) can download watchOS 11. Once you have the software installed, you can start enjoying the new Apple Watch features.

This includes sleep apnea detection for those with the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer. Right in time for the watchOS 11 release, the FDA has published clearance for the feature , meaning those with a compatible watch can use set up sleep apnea notifications immediately. 

But otherwise, where should you start? There are over a dozen changes and new additions to watchOS 11, so these are the best features that you should try first.

In watchOS 11, you’ll see a new watch face, though it's technically a redesign of a familiar favorite: I’m talking about the iconic Photos watch face that's been around for several years. It last received an update to support Portrait style photos, but watchOS 11 takes it to the next level.

The Photos watch face has been completely updated with machine learning, so your watch will now suggest which photos to use as your watch face based on the best finds in your library. You can choose to use one of these photos, or have your watch cycle through the entire album. The clock will then be framed intelligently around your image, and you can tailor the final product with a selection of fun fonts and color filters.

Having an off day? Or, simply looking to take it easy after a few days of vigorous exercise? Try pausing your Activity Rings, relieving yourself from any pressure to close your Apple Watch rings and giving you the space to prioritize recovery.

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The key to pausing your Activity Rings is that any activity streaks you have won’t be compromised. This is a feature users have been asking Apple to offer for years , so it makes sense that it would be one of the first you’d try the watchOS 11. Of course, you should also take advantage of the watch's abundance of fitness tracking features, so we wouldn't recommend taking a pause for too long. 

The Apple Watch’s Smart Stack is meant to give you a convenient glance at all the information that might be relevant to you, organized into tiles you can scroll through. In watchOS 11, the Smart Stack has received a few upgrades so that it’s even more intuitive than before — for example, it will now lead with a weather forecast if there’s imminent rain in your area. Similarly, if you're located in a different country, you might be prompted with a location-based translation widget. 

In general, the Smart Stack is smarter than ever. My favorite thing about it now is that it supports Live Activities from both native and third-party apps. It's super helpful seeing at a glance how far away my Uber ride is, or keeping tabs on my Check In.

Speaking of Check In , you should try it out in watchOS 11. First launched for iPhone in iOS 17 , Check In gives users the ability to share their location with friends and family. When you set a Check In, your assigned contact will get alerted if you don’t let them know when you’ve arrived at your destination safely.

In watchOS 11, you can manage a Check In from the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch, and even create a Check In from the workout app when you launch an outdoor workout. This should give you a little peace of mind when you go for a run in the evening. 

There’s a new wellness app in watchOS 11 that you’ll want to try out. Vitals is basically a version of the Health app for Apple Watch, letting you review your health and fitness trends in a cohesive place. As you continue to wear your Apple Watch on a daily basis, You’ll be able to see how different markers (ie. activity, sleep, heart rate) are impacting your health.

The Vitals app is also able to alert you when a concerning trend in your health is forming. For example, when you’ve slept poorly for a few nights in a row, the Vitals may tell you that something’s off with your body.

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Kate Kozuch is the managing editor of social and video at Tom’s Guide. She covers smartwatches, TVs and audio devices, too. Kate appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the  Tom's Guide TikTok account , which you should be following. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her taking up a new sport, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef. 

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There’s a secret way to browse the web from your Apple Watch

By David Nield

Posted on Feb 15, 2022 2:00 PM EST

Have a look through the apps on your Apple Watch and you won’t find the Safari web browser. This seems like a reasonable choice considering the small size of the screen and the limited input options.

But if you need to get a webpage up on your smartwatch, know that it is possible. There’s a hidden browser app already on the watch, and you’ll also find a couple of third-party options available to install.

A warning, though—You’ll definitely come up against limitations and the experience is nowhere as good as it is on a phone or a laptop.

Using the built-in Apple Watch browser

You can’t launch the web browser built into the Apple Watch from the standard grid or list of apps. Instead, you’ll have to access it by opening up a link from another smartwatch app. You can use the Mail and Messages apps for this, and all you have to do is send yourself an email or message containing the URL that you want to visit.

[Related: Apple Watch Series 7 Review: Living Larger ]

This might seem like a long-winded way of getting online—and it is, really. But just in case you ever need it, you can make things easier by emailing yourself a list with the websites you regularly need access to, for example. 

Another way of getting to a website is by using Siri on your Apple Watch. Say “Siri, go to…” followed by the URL you want to visit. A list of web results will appear—just tap Open Page underneath the link you want to open it. This works well for sites with simple URLs that can be easily spoken out, like apple.com or google.com.

When it comes to entering text into websites, you can use the usual methods available on your watch, including voice dictation, the scribble handwriting feature, and the on-screen keyboard. It’s not ideal for entering large amounts of text, but it’ll do if you need to search for a few keywords, for example.

Bear in mind that not all websites will load properly (or even at all) on such a tiny screen, and it can be difficult navigating around menus and pop-up dialogs. In some cases, the built-in browser will switch to a simpler view, like the Reader View in Safari on the desktop, so you’ll just get the text and nothing else. Tap on the URL at the top to switch between these views.

You can also navigate backward and forward by tapping on the address bar. Other gestures you can take advantage of are using the Digital Crown or a finger on the screen to scroll, and double-tapping on the screen to zoom in and out. To clear all the collected browsing data, open Settings and choose General , Website Data , and Clear Website Data .

Using third-party programs

The built-in web browser on the Apple Watch is probably your best bet when it comes to loading up webpages, as Apple has access to parts of the smartwatch’s code that third-party apps can’t get to. Nevertheless, if you want a more fully-fledged experience, you’ve got options.

[Related: How to navigate your Apple Watch with hand gestures using AssistiveTouch ]

First up is the free Parrity app, which actually uses a connected iPhone to load and render pages before transferring the results over to your Apple Watch. You can still interact with pages on your wrist, enter new URLs, and even go back on your browsing history, but your iPhone will always need to be around for anything to happen. 

Then there’s µBrowser , which will set you back $1. This works entirely independently on the watch and does a very decent job of rendering websites, albeit with some issues (support for multiple fonts is rather limited, for example). You can search the web, enter URLs, and go back to pages that you’ve recently visited.

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6 Best Web Browsers for Apple Watch in 2022 (Free & Paid)

• January 21, 2022 January 22, 2022

Apple Watch is a benchmark for the smartwatch market. With Watch OS, it brings all health and productivity features that one would need to the table. While the Apple Watch does not get a built-in Safari, it supports third-party apps, meaning you can install web browsers on it with ease. In this article, let’s look at some of the best web browsers you can install on your Apple Watch, including both free and paid options.

Related | 3 Best Web Browsers for Wear OS Smartwatches (2022)

Table of Contents

Free Web Browsers for Apple Watch

A web browser will add to your overall experience with the Apple Watch. Here are some of the top free web browser apps you can install on Watch OS.

Parrity is a fully operable web browser that you can use directly on your Apple Watch or operate it from your iPhone. It has a minified web UI with easy-to-use control buttons. You can visit sites using Siri or Scribble with a convenient URL positioning UI and you can also share sites from Safari using the share panel.

The browser supports dozens of popular search engines like Google, Wikipedia, Amazon, IMDb, etc. It uses caching that allows faster reloading of pages. Along with that, it also supports basic history management that keeps a record of visited pages which you can clear anytime.

You can pre-load web pages on your iPhone and send them to the watch for better convenience. This feature can be helpful in urgent events like signing in. Lastly, it also has a watch face widget for quick access to the browser.

Key Features:

• Site sharing with iPhone
• Minified Web UI for Smartwatches
• Supports Multiple Search Engines
• Basic History Management
• Pre-load Web Pages
• Watch Face Widget for Quick Access
• Siri and Scribble Voice Support

Check on App Store: Parrity Web Browser

Webabit is a simple and limited web browser for Apple Watch. It does not have many features and only allows basic browsing. There’s no search engine support here but it can load specific websites that you can sync through Safari on your iPhone.

You can bookmark any site on the Safari browser which you can access on the watch later through Webabit. It’s an ideal option if you’re looking for a lightweight browser that suits your basic page-viewing requirements on Apple Watch.

• Simple-to-use Interface
• Access any Website on the go
• Access Links from Safari
• Easy linking with Phone
• Bookmark websites for Quick Access

Check on App Store: Webabit Simple Browser

Paid Web Browsers for Apple Watch

1. µbrowser.

µBrowser is a mini web browser for the Apple Watch made for urgent browsing. It does not support many search engines but you can use it for basic browsing when you don’t have any other device around you.

You can open any URL by typing and can also search anything on the web with DuckDuckGo engine. It allows you to visit your previously visited pages and you can also add pages from history to favorites for easy access.

The µBrowser also supports complications to quickly access the browser from the watch face. There’s also a µBrowser browser companion app available for iPhone through which you can manage bookmarks.

• Quick Access Mini Browser
• Web search with DuckDuckGo
• Better Keyboard Optimization for Series 7
• Add Favorites from History
• Quick access from Watch Face
• Companion app to Manage Bookmarks

Check on App Store: µBrowser Mini Browser

2. iBrowserWeb

iBrowserWeb is a premium web browser for Apple Watch that comes with a premium price tag. It comes equipped with a fully functional keyboard that lets you search anything on the web through this browser instantly.

You can search anything like websites or about any general knowledge question with its search engine. The browser can open new tabs and save your favorite websites and links to access them easily in future without searching for it again.

While it offers several features, the UI may feel childish to some people. And given the price tag of around $20, we would suggest you first try the other free and paid options available in the article.

• Fully Functional Keyboard
• Search Anything on the Watch
• Create New Tabs
• Watch Latest News
• Save Links and Favorite Websites
• Support Tickets Available

Check on App Store: iBrowseWeb – Browser & Search Engine for Apple Watch

3. Squint Browser

Squint browser is a complete web browser that instantly discovers your searched content on any website in any language. It works with popular search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.

This browser can be set on the watch face for quick access and can also work with Siri. You can add or edit keywords and favorites on your iPhone and sync them to your watch.

You can access three different sections in the browser by swiping left and right, keywords, favorites and results. The browser also supports voice commands, allowing you to do tasks like reading articles, pause and resume reading, etc, handsfree.

For less than $2, it’s a quite feature-rich browser that you can install on your Apple Watch.

• Fully-functional Web Browser
• Supports Popular Search Engines
• Works with Voice Assistant
• Easy Access to Different Sections
• Seamless Integration with iPhone
• Voice Commands for Quick Tasks

Check on App Store: Squint Browser

Hidden Web Browser on Apple Watch

Apart from downloading third-party web browsers from App Store on the Apple Watch, you can also use the hidden web browser onboard. There are two ways you can use it, given below.

1. Open Links Using Messages (Webkit Integration)

The Apple Watch comes with built-in messaging and calling support. You can use web browse search on the watch by sending a link on messages to the Apple Watch. To do so:

Step 1: Send the link you want to open on your watch via messages or email.

Step 2: Click the link on your watch.

Step 3: It will open the link in the browser inside the messages app.

It offers a similar webpage experience to an iPhone with a mini screen.

Note: Webkit Integration is limited to the Apple Watch Series 3. Websites will not load on Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2.

2. Open Webpage Using Siri on Apple Watch

The other way is to use Siri voice assistant, elaborated below:

Step 1: Toggle Siri and say “Hey Siri, search web”.

Step 2: It will show you some web pages options like Google, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and more.

Step 3: Choose the website you want to browse.

Using this method, you can browse websites on your Apple Watch without any tweaks or apps. To search for general queries, select Google, and then input your query.

Browsing Web on Apple Watch

These were some of the best web browsers for the Apple Watch including free and paid apps. Besides, we’ve also mentioned how you can use the hidden web browser to browse the internet on your Apple Watch without any third-party app or tweak. Stay tuned for more such tips, tricks, and apps around wearables you use.

Himanshu Kansal

Himanshu roams around the Internet to find the latest happenings in Tech Industry to stay updated about everything Tech. Apart from being a Tech Writer, he also makes content on YouTube and is passionate about Smartphones and Gadgets.

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Apple Watch Doesn’t Have Safari And You Didn’t Even Notice

Paul Canetti

The death of the web has long been rumored (just Google “ death of web ”). However it’s not really the web that is losing popularity, it’s the web browser . Flurry said in its 2014 report that only 14% of time spent on mobile devices is in the browser compared to 86% in apps.

Of course, we actually spend a lot of that time in apps on the mobile web (i.e. tap a link on Twitter); it’s just that we’re accessing the web in non-browsery ways.

The death of the browser has been a slow and steady process, but I believe Apple Watch will now be the nail in the coffin. Not only is there no Safari, but no one seems to notice or care! Imagine if Apple Watch had no Messages or no Weather or no… Uber!!! People would riot. But no Safari? No problem.

There is just no place (literally) for browsers in our post-phone world. But what about search, you say? You are confusing browsing with searching. If you need some info, just ask Siri. Or I’m sure Google will make an app for Apple Watch too.

The point is, if Apple announced a computer with no web browser, or a new version of iOS with no web browser, or I don’t know, a new MacBook with no ports, people would freak out. Like the way they freak out about everything Apple has ever removed ever.

And yet the lack of reaction, or even acknowledgement, that there is no Safari on Apple Watch, leads me to believe that not only is Apple right to not include it, but we are actually ready to accept it: a wearable world with no web browsers.

Written by Paul Canetti

Building Skej. Professor at Columbia Business School. I will make you nerdier.

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How-To Geek

Want to browse the web on your apple watch now you can.

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The Apple Watch is an incredibly capable little device. One thing it was lacking, though, was a web browser. That's changed now, thanks to a new $.99 app called  µBrowser , which brings a decent web browser to your Apple Watch.

Related: How to Make Chrome the Default Web Browser on iPhone and iPad

While µBrowser certainly won't replace browsing the web on your phone or tablet , it could be acceptable to look something up in a pinch if your phone is inaccessible. Perhaps you have a cellular Apple Watch, and you left your phone at home and need to search the web for something important.

Some substantial drawbacks come with browsing the web on the Apple Watch aside from the obvious ones like the small screen. According to developer Arno Appenzeller, there's no back button on the app, so you'll need to start a new session if you want to go back. Additionally, logging in on most websites will probably not work.

As a minor annoyance, the developer says, "Also note that µBrowser uses the Authentication flow of watchOS for that reason the dialogue will show up every time you open a page."

Related: How to Declutter Your Web Browser Bookmarks

A companion app for iPhone lets you manage your bookmarks on the larger screen, which is an excellent convenience.

µBrowser doesn't seem like a perfect way to look at the web, but it's decent for the first attempt at an Apple Watch browser. Hopefully, Apple will try to create something similar with Safari to see how it would work with official support. In the meantime, if you feel like browsing the web on your wrist is something you want to try, this option is here for you.

• Apple Watch

You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you  sign up with your Apple ID , you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by  upvoting helpful replies and User Tips .

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Does the Apple Watch have Safari?

Is Safari available on the watch?

Apple Watch-OTHER

Posted on Nov 21, 2014 2:54 PM

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Nov 21, 2014 3:21 PM in response to iSamuel97

It doesn't appear to.

http://www.apple.com/watch/features/

Nov 21, 2014 10:00 PM in response to iSamuel97

You can learn everything that is known about it on Apples website

iOS 18 is available today, making iPhone more personal and capable than ever

More Customization Than Ever

The Biggest Photos Redesign

Powerful Ways to Stay Connected in Messages and Phone

Intelligent Categorization in Mail

Distraction-Free Browsing with Safari

The Brand-New Passwords App

Privacy Features Designed to Empower Users

The First Set of Apple Intelligence Features Available Next Month

Additional Features

• In Apple Maps , users can browse thousands of hikes across U.S. national parks and easily create their own custom walking routes, which they can access offline. Users can also save their favorite national park hikes, custom walking routes, and locations to an all-new Places Library, and add personal notes about each spot.
• Game Mode enhances the gaming experience with more consistent frame rates, especially during long play sessions, and makes AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories even more responsive.
• Users get new ways to pay with Apple Pay online and in apps on iPhone and iPad. Starting today, eligible U.S. users will be able to redeem rewards with Discover credit cards, 5 as well as apply for loans directly through Affirm, and eligible U.K. users will be able to access installments with Monzo Flex right at checkout when they use Apple Pay. 6 With Tap to Cash, users can send and receive Apple Cash by simply holding their iPhone near another iPhone or Apple Watch. 7 And with the new ticket experience in Apple Wallet , fans can access even more information about their events, such as venue maps, local weather forecasts, recommended Apple Music playlists, and much more. 8
• In the  Notes app , math formulas and equations entered while typing are solved instantly. New collapsible sections and highlighting make it easier to emphasize what’s important.
• Calendar becomes even more helpful by showing both events and tasks from Reminders . Users can create, edit, and complete reminders right from Calendar, and the updated month view provides an overview of events and tasks at a glance.
• In Journal , an all-new insights view helps users keep track of their journaling goals, the ability to search and sort entries makes it easy to enjoy past memories, and a Journal widget lets users quickly start an entry from the Home Screen or Lock Screen. Time spent journaling can be saved as mindful minutes in the Health app, and users can log their state of mind right in Journal.
• The Home app introduces guest access, providing users with easy ways to grant guests control of locks, garage doors, and security systems; set schedules for when guests can access the home; and more. With convenient updates to the Energy category, the Home app also makes it easier for eligible users to access, understand, and make more informed decisions about their home electricity use.
• Emergency SOS Live Video allows users to share context through streaming video and recorded media. In the middle of an emergency call, participating emergency dispatchers can send a request for a user to share live video or media from the user’s camera roll over a secure connection, making it easier and faster to get help.
• Updates coming to AirPods will transform the way users take calls, respond to Siri, and immerse themselves in their favorite games with AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, and AirPods Pro 2. Voice Isolation helps the caller’s voice be heard in loud or windy environments, while Siri Interactions allow users to nod or shake their head to respond to Siri announcements. AirPods updates also provide the best wireless audio latency Apple has ever delivered for mobile gaming, and add Personalized Spatial Audio for all AirPods models for even more immersive gameplay.
• Later this fall, AirPods Pro 2 add a clinical-grade, over-the-counter Hearing Aid capability for users with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. Based on results from an intuitive, clinically validated Hearing Test users can take from the comfort of their own home using AirPods Pro 2 and a compatible iPhone or iPad, this new feature seamlessly transforms AirPods Pro into a personalized hearing aid set to meet the specific needs of the user, making access to hearing assistance easier than ever at an approachable price point. 9
• In the Health app , Medical ID has been redesigned to make it even easier for first responders to find the most important information in an emergency. The Health app helps users better understand their data during pregnancy by making adjustments and recommendations to reflect changes in their physical and mental health.
• The Fitness app on iPhone now offers users the ability to customize the Summary tab, and Apple Fitness+ has been redesigned with personalized workout and meditation recommendations in For You, more powerful search, and enhanced awards for extra motivation.
• New accessibility features include Eye Tracking, a built-in option for navigating iPhone with just eyes; Music Haptics, a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music using the Taptic Engine in iPhone; Vocal Shortcuts that enable users to perform tasks by making a custom sound; and Vehicle Motion Cues, which helps reduce motion sickness for passengers using iPhone in a moving vehicle. Accessibility features are now available for CarPlay, including Voice Control, Sound Recognition, Color Filters, and Bold Text.

Text of this article

September 16, 2024

iOS 18 is now available, bringing iPhone users around the world new ways to personalize their iPhone with deeper customization to the Home Screen and Control Center; the biggest-ever redesign to Photos, making it even easier to find and relive special moments; and major enhancements to Messages and Mail. Starting next month, iOS 18 will introduce Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that is incredibly useful and relevant while protecting users’ privacy and security. 1

In iOS 18, users can customize their Home Screen in exciting new ways by placing app icons and widgets to frame the wallpaper or create the ideal layout on each page. Users can also choose how the app icons and widgets are presented — light, dark, or with a colored tint — or make app icons appear larger for a new streamlined look. Control Center is redesigned to be even more flexible. Powerful groups of controls — including favorites, media playback, Home controls and connectivity, and the new controls gallery featuring options from third-party apps — can be organized so that they’re always just a swipe away. Users can also access their favorite controls from the Action button, and for the first time, users can change the controls on the Lock Screen or remove them entirely.

The biggest-ever update to Photos makes it easier to find and relive special moments. The beautiful, simplified layout puts the library into a unified yet familiar view. New collections like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips automatically keep the library organized with on-device intelligence, so users can spend less time searching and more time enjoying their memories. Users can personalize their experience with a customizable layout that reflects what is most important to them and pin favorite collections to keep them easily accessible.

Messages offers major updates to the ways users express themselves and stay connected. Formatting options like bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough let users better convey tone; all-new text effects bring words, phrases, and sentences to life; emoji and sticker Tapbacks give users endless ways to react in a conversation; and users can compose an iMessage to send later. For times when cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren’t available, Messages via satellite connects users to a satellite in space right from the Messages app to send and receive texts, emoji, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS. 2 When messaging contacts who do not have an Apple device, the Messages app now supports RCS for richer media and more reliable group messaging compared to SMS and MMS.

The Phone app helps users stay organized with the ability to record and transcribe live calls, making it easier to recall important details later. 3 Call participants are notified before a recording begins, and transcripts are conveniently saved to the Notes app, allowing users to quickly search and review what was discussed.

Available later this year, categorization in Mail organizes messages to help users stay on top of their inbox. The Primary category lets users focus on the messages that matter most or contain time-sensitive information. Transactions, Updates, and Promotions are grouped by sender in a new digest view that pulls together all relevant emails from a business, allowing users to quickly scan for what’s important in the moment.

Safari is the world’s fastest browser, and with iOS 18, it offers even more capabilities for browsing the web. 4 Highlights intelligently surface key information — like a location’s address, a summary, or more information about a movie, TV show, or song — after a webpage is loaded. The redesigned Reader brings more ways to enjoy articles with a streamlined view, a summary, and a table of contents for longer articles. With Distraction Control, users can hide items on a webpage that they may find disruptive to their browsing, such as sign-in banners or content overlays within a website.

Passwords is a new app built on the foundation of Keychain that makes it even easier for users to access their passwords and see all their credentials — like passwords, passcodes, and verification codes — all in one place. Passwords is backed by incredibly secure end-to-end encryption; seamlessly syncs across devices; and alerts users when a password could be easily guessed, has been used multiple times, or has appeared in a known data leak.

iOS 18 gives users tools to manage who can see their apps, how their contacts are shared, and how their iPhone connects to accessories. Locked and hidden apps offer users peace of mind that information they want to keep private, such as app notifications and content, will not inadvertently be seen by others. Users can now lock an app, and for additional privacy, they can also hide an app, moving it to a locked, hidden apps folder. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app are hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system. In addition, iOS 18 lets users share only specific contacts with an app, and developers can offer users a more seamless and private experience when connecting third-party accessories with iPhone.

Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into iOS 18, harnessing the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks — all while protecting users’ privacy and security. The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available next month, delivering experiences that are delightful, intuitive, easy to use, and specially designed to help users do the things that matter most to them.

With Writing Tools, users can refine their words by rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps. In Photos, the Memories feature now enables users to create the movies they want to see by simply typing a description. In addition, natural language can be used to search for specific photos, and search in videos gets more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips. The new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject. And in the Notes and Phone apps, users can record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call in the Phone app, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.

Siri becomes more natural, flexible, and deeply integrated into the system experience. It has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when active on iPhone. Users can type to Siri at any time on iPhone, and can switch fluidly between text and voice as they use Siri to accelerate everyday tasks. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri can follow along when users stumble over their words and can maintain context from one request to the next. In addition, with Siri’s extensive product knowledge, it can now answer thousands of questions about the features and settings of Apple devices.

With many Apple Intelligence models running entirely on device, as well as the introduction of Private Cloud Compute — which extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence — Apple Intelligence represents an extraordinary step forward for privacy in artificial intelligence.

Availability

iOS 18 is a free software update that is available starting today for iPhone Xs and later. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/ios-18 . Some features may not be available in all regions, all languages, or on all iPhone models. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/feature-availability .

• Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update. The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in beta next month as part of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, with more features rolling out in the months to come. It will be available on iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with device and Siri language set to U.S. English. Additional languages and platforms are coming over the course of the next year. Later this year, Apple Intelligence will add support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. In the coming year, Apple Intelligence will expand to more languages, like Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.
• Apple’s satellite features are included for free for two years starting at the time of activation of a new iPhone 14 or later. For Emergency SOS via satellite availability, visit support.apple.com/en-us/HT213426 . Messages via satellite will be available in the U.S. and Canada in iOS 18. SMS availability will depend on carrier. Carrier fees may apply. Users should check with their carrier for details. Satellite network provided by Globalstar Inc. and its affiliates or third-party network providers.
• Call recording and transcription will be available later this year. Transcription will be available in English (U.S., Australia), Spanish (U.S., Mexico), Mandarin Chinese (China mainland), Cantonese (Hong Kong), and Korean (South Korea).
• Testing was conducted by Apple in August 2024. See apple.com/safari  for more information.
• Redemptions used with Discover credit cards will be reflected as a statement credit on a customer’s account.
• These new Apple Pay features are offered by participating lending providers in certain markets. Subject to eligibility and approval. More issuers and lenders to come in the future.
• Apple Cash services are provided by Green Dot Bank. Member FDIC. Apple Payments Services LLC, a subsidiary of Apple Inc., is a service provider of Green Dot Bank for Apple Cash accounts. Neither Apple Inc. nor Apple Payments Services LLC is a bank. Learn more about the Terms and Conditions . Only available in the U.S. on eligible devices.
• Ticket enhancements in Apple Wallet are available for events from participating ticket issuers.
• Coming this fall, the Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features will be available in more than 100 countries and regions — including the U.S., Germany, and Japan — where marketing authorization has been received. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are intended for people 18 years old or older, and the Hearing Aid feature is intended for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features will be supported on AirPods Pro 2 with the latest firmware paired with a compatible iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 and later.

Press Contacts

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Apple Watch User Guide

• Apple Watch models
• Get started with Apple Watch
• Stay fit with Apple Watch
• Stay connected with Apple Watch
• Apple Watch Ultra, built for the outdoors
• Use buttons and gestures
• Set up and pair your Apple Watch with iPhone
• Set up more than one Apple Watch
• Pair Apple Watch with a new iPhone
• The Apple Watch app
• Charge the battery
• Check battery health and usage
• Extend the battery life
• Turn on and wake Apple Watch
• Lock or unlock Apple Watch
• Set up Apple Watch For Your Kids
• Get started with Schooltime
• Add and play podcasts
• See activity and health reports
• Use Apple Cash Family
• Apps on Apple Watch
• Status icons
• Use Control Center
• Use the flashlight
• Ping your iPhone
• Use Airplane Mode
• Silence alerts and notifications
• Turn on Schooltime
• Customize Control Center
• See and respond to notifications
• See widgets in the Smart Stack
• Connect to Wi-Fi
• Use Apple Watch without its paired iPhone
• Set up and use cellular service
• Change the language and orientation
• Adjust brightness and text size
• Adjust the volume, sounds, and haptics
• Remove, change, and fasten watch bands
• Use double tap to perform common actions
• Customize the Action button
• Organize apps
• Change notification settings
• Manage your Apple Account
• Safety features
• Use Check In
• Set up and view your Medical ID
• Contact emergency services
• Manage Fall Detection
• Manage Crash Detection
• Listen and respond to incoming notifications
• Announce calls with Siri
• Explore the Face Gallery
• Change the watch face on your Apple Watch
• Share Apple Watch faces
• Faces and features
• Get started with health features
• Set up Handwashing
• See time in daylight
• Track daily activity
• Adjust your Activity ring goals
• Track your training load
• Share your activity
• Add audiobooks
• Play audiobooks
• Blood Oxygen
• Camera Remote
• Use the Compass app
• View and add Compass Waypoints
• Use Backtrack to retrace your steps
• Use NameDrop to share contact information
• Use Cycle Tracking
• Receive retrospective ovulation estimates
• Track your pregnancy
• Measure underwater temperature, duration, and depth
• Log your underwater activity
• Configure the Depth app
• View a friend’s location
• Get directions or contact a friend
• Find misplaced devices
• Locate an AirTag
• Mark an AirTag as lost
• Heart Health
• Control your home
• Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
• Send and receive intercom messages
• Remotely access your smart home accessories
• Write and reply to mail
• Manage mail
• Find places and explore
• Explore maps
• Get directions
• Use offline maps
• Medications
• Read messages
• Send messages
• Edit and unsend messages
• Send stickers, animations, and more
• Share your location
• Share messages
• Make a FaceTime audio call
• Start a Reflect or Breathe session
• Log your state of mind
• Remove music
• Do more with Music
• Music Recognition
• Measure noise levels
• Monitor your environmental noise exposure
• Now Playing
• Answer phone calls
• Make phone calls
• Use Dual SIM
• Choose a photo album and manage storage
• View photos
• Add podcasts
• Play podcasts
• Track your sleep
• Track your nightly wrist temperature
• Receive sleep apnea notifications
• Voice Memos
• Walkie-Talkie
• About Apple Wallet
• Set up Apple Pay
• Make purchases with Apple Pay
• Use Apple Cash
• Use rewards cards
• Ride transit
• Use your driver’s license or state ID
• Home, hotel room, and vehicle keys
• Vaccination cards
• Check the weather
• See weather in other locations
• Get started
• Start a workout
• Start an outdoor push wheelchair workout
• Monitor your workout
• Use gym equipment
• End and view a summary of your workout
• Create a custom workout
• Combine multiple workouts
• Complete an outdoor run workout
• Run on a track
• Running metrics
• View Heart Rate Zones
• Go for a swim
• Change settings in Workout
• World Clock
• Connect to Bluetooth headphones or speakers
• Choose an audio destination
• Hand off tasks
• Unlock your Mac
• Unlock your iPhone
• Ping your Apple Watch with iPhone
• Set up Apple Watch using VoiceOver
• Apple Watch basics with VoiceOver
• Apple Watch Mirroring
• Control nearby devices
• AssistiveTouch
• Use a braille display
• Use a Bluetooth keyboard
• Tell time with haptic feedback
• Adjust text size and other visual settings
• Adjust motor skills settings
• Set up and use RTT
• Accessibility audio settings
• Type to speak
• Auto-select focused app
• Use accessibility features with Siri
• The Accessibility Shortcut
• Restart Apple Watch
• Unpair and erase Apple Watch
• If you forget your passcode
• Recover Apple Watch
• Restore Apple Watch from a backup
• Update Apple Watch software
• Protect a lost Apple Watch
• Get information about Apple Watch
• Find your serial number
• Other ways to view this user guide
• Apple Watch Support site
• Learn more, service, and support
• Important safety information
• Important handling information
• Unauthorized modification of watchOS
• Band care information
• FCC compliance statement
• ISED Canada compliance statement
• Ultra Wideband information
• Class 1 Laser Information
• Disposal and recycling information
• Apple and the environment

Connect Apple Watch to a Wi-Fi network

By connecting Apple Watch to a compatible Wi-Fi network, you can continue to use many of its features, even when you don’t have your iPhone with you.

Wi-Fi networks compatible with Apple Watch

802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz

A network that your iPhone previously used while connected to Apple Watch with Bluetooth

Note: Apple Watch won’t connect to public networks that require logins, subscriptions, or profiles. These networks, called captive networks, can include free and pay networks in places like businesses, schools, dorms, apartments, hotels, and stores.

Connect to a compatible Wi-Fi network

Press the side button to open Control Center.

If the network requires a password, do one of the following:

Use the keyboard on Apple Watch to enter the password (on supported models only, not available in all languages).

Use your finger to scribble the password characters on the screen. Use the Digital Crown to choose uppercase or lowercase characters.

Use the keyboard on your iPhone to enter the password.

Use a private network address on Apple Watch

To help protect your privacy, Apple Watch uses a unique private network address, called a media access control (MAC) address , on each Wi-Fi network it joins. Using a private address helps reduce tracking of your Apple Watch across different Wi-Fi networks.

Tap Private Wi-Fi Address, then choose Off, Fixed, or Rotating.

Important: For better privacy, choose Fixed or Rotating for all networks that support a private address.

If a network can’t use a private address (for example, to provide parental controls or to identify Apple Watch as authorized to join), you can stop using a private address for that network.

Disconnect from Wi-Fi

In Control Center, you can temporarily disconnect from a Wi-Fi network. If your Apple Watch has a cellular plan , you can use an available cellular connection instead.

Apple Watch temporarily disconnects from the Wi-Fi network. If you have an Apple Watch with cellular , the cellular connection activates if you have coverage. When you leave and later return to the place where you were connected to Wi-Fi, Apple Watch automatically joins that network again unless you’ve forgotten it on your iPhone.

Tip: To quickly open Wi-Fi settings on Apple Watch, touch and hold the Wi-Fi button in Control Center.

Forget a network

Tap Forget This Network.

If you rejoin that network at a later time, you must reenter its password if it requires one.

For more information, see the Apple Support article Connect your Apple Watch to Wi-Fi .