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Apple Watch Tips & Lessons

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  1. Getting Started with your Apple Watch
    12 Lessons
  2. Introduced in watchOS 10
    5 Lessons
  3. Apple Watch Basics
    12 Lessons
  4. Apple Watch Faces
    5 Lessons
  5. Apple Watch Apps and Settings
    14 Lessons
  6. Activity and the Apple Watch
    5 Lessons
  7. Lessons for Older Versions of Apple Watch
    1 Lesson
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In today’s video, you’ll discover how to optimize your Apple Watch experience by mastering the back-to-clock setting. This feature can significantly enhance your daily interactions with your watch. Wondering why you would want to adjust it? Watch to find out!

 

Video Highlights:

 

  • Intro to Back-to-Clock Setting: Learn what this feature is and why it matters.
  • Practical Demonstration: See how tilting your wrist affects the return to clock.
  • Customization Options: Find out how you can delay the return to clock for up to two minutes or even an hour.
  • Global vs. Individual App Settings: Understand the difference and learn how to set it for specific apps like Activity and Heart Rate.
  • Ease of Use: Discover why you might find it easier to adjust these settings from your iPhone instead of your Apple Watch.

 

By the end of this video, you’ll be able to tailor your Apple Watch settings to suit your lifestyle, ensuring that your most-used apps are always at your fingertips when you need them.

 

Chapters:

  • 00:00 – Introduction
    01:01 – What is Return to Clock
    02:25 – Set Return from the Apple Watch
    04:36 – Set Return from the iPhone
    05:54 – Wrap Up

 

Mastering the Back-to-Clock Setting on Your Apple Watch

This handy feature can significantly improve your daily experience with your watch, and I’m here to guide you through it step-by-step.

 

What is the Back-to-Clock Setting?

The back-to-clock setting determines how quickly your Apple Watch returns to the clock face after you stop interacting with an app. You might wonder why you would want to adjust this. Let’s break it down.

 

Why Adjust the Back-to-Clock Setting?

When you open an app on your Apple Watch, like the calendar, and then tilt your wrist away, the watch automatically returns to the clock face. This default behavior is immediate, but what if you want to keep the app open a bit longer? Adjusting the back-to-clock setting allows you to delay this transition, which can be particularly useful for apps you frequently check, such as Activity or Heart Rate.

 

Customizing the Back-to-Clock Setting

You have the flexibility to set a global delay for all apps or customize it for specific apps. Here’s how you can do it from both your Apple Watch and iPhone.

 

Adjusting from Your Apple Watch

  1. Open Settings: Press the Digital Crown to access the app list and tap on the Settings app.
  2. Navigate to General: Scroll down and select General.
  3. Find Return to Clock: Tap on Return to Clock.
  4. Set the Global Delay: Choose between options like ‘Always’ (immediately), ‘After 2 Minutes’, or ‘After 1 Hour’. This setting applies to all apps.
  5. Customize Individual Apps:
    • Scroll down to see a list of apps.
    • Tap on an app like Activity or Heart Rate.
    • Select Custom and choose your desired delay, such as ‘After 2 Minutes’.
  6.  

Adjusting from Your iPhone

I find it easier to make these changes from the iPhone, and here’s how you can do it:

  1. Open the Watch App: On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
  2. Navigate to General: Tap on General, just like on the Apple Watch.
  3. Find Return to Clock: Select Return to Clock.
  4. Set the Global Delay: Choose your default behavior for all apps.
  5. Customize Individual Apps:
    • Scroll to find the app you want to customize, like Activity or Heart Rate.
    • Tap on it and set it to Custom, then choose your delay.
  6.  

Practical Use Cases

As an example, I prefer the immediate return to clock for most apps but want a delay for the Activity app. This way, when I check my activity rings, I have a couple of minutes to recheck without the watch face returning immediately.

 

Another good use case is the Heart Rate app. If you’re monitoring your heart rate, it’s helpful to keep the app open longer without having to relaunch it.

 

Conclusion

By customizing the back-to-clock setting, you can make your Apple Watch work better for your needs. Whether you want an immediate return to the clock face or a slight delay for specific apps, this feature provides that flexibility.

 

I hope you found this guide useful. Enjoy tailoring your Apple Watch to better suit your lifestyle!

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