Mastering Apple Watch Navigation

The Apple Watch offers an immense array of features, but navigating through its deep menus and numerous applications can occasionally feel cumbersome. To help you streamline your experience, there are several lesser-known shortcuts designed to save you time. Here are two essential tricks that I rely on daily to enhance my interaction with the device.


The Instant Scroll Shortcut

If you have ever found yourself buried at the end of an extensive list in an app like Settings, Mail, or Workout, you know the frustration of scrolling back up manually. There is a much faster way: simply tap the time display at the top of the screen in any native app. This action will instantly transport you back to the top of the menu, saving you precious seconds of repetitive swiping.

Additionally, if you want to exit an app and return to your watch face immediately, you can simply cover the screen with your palm for a second to trigger a quick return.


Creating an 'Action Button' Experience on Any Watch

While the physical Action button on high-end models like the Apple Watch Ultra is convenient for launching exercises, you can replicate this functionality on any Series model using the Shortcuts app. By integrating a shortcut into your Control Center, you can launch a specific workout with a single tap.


How to set up your custom workout shortcut:

  • Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone and create a new action to start your preferred workout.
  • Long-press the new shortcut, select details, and ensure "Show on Apple Watch" is enabled.
  • Customize the icon and label to your preference.
  • On your Apple Watch, press the side button to open the Control Center.
  • Scroll to the bottom, select Edit, and tap the "+" icon to add your custom shortcut.

Once configured, you can trigger your routine directly from the Control Center. For even faster access, you can add this shortcut as a complication on your watch face, allowing you to begin your training session with a single touch—a feature that rivals the convenience of dedicated physical buttons.