Is Your Apple Watch Running Slow? Here Are 9 Easy Ways to Speed It Up!
Apple recently released not one but two new Apple Watches. Both are great wearables and are must-haves if you don't already own a newer Apple Watch.
We've recently discussed whether you should upgrade from the older Apple Watch Series 5 to the recent Series 6. But, since the newest Apple Watch doesn't really offer any ground-breaking features, we suggested you should keep the Series 5 model for at least one more year.
That being said, it's possible that you still want to make an upgrade. Your older Apple Watch might be running slower than usual and you might think the only way to fix this is by getting a new one.
Fortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, it's possible that your Apple Watch isn't as fast as it once was, but that doesn't mean you can't fix it for yourself. Continue reading and follow these tips to feel like you just got yourself a brand new Apple Watch.
Close Your Apps
Usually, having a few apps running in the background won't affect your device's performance. But sometimes poorly designed apps can slow down a device even when you're not using them. When this happens, you can always try closing them out.
- Press the side button to open the Dock.
- Tap on the app that you'd like to force close.
- Press and hold the side button to bring up the power screen.
- Press and hold the Digital Crown for three seconds.
Restart Your Apple Watch
Restarting your Apple Watch is an easy and quick fix you can do to refresh your device and make it faster again. It's a simple, yet useful tactic to make. Here's how you can do it:
- Press and hold the side button until you see the power off screen.
- Slide the POWER OFF option to the right.
- Once your Apple Watch is turned off, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
Uninstall Unnecessary Apps
Sometimes we download apps to our Apple Watch just to test them, and we forget to get rid of them. Or, you could have an app you don't use anymore but you left it there because you might use it again someday.
The good thing about apps is that you can always reinstall them when you need them. The bad thing is that they could possibly make your Apple Watch slow for no apparent reason. Here's how you can delete unnecessary apps from your Apple Watch.
- On your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown to go to your apps.
- Press and hold on an app until you see them jiggle.
- Tap the small "X" that appears on top of the app to delete it.
- You'll see a confirmation message. Tap Delete App.
You can also use your iPhone to delete apps from your Apple Watch. Here's how:
- Go to the Watch app.
- Tap on My Watch.
- Scroll down and find on Installed on Apple Watch.
- Tap the app you want to remove.
- You'll see an option called Show App on Apple Watch. Turn it off, and it'll soon be removed from your Watch.
Reduce Motion
The animations on your Apple Watch always look nice, and thanks to watchOS 7, they're looking smoother than ever. Or at least, they should.
It's possible that if you have an older Apple Watch Model, the animations are actually slowing your watch down. Even if they look nice, you might want to limit the animations.
You do this by turning Reduce Motion on. This feature reduces the animations on the user interface. It pretty simple to turn it on. Here's how you can do it from your Apple Watch:
- Go to your Settings on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and select Accessibility.
- Under the Vision section, tap on Reduce Motion.
- Turn Reduce Motion on.
If you want, you can also turn Reduce Motion on from your iPhone. Here's what you need to do:
- Open the Watch App on your iPhone.
- Tap on My Watch.
- Tap on Accessibility.
- Select Reduce Motion under the Vision section.
- Turn Reduce Motion on.
Disable Automatic App Installs
Some apps on the App Store have versions for both your iPhone and your Apple Watch. And the iPhone and Apple Watch come with an option that lets you automatically install the same app on both devices.
It saves time, but it can also be unnecessary, especially if you're only thinking of using the app on your iPhone. Yes, you can delete the app from your Apple Watch, but you can disable this feature altogether and avoid future issues.
Here's how you can disable Automatic App Install on your iPhone:
- On your iPhone, go to the Watch app.
- Tap on the My Watch tab.
- Tap on General.
- Make sure the Automatic App Install is toggled off.
Try Disabling Background App Refresh
Background App Refresh is a feature that you'll find in both your iPhone and the Apple Watch. This feature helps you keep all your application up to date, so when you need to use them, they're already ready to go.
Although it's helpful, it can also affect your Apple Watch performance, and its battery life as well. The good news is, you can disable this feature entirely, or you can disable it on specific apps that you know don't need to be constantly updated.
Here's how you can disable Background App Refresh from your Apple Watch:
- On your Apple Watch, go to Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Scroll down and select Background App Refresh.
- Turn Background App Refresh off.
Managing the Background App Refresh feature on your Apple Watch can be a bit tricky, so you might want to do it on your iPhone. Here's how:
- On your iPhone, open the Watch app.
- Tap on My Watch.
- Select General.
- Scroll down and select Background App Refresh.
- Disable it, or select the apps you want to disable.
Turn off Unnecessary Features
With every new update, Apple adds new features that are helpful and makes your everyday life a bit easier. That being said, there are some features that might be slowing your Apple Watch down and that you don't even use.
A good example is the new Handwashing feature. Although it's helpful for some people, you might already know how long you need to wash your hands without your watch telling you. If you want to disable it, here's what you need to do:
- On your Apple Watch, go to the Settings app.
- Scroll down and select Handwashing.
- Turn off the Handwashing Timer and the Handwashing Reminders option.
You can also turn it off from your iPhone. Follow these steps:
- Open the Watch App on your iPhone.
- Tap on My Watch.
- Select Handwashing.
- toggle off the Handwashing Timer and the Handwashing Reminders option.
Keep Your Apple Watch up to Date
Sometimes, a software update fixes bugs and issues that the previous version had, including problems that could possibly make your Apple Watch run slower.
Checking if your Apple Watch has the latest software update is really easy and only takes a couple of taps on your iPhone. Here's how you can do it:
- Open the Watch App on your iPhone.
- Tap on the My Watch tab.
- Go to General.
- Tap on Software Update.
If you don't have it already, download and install the latest watchOS version available.
Reset Your Apple Watch
If everything else fails, you can always reset your Apple Watch. This will erase all the content and settings on your Apple Watch and you'll basically have a brand new watch.
Here's how you can reset your Apple Watch:
- On your Apple Watch, go to Settings.
- Tap on General.
- Scroll down and select Reset.
- Tap on Erase All Content and Settings.
Keep in mind that you'll lose all your data and settings on your Apple Watch. You'll have to pair it again and do the same process as when you first got it. Be sure to back up your iPhone first, which will also create a backup of your Apple Watch.