How to Control Your Apple Watch With Your iPhone

[CiP12]

Can someone tell me why one would want to use this?

I can. Configuring stuff on the Apple Watch a bit easier, screen recording it if necessary, and it’s a plainly nice accessibility feature for people with mobility issues.

I personally used this feature with my Series 6 during the beta for mainly configuring apps and screen recording

 

[Radeon85]

First time hearing about this feature, I have no real use for it but it's pretty cool feature to have. It's laggy when using the iPhone to control the watch, but if you control the watch the video being sent to the iPhone is very smooth, wonder if they can improve on that performance.

 

[alex2792]

I’d rather have iPhone mirroring on my watch.

 

[coolbreeze2]

Oh wow it works!

 

[acctman]

I do
Not have a use case for this feature but it’s pretty cool

 

[Arsenikdote]

Can someone tell me why this could be useful? What are some possible use cases?

How is this useful?

Can someone tell me why one would want to use this?

As someone else pointed out, someone with arm disabilities (e.g. missing arm or just arm mobility) is an easy example. There have been time I have been carrying something and can't reach my watch to perform a task and I have used my nose but imagine that is your daily use case? This feature is very helpful for that.

Personally, I know of someone who has really bad eyesight but needs to use the Apple Watch (or similar device) for health tracking. This would allow them to adjust things on the watch or possibly even get more functionality out of it since they are wearing it anyway.

I think there is a reason this setting is under Accessibility....just putting yourself in those other people's shoes would probably result in a better understanding on how this feature can help a lot of people who don't have the same world experience as the rest of us.

 

[acctman]

Try turning on water lock.

People with mobility or vision problems that find the controls on the watch too small to use. People wearing long sleeves in layers in the winter, who may find that fishing out their phones from their pockets is faster than digging out the watch from under layered sleeves.

Then why have an Apple Watch.., the phone does everything the watch does so if you can’t get to the screen the same notifications and apps are on your phone.

To be honest it’s a cool feature but zero use case.

 

[Night Spring]

Then why have an Apple Watch.., the phone does everything the watch does so if you can’t get to the screen the same notifications and apps are on your phone.

To be honest it’s a cool feature but zero use case.

Health and activity tracking.

 

[Radeon85]

And fall detection

 

[eifelbube]

Seems we need a Series 6 or later, I wouldn't be able to use it either with my Series 5

Disappointed, have Series 4 as well. I guess just another one of these little „reminders“ from Apple to upgrade to a newer model. Or is the hardware difference between the 6 v. the 5/4 too big to permit this software feature??

 

[Applɘ Aꙅylum]

Very cool, but super laggy and hard to use.

Very smooth on iPhone 13 PM if I scroll on the AW6 watch, but it was really LAGGY if I try to scroll on the iPhone. Not worth the effort. What's the use?

 

[MrCourtney]

Looks like a solution in search of a problem...

 

[ApeBot]

Can someone tell me why one would want to use this?

I’d like to know too. I’m not going to lie, I tried it and it’s super fun.. but is there a practical use case?

 

[acctman]

I can. Configuring stuff on the Apple Watch a bit easier, screen recording it if necessary, and it’s a plainly nice accessibility feature for people with mobility issues.

I personally used this feature with my Series 6 during the beta for mainly configuring apps and screen recording

But can’t you configure just about all Apple Watch stuff from within the Watch app?

 

[brian017]

I’d like to know too. I’m not going to lie, I tried it and it’s super fun.. but is there a practical use case?

Yes. It’s for disabled people hence why it’s under Accessibility settings

 

[preetb]

In iOS 16, Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Mirroring feature that lets you see and control your Apple Watch screen from your paired iPhone. Keep reading to learn how to use it.

With Apple Watch Mirroring in iOS 16, Apple utilizes its AirPlay wireless protocol to make Apple Watch more accessible. The addition of the new feature means you can use touch or assistive features like Voice Control, Switch Control, and more on your iPhone to interact with your Apple Watch.

To start using Apple Watch Mirroring, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 9, along with a paired iPhone running iOS 16. You can check if your iPhone needs updating by going to Settings -> General -> Software Update.

How to Control Apple Watch Mirroring

1. On your iPhone, launch the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
3. Under "Physical and Motor," tap Apple Watch Mirroring.
4. Toggle on the switch next to Apple Watch Mirroring.

After you've performed the last step, a graphical representation of your Apple Watch will appear on your iPhone's screen, while a blue outline will appear around the face of your Apple Watch to indicate that mirroring is enabled.

You'll now be able to control your Apple Watch by tapping and swiping on the watch image that appears on your iPhone. You can even tap the Side button and swipe the Digital Crown to mimic the same physical actions that you would perform on your watch. When you're done using Apple Watch Mirroring, simply tap the X in the top-right corner of the Apple Watch card on your iPhone.

If you want to make Apple Watch Mirroring quicker to access, you can add it to Apple's Accessibility Shortcut menu, which, once set up, can be invoked using a triple click of the Home button.

Article Link: How to Control Your Apple Watch With Your iPhone

Awwww... so they can be friends. So cute. Another feature dreamed up from mom's basement.

 

[Speed38]

Why not lead with the fact that this is only of use to those with accessibility needs? The rest of it can just skip it. Sheesh!

 

[mike090910]

Not sure why this is something almost everyone would never need.

 

[Macalway]

It's not like the Watch is super useful, so this makes sense, in a way. Stupid Watch tricks.

 

[svish]

Good guide on how to do it. Nice to have a mirroring option.

 

[_Spinn_]

This is a cool feature.

 

[Expos of 1969]

This option doesn’t exist on my iPhone 12 Pro (v14.0.2) and I have a Series 4 running the latest watchOS.

What do you do, just read headlines? The 4th line of the article states...

"To start using Apple Watch Mirroring, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 9, along with a paired iPhone running iOS 16."

 

[subjonas]

Argh this is what I want for iPad and iPhone! To be able to remotely use my iPhone from my iPad.
When I get home, I switch from using my iPhone to only using my iPad mini. My iPhone stays docked/charging/syncing. Cloud and Continuity allows me to do most of my phone functions from my iPad, but there are still many things I cannot—check voicemail, missed calls, non-cloud apps, etc. If there was an iPad app that could mirror the iPhone, that would save me countless trips to my phone daily.

 

[RickDEGH]

The bigger screen controlling the smaller screen. Imagine this! Going to control my phone with my TV.

 

[alongdingdong]

I dont think is a good development, it will make apple lazy.
They better just keep making the apple watch more and more initiative to use standalone and dont have to rely on your iPhone to do stuff.