The Apple Watch has evolved into its own entity, more of a separate, independent gadget with time, yet it remains inextricably linked to your iPhone - especially while you're configuring it.So, now that you've taken your Apple Watch Series 7, or any current model, out of the box and placed it on your wrist, here's what you should do. To begin, switch on your Apple Watch by tapping and holding the side button until the Apple logo appears.
Apple claims this can take a few minutes, but unless they're being really careful, it doesn't usually take that long. Not this section, at least.
When you turn on your Watch, it will prompt you to bring it close to your iPhone. When you do this, your iPhone recognises it.
It displays a picture of the Apple Watch and asks whether you want to continue setting up, much like it does with AirPods. You are correct.
However, there is a choice that Apple will ask you next: do you want to set up this Watch for yourself or for a family member? The difference is that if you specify that it is for your third cousin four times removed, Apple takes a few more steps.
You must choose the family member you want, for example, which implies they must be on your contacts list. There are also concerns with parental restrictions.
But, except from that, it's pretty much the same as the, presumably, more typical practise of setting it up for oneself.
That means you'll need to place your iPhone such that it's above the Apple Watch. The Watch shows that absolutely lovely hazy, gauzy animation, the iPhone notices it, and the two are then connected together. If you will, that Watch now belongs to that iPhone. You're simply not quite done yet.
Using a backup
Following that, you must decide whether to set up the Watch as new or to use a backup from an existing Watch. If this is your first Apple Watch, you won't have an option, but if it is, you'll only receive some more steps and questions.
They are all concerned with topics like as privacy, Location Services, and so on. To save time, let's use a backup from an old Watch. You'll notice the extra stages concerning Location Services and so on, but you won't be required to complete them.
Select the most recent backup available. Wait for a long time. This is when Apple isn't being conservative; for whatever reason, this bit might take minutes.
Apple Music, Shared Settings, text size, and passcode
Following that, you must agree to the Terms and Conditions. Then you'll be requested to join in to the iTunes Store, if you haven't already. In practise, you can accomplish something right now, later, or never at all.
However, once you do that, it allows you to control Apple Music from the Watch, which is convenient.
Then there's Shared Settings. Whatever you say or decided while configuring your iPhone, it all applies here. Permission to utilise Location Services, Find My, Siri, and email bug reports to Apple and Developers. Whatever you set on your iPhone is now being set here. And you don't have much of a choice. There is simply a single OK button.
In the following step, you do have an option, which is a relatively recent addition to the configuration. The size of the text displayed on the Watch may be customised. You may mess about here and look at samples, but it's generally best to leave it alone for the time being.
Allow the Watch to display the default text size. After you've used the Watch for a while and gone in and out of applications on it, you may modify the size under Settings.
Strictly speaking, you may also skip the next section, which is about creating a passcode. Choose either the long or short passcode (the short is only four numbers), but do not select the Don't Add Passcode option.
It's simply too handy. When you put the Watch on your wrist and have a passcode set, it will prompt you for it. You have been recognised from that time till you remove the Watch and it loses touch with your skin. You may pay using Apple Pay and confirm purchases from the App Store. And no one else will be able to utilise your Watch. As a result, create a passcode.
Health, updates, and Apple Pay
Then there are two health-related points. You're asked whether you want to set up Activity, which is the Watch function that encourages you to exercise more. Simply say yes, but arrange things up later. Don't overlook it. One of the biggest reasons to own an Apple Watch is for activity.
Turn on Blood Oxygen. This allows you to subsequently utilise the Watch's function to monitor your blood oxygen levels, and there's no reason to leave it turned off.
You might want to think twice about the following step, which is to keep your Watch up to date. If you let Apple have its way, your Watch will automatically download and install new updates.
Choose Install Update Manually if you'd rather wait a few days until everyone else has downloaded an update and identified any issues.
That does, however, imply that you keep track of when updates are released. The Watch will prompt you, and AppleInsider will always notify you if any problems are discovered.
Apple has now included an Apple Pay area in the setup, exactly as it did with the iPhone. It's not absolutely required for your Watch use – Apple is pushing its Apple Pay service — but please set it up at some time.
The ability to pay for products by just turning your wrist is so revolutionary that it makes using your iPhone to pay feel archaic. The truth is, you can add all of your debit and credit cards to Apple Pay in the Apple Watch, so skip this piece until you're ready to go through the process.
However, if you've previously done this on your iPhone, adding your cards to the Apple Watch is a pretty simple process of you confirming you want to do this and your bank saying alright, you are who you say you are.
For a brief while, let's return to health. SOS in an emergency. You have no alternatives here; Apple is simply informing you that your Watch will call someone you specify if required.
What the Watch display shows
Next, instead of asking you a question, Apple just tells you something. It highlights the fact that the Apple Watch Series 5 and later have an always-on display. Instead of remaining blank until you flip your wrist or execute a flamenco-style movement, the Watch is always on.
That's really wonderful. Seriously, it's fantastic. However, you can change that in Settings later – but not now in Setup.
Whereas you can choose whether you want your Watch applications to be shown as a grid, which is actually more of a honeycomb. Choose whether to display it as a honeycomb or as a straight list.
To be honest, the list is tedious, and the honeycomb "grid" is perplexing. So you're not going to come out on top here. Choose one or leave it alone, knowing you may alter your mind later.
And that is the final selection you must make, as well as the final step in the setup process.
Finishing up
It's only that the last step in the setup process has yet to be completed. You'll get the "Apple Watch is syncing" notification, which will make you sink a little bit as well. The time it takes varies based on a variety of factors, including whether or not you utilised a backup and how much data has to be installed.
But, as an example, it took this Watch little under five minutes to complete that round.
But once it was done, it was done. Your Apple Watch is now ready to use, which means you can have a lot of fun picking between its several Watch faces and truly having a lot of fun keeping its healthy activity rings running.
