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Is there really no way to check battery percentage without unlocking?

S

subjonas

macrumors 604
Original poster
I often pick up my AW or a family member's AW, and I just want to know the battery percentage so that I know if I should go put it on a charger or not. It's annoying that I have to enter in my passcode (which is very annoying on anAW) for my own Watch just for that, but I can't even do that for a family members. There's no way to know until I go and start charging it.
Is there an easier way to check percentage that I'm not aware of?
If not, any thoughts why Apple would design the UX so that you can't know a basic thing like the device's charge level without unlocking or unless it's already charging? Besides annoyance, it's oddly inconsistent with other devices like iPhone which not only shows your battery percentage on the lock screen, but by default allows Control Center access while the phone is locked.
Appreciate any info or insights.
 
subjonas said:
I often pick up my AW or a family member's AW, and I just want to know the battery percentage so that I know if I should go put it on a charger or not. It's annoying that I have to enter in my passcode (which is very annoying on anAW) for my own Watch just for that, but I can't even do that for a family members. There's no way to know until I go and start charging it.
Is there an easier way to check percentage that I'm not aware of?
If not, any thoughts why Apple would design the UX so that you can't know a basic thing like the device's charge level without unlocking or unless it's already charging? Besides annoyance, it's oddly inconsistent with other devices like iPhone which not only shows your battery percentage on the lock screen, but by default allows Control Center access while the phone is locked.
Appreciate any info or insights.
Click to expand...
Both my watches (S7 and U2 on latest released OS) switch between the watch face and the passcode entry screen when off my wrist. I have a battery status complication on both so can easily see it, might have to press the crown to switch screens though
 
subjonas said:
I often pick up my AW or a family member's AW, and I just want to know the battery percentage so that I know if I should go put it on a charger or not. It's annoying that I have to enter in my passcode (which is very annoying on anAW) for my own Watch just for that, but I can't even do that for a family members. There's no way to know until I go and start charging it.
Is there an easier way to check percentage that I'm not aware of?
If not, any thoughts why Apple would design the UX so that you can't know a basic thing like the device's charge level without unlocking or unless it's already charging? Besides annoyance, it's oddly inconsistent with other devices like iPhone which not only shows your battery percentage on the lock screen, but by default allows Control Center access while the phone is locked.
Appreciate any info or insights.
Click to expand...
The only way I know of is to add the battery widget to your phone. That would at least show your own watch even when it’s locked.
 

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jz0309 said:
Both my watches (S7 and U2 on latest released OS) switch between the watch face and the passcode entry screen when off my wrist. I have a battery status complication on both so can easily see it, might have to press the crown to switch screens though
Click to expand...
SusieS said:
The only way I know of is to add the battery widget to your phone. That would at least show your own watch even when it’s locked.
Click to expand...
Thanks, those are definitely good workarounds in some circumstances, but just not if my phone isn't around or for any Watch other than my own. Also I kind of like my watch face as it is, but I may have to consider changing it just for this purpose.
 
doogm said:
Put the watch on the charger. By default it immediately shows you a circle graph with the current charge represented by the completion of the circle.
Click to expand...
This is what I do. If I'm not wearing it, it goes on the charger. But if I know it's only going to be on there for a short time (e.g. when I'm in the shower) and see that it doesn't really need charging, then I just pop it off the charger. Otherwise, I just leave it on there and let optimized charging do its thing until the next time I want to wear it again...which could be hours or even days later.
 
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doogm said:
Put the watch on the charger. By default it immediately shows you a circle graph with the current charge represented by the completion of the circle.
Click to expand...
Of course, but the premise of the situation is that the charger isn't immediately available, and I just want to quickly find out if I need to go put the Watch on the charger.

In my daily routine, my Watch is always either on my wrist or charging, so this isn't an issue (I don't even really need to know the battery percentage). It's when I'm not in my daily routine, which is often, or if it's my family member's Watch, that this annoyance arises.
 
jz0309 said:
so you do not have Apple Pay, that would be a dealbreaker for me and there might be other features not working, ymmv
Click to expand...
Of course I have Apple Pay. I use my phone for Apple Pay. Believe it or not, the iPhone works well with Apple Pay, you should try it. Think out of the box. 😁

Like I said, I have to carry my iPhone at all times.
 
AppleForeverandEver said:
Of course I have Apple Pay. I use my phone for Apple Pay. Believe it or not, the iPhone works well with Apple Pay, you should try it. Think out of the box. 😁
Click to expand...
Not having a passcode on the Watch has several disadvantages:
You already know about not being able to use Apple Pay (on the Watch).
If you misplace your watch, anyone who picks it up has instant access to your text messages, emails, health data, and personal apps.
Without a passcode, Activation Lock is ineffective. A thief could easily reset the device and use or sell it as their own.

You may not consider these things to be important, but many people do. 😁
 
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subjonas said:
Of course, but the premise of the situation is that the charger isn't immediately available, and I just want to quickly find out if I need to go put the Watch on the charger.
Click to expand...
I've re-read your question and that did not seem to be the premise. You asked for a way to check a locked watch's charge level, and unless the watch has a battery complication on the watch face, I've told you the only way that I know how. (The battery complication is on almost all of the watch faces that I use.)
 
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