How to Install Apps on Apple Watch Directly
To install an app on Apple Watch without your iPhone, press the Digital Crown, open the App Store, find the app, tap Get and enter your Apple ID password on the iPhone keyboard if asked.
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In brief
AI summaryWith watchOS 6, Apple Watch can install and delete apps without touching the iPhone, although an Apple Watch still cannot be set up without an iPhone.
To install an Apple Watch app, press the Digital Crown, tap the App Store icon, search with Scribble or Dictation, tap Get and enter the Apple ID password on the first download.
Companion apps install automatically on Apple Watch when you install the iPhone app; turn this off in the Watch app under My Watch > General > Automatic App Install.
Contents2 sections
With watchOS 6, Apple Watch gets even closer to being an independent device. Even though you cannot set up an Apple Watch without an iPhone, you can now install and delete apps without touching your smartphone.
How Do You Install Apps Directly on Apple Watch? 2023
- To install an app on your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown to open the Apps screen. Here, find the new "App Store" icon and tap it.
- On the App Store's landing page there is a search bar at the top and a list of featured apps below. You can scroll through the whole screen and find interesting apps you want to install.
- If you are looking for something specific, tap the "Search" bar at the top. You will see two ways to search for an app. Tap "Scribble" to write words with your finger on your watch's screen. You can also tap "Dictation" to use Siri dictation to search for apps.
- Tap an app in the list to see the detailed view. From here you can read the app's description and see its screenshots.
- Select the "Get" button to download the app. If it is a paid app, you will see the price on the download button.
- If you are downloading an app from the App Store on Apple Watch for the first time, you need to enter your Apple ID password. You can scribble it on the Apple Watch screen or, to make it easier, type it on your iPhone.
- Tap the "Password" button and then the keyboard button to get a text prompt on your iPhone.
- Enter the Apple ID password on your iPhone.
- After entering the password, the App Store app on Apple Watch returns to the app's page and you will see the download begin.
- Once it is downloaded, you can tap the "Open" button to launch the app. You can also find the app listed on the Apps screen.
Apple Watch Companion Apps and iPhone Apps
- When it comes to companion Apple Watch apps, Apple is very good at this. If you install an iPhone app that comes with a companion Apple Watch app, it is installed on your Apple Watch automatically.
- You can disable this feature in the Watch app. From the "My Watch" tab, go to the "General" section. Then tap the toggle next to "Automatic App Install".
- You can also remove an app individually from the Watch app. From the "My Watch" tab, find the "Installed on Apple Watch" section and select an app.
- On the next screen, tap "Show App on Apple Watch".
Frequently asked questions
Questions answered in this article
How Do You Install Apps Directly on Apple Watch? 2023
To install an app on your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown to open the Apps screen. Here, find the new "App Store" icon and tap it. • On the App Store's landing page there is a search bar at the top and a list of featured apps below. You can scroll through the whole screen and find interesting apps you want to install. • If you are looking for something specific, tap the "Search" bar at the top. You will see two ways to search for an app. Tap "Scribble" to write words with your finger on your watch's screen. You can also tap "Dictation" to use Siri dictation to search for apps. • Tap an app in the list to see the detailed view. From here you can read the app's description and see its…
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