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Apple publishes the Apple Watch User Guide online, explaining various hardware features and bundled apps

Update: Now available on iBooks to download on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Mac.

Apple has today posted its Apple Watch User Guide, as customers begin to receive their Watches starting tomorrow. The guide serves as an accompaniment to the Watch, teaching users how to navigate around the interface and access various features. The guide covers all of the native first-party Apple Watch apps as well as general user-interface tips and tricks.

There is also a section on pairing the Watch, which will prove useful when Watches start being distributed into customers hands from tomorrow morning. There is also information about how to properly take care and clean the Apple Watch bands.

Here’s a few interesting tidbits:

  • Pairing happens by displaying a special image on the Watch at first launch and taking a picture of the screen using the Apple Watch companion app on the iPhone. This is essentially a modern QR code system.
  • There are seven status icons that can appear at the top of an Apple Watch. These will display if new notifications are available, if the Apple Watch is charging, if the device is locked, if Do Not Disturb is enabled, if Airplane Mode is active, if the connection to the iPhone has been lost or if wireless content is loading.
  • The Apple Watch Settings Glance includes a ‘iPhone Ping’ button which causes the paired iPhone to make an audible sound, helping the user find it if it is lost.
  • The User Guide includes a full rundown of the available watch faces. This includes which complications support which faces as well as other customization options.
  • Software updates happen through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. The updates are sent wirelessly to the device. You can also restore the firmware in the same way.
  • Apple makes a point of informing users what to do if they want to give their Watch to another person. Users should un-pair the Watch from the iPhone and then erase all data. If the Watch is lost or stolen, users should remove all bank cards associated with Apple Pay on the Watch.

Apple usually posts its User Guides as eBooks in the iBookstore but the Apple Watch User Guide is not yet available in that medium. Expect to see it available soon.

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Comments

  1. where do we find it?

  2. 89p13 - 9 years ago

    Not showing up the US web Site!

  3. The Link is right in the article… The only link in the article in fact.

  4. Anthony Bridger - 9 years ago

    Ye Gods folks. The link is in the first line of the article above

  5. JackBG (@IDanov) - 9 years ago

    Well I’ll be able to test all that at some point between 04/24-08/05. In the mean time I’ll keep on watching the guided tours. Thanks Apple

  6. JackBG (@IDanov) - 9 years ago

    Well I’ll be able to test all that at some point between 04/24-05/08. In the mean time I’ll keep on watching the guided tours. Thanks Apple

  7. minieggseater - 9 years ago

    No built in podcast app ????? I’m sure I saw the icon on the very first keynote. No podcasts no watch

  8. Ermah Gerd - 9 years ago

    Of course they left out step 1- actually getting your hands on a watch…….

  9. Bri155 (@BostonBri155) - 9 years ago

    What’s lacking in the user guide is how is music utilized during a workout. Do you go select your music before a workout. That seems like the case because when starting a workout there is no source choice to select music. Also if you hit pause on your BT headphones will that pause a workout, the music or both?

  10. They’ve pretty much confirmed that more watch faces are coming! :) in the list of watch faces, in the first paragraph:

    “… Check frequently for software updates; the set of watch faces that follows might differ from what you see on your Apple Watch…”

  11. cjt3007 - 9 years ago

    Are web able to ping the watch from iPhone? I realize it would be a common need, but if you just can’t remember where you left it/if it fell of the charger/under a bunch of stuff you’ve been working on

  12. There is no Spanish support :( hope they add that soon . Probably when they lauch in Spain

  13. Johntechwriter - 9 years ago

    I hope that, as with their other products, Apple makes available a printabed user guide in PDF format for download.

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.