Nightstand Mode Automatically turns on?

[Dodgeman]

So I have a new wireless charger and I have my Apple Watch on it. My first day using it. How can I illuminate the watch? By tapping the screen or the crown?
I have also noticed that it seems walking towards the watch or making a movement in front of the watch makes its illuminate in nightstand mode as well...

 

[Apple_Robert]

Go to the watch app on the phone > settings > general > toggle on night stand mode option.

 

[chrfr]

So I have a new wireless charger and I have my Apple Watch on it. My first day using it. How can I illuminate the watch? By tapping the screen or the crown?
I have also noticed that it seems walking towards the watch or making a movement in front of the watch makes its illuminate in nightstand mode as well...

When the watch is in nightstand mode, it’ll light when it senses movement. Living in an old house I find it’ll even light up if I walk near the nightstand where I have the watch charger.

 

[FenC]

So I have a new wireless charger and I have my Apple Watch on it. My first day using it. How can I illuminate the watch? By tapping the screen or the crown?
I have also noticed that it seems walking towards the watch or making a movement in front of the watch makes its illuminate in nightstand mode as well...

So it sounds like you have nightstand mode on already? In that case as others have said it’s a movement - more accurately a vibration - that turns it on. I sometimes have to tap the cabinet mine sits on or even the Watch itself to get it to come on.

I think different Watches or models may have varying levels of sensitivity now I think about it as my current S5s both turn on very readily, and I haven’t had to do much to see the time for a while.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If nightstand is toggled on, the time light stays on. What the op described is standard setting for the toggle being off.

 

[FenC]

If nightstand is toggled on, the time light stays on. What the op described is standard setting for the toggle being off.

Really? How is that different to having it on then? I think I’ve had it on since it became a thing - I remember grudgingly getting a stand that put the Watch on its side because the first one I bought kept it vertical, and originally nightstand mode only worked with the Watch sideways (I think I recall that that has changed now).

I had always assumed that turning it off would prevent the Watch from lighting up to show the time when on its charger - that’s what I’d be looking for if I turned it off.

Just rereading your post, it doesn’t stay on all the time with nightstand mode on, but maybe that’s what you’re suggesting?

 

[chrfr]

If nightstand is toggled on, the time light stays on. What the op described is standard setting for the toggle being off.

I have nightstand mode enabled on my watch. The display only illuminates when the watch senses movement.
from this document: https://support.apple.com/guide/watch/alarms-apd27ce65478/watchos

1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap My Watch, tap General, then turn on nightstand mode.

When you connect your Apple Watch to its charger with nightstand mode turned on, it displays charging status, the current time and date, and the time of any alarm you’ve set. To see the time, tap the display or lightly nudge your Apple Watch. Even nudging or tapping the table might work.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have nightstand mode enabled on my watch. The display only illuminates when the watch senses movement.
from this document: https://support.apple.com/guide/watch/alarms-apd27ce65478/watchos

When my watch is on the charger, the time light only comes on with movement detected. I don’t have the toggle turned on my series 5.

edited to add: the toggle is off on my watch app phone setting but, just checked the watch itself, and it is on. Weird that the watch app shows it off when it is on on the phone.

Good thing you replied. Otherwise, I wouldn’t heve known.