watchOS 9 is officially out, which means it’s time to update your Apple Watch when you’re ready to take advantage of all the new features, tools, and settings. But with all the upgrades you’ll find on your wrist, you might want some advice on what to try first.
In watchOS 9, the Apple Watch gets improved sleep tracking with sleep stage data, a fresh collection of watch faces, a revamped workout interface, AFib history, the Medication app included in iOS 16, sleek notification banners, and more.
All watchOS 9-supported devices also get Apple Watch’s power saving mode — the battery life feature isn’t exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra. Some watchOS 9 updates are exclusive to select Apple Watch devices, but no matter which one you have, installing the latest software version will make the best smartwatch even better.
Check out our guide on how to update your Apple Watch to install watchOS 9 and take advantage of the new Apple Watch features. Here are the five features to try first when getting watchOS 9 up and running.
1. Change your Apple Watch face
There are now more Apple Watch faces to choose from than ever before, with four new faces in watchOS 9: Metropolitan, Lunar, Astronomy, and Playtime. We interviewed 2D/3D illustrator Joi Fulton and two Apple executives to learn more about how this collection of watch faces came about.
Certain existing watch faces also have new customization options. As always, you can create a library of many watch faces, but now your iPhone’s Focus presets can also include assigned watch faces. This means that when you activate a particular focus state on your iPhone, your Apple Watch face can automatically change to reflect your preferences for that particular focus.
2. Set up the medication app
One of the features of iOS 16 that we couldn’t wait to use is actually supporting the use of both your iPhone and Apple Watch. While the new medication app might not sound exciting, it will come in very handy for anyone taking medication of any kind and will help you create a more complete digital health profile.
In the Health app on your iPhone, you can add your medication (either daily or temporary, such as an antibiotic) and specify what time of day you take it. The Health app not only checks for possible reactions with your medication, but also sends you reminders when it’s time to take them. These reminders appear on your Apple Watch, prompting you to quickly and discreetly log your intake from your wrist.
3. Close your Apple Watch rings
The Apple Watch’s fitness app got a pretty major overhaul in watchOS 9. A great way to try out the new features is to get active. With several new running metrics, there are more ways to monitor your run and progress in watchOS 9 – vertical oscillation, stride length, and ground contact time data let you further investigate your performance. Custom workouts and routine route recognition can also lead you to running goals.
Another new metric for Apple Watch exercise tracking is heart rate zones. Monitoring your heart rate zones can help you get a feel for your intensity levels. You can see your real-time heart rate zones in the Workout app. You can also now conveniently see the progress on your Apple Watch rings without leaving the app.
4. Manage the battery life of your Apple Watch
Although it was a later announcement, Apple Watch’s power saving mode is one of the most exciting updates to watchOS 9. Apple estimates that Apple Watch Series 8 battery life will now increase from 18 hours to as much as 36 hours. The company hasn’t provided estimates for older Apple Watch devices, but you should see improvements in your Apple Watch’s endurance if you enable battery saver mode in Control Center.
Power saving mode turns off energy-consuming features like the always-on display, cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity, automatic workout tracking, and continuous heart rate monitoring. It might not be a feature you’ll want to use all the time, but if you’ve got a long day ahead of you or even an overnight trip ahead, check if the battery saver mode keeps your Apple Watch alive.
5. Wear your Apple Watch to sleep
In watchOS 9, the Sleep app has been updated to include sleep stage data. Previously, the Apple Watch could only provide your bedtime and sleep time with breathing data. Now you can see an overview of your sleep cycles.
Using the information gathered from the accelerometer and heart rate monitor, Apple Watch should now be able to tell what stages of sleep you’re in throughout the night. You can see how much time you spent in each stage and when you may have woken up. Long-term sleep trends can be checked in the Health app on your iPhone.
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