Is there a way to create a custom workout in Apple UltraWatch that will be used for sets where I manually press when I finished each step? For example, I want to create the following custom training: 1. push ups x 30 2. squats x 30 3. pull ups x 15 I want to be able to start my workout where it will first tell me I should do 30 pushups. once finished, I click some button that moves me to squats. Is a custom app needed for this fitness task?

I haven’t been able to figure out (or find where Apple documents variables) inside a shortcut that works with the three shortcut platforms I wish to use: iOS/macOS/watchOS. There is a repeat_count available in a repeat loop, but it is quite limited. Is a counter function possible in shortcuts?

I am trying to create a Shortcut that sets a timer based on an input and then retrieve the duration of the timer using the Get Current Timer action (see image below). However, it appears that the Get Current Timer action does not have the intended result in WatchOS. When I set the timer to 5 minutes, the notification indicates 0s. The Apple Watch is on WatchOS 10.1.1. The same Shortcut works as intended on the iPhone, and the notification indicates 300s.

I just recently updated my Apple Watch to watchOS version 8.7. Long back story, but I'd like to know which version of watchOS I was running before that. Is there any way to find that information on the phone or watch?

Putting my iPhone in Lockdown Mode states “Lockdown Mode requires iPhone and Apple Watch to Restart”. However my Apple Watch never restarts, which gives me the impression that Lockdown Mode isn’t being enabled. How do I verify that my Apple Watch is in Lockdown Mode? (I need Lockdown Mode to disable 2G on the Apple Watch since my Apple devices are apparently being attacked with an SMS Blaster (downgrade to 2G) attack as described at https://security.googleblog.com/2024/08/keeping-your-android-device-safe-from.html and paired with some other exploit to take over all the Apple devices on my network.)

I've long used the 'Now Playing' Apple Watch complication. Right now it's the middle row of the 'Modular' Face. Since watchOS 11 (and of course iOS 18) it never lists any playback details on the watch face itself. It only states "Music and podcasts you play will appear here. If I tap it to go into the Now Playing app, I can see my various devices and the song being played, even control it, but going back to the watch Face, it remains blank with the same text. Per the clock, I took the Watch Face screenshot *after* viewing the Now Playing screen, so the data was definitely updated, the widget should have been updated, and even shows that it is displaying what's "on" the iPhone, yet not. There are no settings I can find relevant to this, the 'Music' settings on the Apple Watch, via the iPhone's Watch app, only lists what music should be cached on the Watch. The settings on the Watch's Settings app via the Watch, under Music, also have to do with Library and Privacy settings, but nothing to do with current playback status. Lastly, the Smart Stack shows that media is playing and keeps up with its progress, and you can see in the Notification Center that the Watch is aware that media is active. Running an Apple Watch Series 6 with an iPhone 16 Pro. The behavior was also present on an iPhone 15 Pro and the same Watch, which I had when iOS 18/watchOS 11 first became available. It has not been resolved even with watchOS 11.0.1 and iOS 18.0.1. Same Wifi network, and again I point out that the Watch clearly can, and *does* know media is actively playing elsewhere. The Watch is paired to the iPhone playing media, both on the iPhone 15 previously, but updated and re-paired to the now iPhone 16. What am I missing?

I have an Apple Watch series 7, on which I haven't done a software update for more than a year. Given the news about patent infringement , I was wondering whether my blood oxygen measurement application will stop working after an update. Does anybody have some information on the topic?

Since I updated my Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max to iOS 17.4 , I can no longer control the audio playback from my Apple Watch Series 2 with the Now Playing app | Apple Watch Series 2 | Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Model A1758 | Model A2894 | | [watchOS 6.3](https://support.apple.com/en-us/118388 "About watchOS 6 Updates") | iOS 17.4
iOS 17.4.1
iOS 17.5
iOS 17.6
iOS 17.7
iOS 18.0
iOS 18.2 ✅ | | 14 Dec 2020 | 07 Mar 2024 | The **Now Playing ** app _should let_ you control audio playback on Apple Watch, iPhone, and other devices. Since March 7th, 2024, the Now Playing app on my Apple Watch Series 2 displays an endless spinning wheel demonstrating that it cannot connect to my iPhone 14. ### Failed Troubleshooting Attempts 🙅 1. Switching off the Apple Watch Series 2 and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max did not solve the problem. 2. [Forcing](https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-220564/ "Apple Watch - Force-Quit Apps") the Now Playing app to quit did not solve the problem. 3. Toggling the **Auto-Launch Audio Apps** option OFF and then back ON, in the Watch app on the iPhone, under Settings > General > Wake Screen did not solve the problem. 4. [Deleting](https://www.myhealthyapple.com/now-playing-app-not-working-on-apple-watch-lets-fix-it/ "Delete and re-install the Now Playing app") and re-installing the Now Playing app did not solve the problem. 5. [Unpairing](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108372 "Unpairing your Apple Watch restores it to its factory settings") the Apple Watch Series 2 and restoring it to its factory settings did not solve the problem. ### Some Online Bug Reports 🐛 1. [Now playing on Apple Watch not working after update](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254765567?sortBy=newest_first#260320368022 "Now playing on Apple Watch not working after update") 2. [Apple Watch’s Now Playing Issue](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252833238?sortBy=newest_first "Apple Watch’s Now Playing Issue") 3. [Now Playing State Not Updating on Apple Watch](https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/728212 "NowPlaying State Not Updating on Apple Watch") 4. [Apple watch crown does not regulate volume in Now Playing after update](https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/747224 "Apple watch crown does not regulate volume in Now Playing after update") 5. [Now playing Apple Watch 3 series not working after watchos 5 update. What to do?](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8554444?sortBy=newest_first "Now playing Apple Watch 3 series not working after watchos 5 update. What to do?") 6. [Now playing on Apple Watch not working after update](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254765567?&sortBy=newest_first "Now playing on Apple Watch not working after update") 7. ["Now Playing" App Not Working on Apple Watch](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252650881?sortBy=newest_first "Now Playing App Not Working on Apple Watch") 8. [“Now playing” not working](https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/1bctibt/now_playing_not_working/) 9. [My Apple Watch running watchOS 6.3 no longer displays my iPhone in the 'Now Playing'](https://twitter.com/andersofsydney/status/1772182546635243523 "My Apple Watch running watchOS 6.3 no longer displays my iPhone in the 'Now Playing'") 10. [Now Playing app stopped working on Apple Watch ⌚ after upgrading iPhone to iOS 17.4 ⁉️](https://apple.stackexchange.com/q/471485/96921 "Now Playing app stopped working on Apple Watch ⌚ after upgrading iPhone to iOS 17.4 ⁉️") 11. [iOS 17.4: Now Playing not working on Apple Watch](https://gist.github.com/JV-conseil/55b94bcb5f5e79084d786476a956718f "iOS 17.4: Now Playing not working on Apple Watch") The release of iOS 17.4.1 on March 21, 2024 did not solve the problem 🙅🏻 The release of iOS 17.5 on May 13, 2024 did not solve the problem 🙅🏻 ... The release of iOS 18.2 on December 12, 2024 solved the problem 279 days after initial report ✅

What is a “preexisting NVRAM variable” on iOS? I have looked for an answer online. This is from the stored data on Apple Watch ULTRA 2.

Do the latest versions of watchOS and iOS log “Time in Bed?” If so is there a new setting that needs to be enabled in order for that to happen? Until recently both Apple Watch 4 and my iPhone 13 Pro (running iOS 17) recorded “Time in Bed” as expected. Then I updated from iOS 17 to iOS 18, without making any changes to my sleep settings or sleep schedule, and since doing that only Apple Watch 4 recorded “Time in Bed.” I then upgraded to an Apple Watch 10 (running watchOS 11), and it too stopped recording “Time in Bed.” Sleep stages are unaffected and continue to recorded correctly. Is this the intended behavior? So the new iOS and watchOS no longer record “Time in Bed?”

I’m using the iOS 18 public beta and the watchOS 11 public beta. Since upgrading, I use the automatic workout detection and I get the “announcements” when my watch detects I’m cycling - asking if I want to start a cycling workout. - I want the workout detection. - I don’t want to hear the announcement in paired headphones. I’ve disabled voice feedback in the workout settings in the watch app. I’ve tried to disable announces for fitness via the iOS settings. Can I have the workouts be detected and not hear it announced?

Sometime recently the Apple Watch's Now Playing app has switched to showing the watch as the default source. I rarely to never play anything from my watch and just want to use Now Playing to control my phone. This means I have to bring up Now Playing and then select the phone before I can use the audio controls on the watch. I've tried restarting my phone and watch, re-pairing the watch, and even deleted and reinstalled Now Playing on the watch. Reinstalling seemed to fix it, but just now it went back to the watch when I brought the app up. Really I'd like it to just go to the phone if that is the only thing playing (since that is basically always what is happening when I use the app)

I want to mute a specific conversation on an Apple Watch of a Family member who does not have their own iPhone. (My AppleID and iPhone was used to set up their watch with their associated AppleId). ## Related: * [how to customize watch to silence certain texts - Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250936142?sortBy=best) - This requires the family member to have their own iPhone, which is not my case. * https://apple.stackexchange.com/q/261795/329079 - It is not clear how to actually do this. Also, it probably will not help, since it looks like it is a connection with iPhone. In my particular situation we do not have 1:1 connection. How can they mute a messages thread on their watch?

This is all of the information I like being able to access on my watch several times a day without having to go into the list of apps. *French time, shortcut to record an activity, numeric US PT time, activity rings, voice recorder, date, timer shortcut, sunrise/sunset.* The only way I have found to gather all this information on just one face is by using the “infographics” face. However I do not need the classic watch face with the minute and hour hands, since I already have numeric time which I prefer, but this is the one thing that I cannot remove. Would there be a way for me to have all of the information available on this watch face by using less complication spots? (For example date and numeric time gathered in one place?)

I'm using my Apple Watch to navigate my slides with hand gestures. I've set the return-to-clock feature to 1 hour and also disabled the sleep on wrist-down feature. However, the AssistiveTouch lasts for only a few seconds. I have to reactivate it by double-clenching. I don't want to reactivate it repeatedly to use the gestures. Is there a way to keep the hand gesture AssistiveTouch always active?

I use the All Trails App on my watch in order to provide quickly accessible navigation information when I am cycling. The last time I did so, I also started a cycling workout task via the built-in Fitness App. What I quickly found out was that the watched seemed to prioritize displaying the fitness information and not the All Trails map. So I'd have to lift the watch up, re-select All Trails to see where I was meant to be going, and then when I put my arm down again, and re-lifted it - the fitness data was displayed. How do I tell my watch that I want the All Trails app to display all the time, and only want to see the fitness app when manually select it? This is with an Apple Watch 8, watchOS 9.5.1

I get notifications on my watch from iMessage(blue) but not sms (green). This happens on watch 4 & 9 and at different watchOS revision. Is this a bug (or feature) or configuration issue or perhaps a carrier issue?

Apple's [Apple Pay security and privacy overview](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203027) states (emphasis added): > # When you use Apple Pay in stores > > When you use Apple Pay in stores that accept contactless payments, Apple Pay uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology between your device and the payment terminal. NFC is an industry-standard, contactless technology that’s designed to work only across short distances. If your iPhone is on and detects an NFC field, it will present you with your default card. To send your payment information, you must authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode (except when you use Express Mode with a payment or transit card). With Face ID or with Apple Watch, you must double-click the side button when the device is unlocked to activate your default card for payment. > > **After you authenticate your transaction, the Secure Element provides your Device Account Number and a transaction-specific dynamic security code to the store’s point of sale terminal along with additional information needed to complete the transaction.** Again, neither Apple nor your device sends your actual payment card number. Before they approve the payment, your bank, card issuer, or payment network can verify your payment information by checking the dynamic security code to make sure that it’s unique and tied to your device. I'm wondering exactly what information a merchant has access when using Apple Pay in person. The bolded sentence seems to contain the relevant information, but there are two problems: - "additional information needed to complete the transaction" could mean literally anything - This sentence covers what's transferred directly from the watch/phone to the point of sale device, but doesn't preclude other information being sent by Apple's servers or by the bank's servers as part of the protocol Does anyone know - and ideally have a citation for - what this "additional information" is, and whether more information is provided out-of-band? I'm primarily interested in the USA; if any details are country-specific, the USA answer is the one I'm looking for.

The Apple Watch "now playing" control allows me to quickly adjust volume from my wrist without pulling out my phone. Once I purchased AirPods and connected them to my watch, my entire user experience changed: I discovered that music can be played "from" the watch, or "from" the phone. The problem is that I don't see a consistent way to bring up the device chooser (AirPods or iPhone) when 1. Music is playing/streaming from one device and not the other 2. Music isn't playing anywhere 3. Music or Audio is playing on both devices (strange ...but seemingly default use case) 3. Non-iTunes audio (as in Audiobooks or Safari) on the phone I'm having a difficult time with this UX and any navigational tips would be appreciated

I can't pair an old Apple Watch Series 4. It always stuck at Software Update page and the download is always paused with message "You can resume the download when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network". But my iPhone is on a WiFi network. I tried with two different iPhone, one with iOS16 and one with iOS17 and both having exact the same issue. I tried to reset and restart the process countless times and restart both Apple Watch and iPhone and always the same result. Both devices are always connected to a charger. What can I change or do to attempt to complete this pair and update?