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The Daily Insight

What do the icons mean on my Apple Watch?

Author

William Harris

Updated on April 27, 2026

Learn what the status icons at the top of your Apple Watch screen mean. Your Apple Watch is charging. Your battery is low. When you turn Airplane Mode off on your watch, Airplane Mode stays turned on for your iPhone.

Keeping this in consideration, what are the icons on Apple Watch Control Center?

The Apple Watch control center allows you to check the status of your smartwatch at a glance and includes nearly a dozen shortcuts such as airplane mode, theater mode, and even a walkie talkie mode. More importantly, it gives you quick access to these features without hunting down a specific app icon or setting.

Additionally, what are the buttons on my Apple Watch? The Side button is the Apple Watch's one-step access to contacts on your favorites list who you can then call, write a text, or even send your heartbeat. The Digital Crown and Side buttons have a few additional uses that you may not already know about.

Also know, why is the phone icon showing on my Apple Watch?

The green phone icon indicates that your Apple Watch is connected to the paired iPhone. More information: The status icons. About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support.

What do all the symbols mean on the iPhone?

The icons in the status bar at the top of the screen provide information about iPhone. On iPhone X and later, there are additional status icons at the top of Control Center. Cell signal The number of bars indicates the signal strength of your cellular service. See View or change cellular settings on iPhone.

Related Question Answers

What does the raindrop mean on Apple Watch?

Water Lock

Is Apple Watch 5 waterproof?

Water resistant to 50 meters, Apple Watch Series 5 is designed with swimmers in mind.

What is the new icon on my Apple Watch?

Once that's done, when viewing your watch face, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up Control Center. Scroll to the bottom, where you'll find the new Walkie-Talkie icon. If the icon is yellow, then you're currently available in the Walkie-Talkie app. Tap on the icon to toggle your status.

Why is there a green box on my Apple Watch?

When a green border appears around the date complication, turn the Digital Crown and the date format changes (you can set the date complication to Off, and the date will not show on the watch face). Tap another complication, and when you find the complication you want, click the Digital Crown.

What does the blue dot mean on Apple Watch?

Hi. The blue padlock icon means that your Apple Watch is locked. Tap your watch face to enter the passcode and unlock your watch. The blue Do Not Disturb icon means that you have enabled Do Not Disturb mode.

How do I get rid of the Now Playing icon on my Apple Watch?

How to stop Now Playing from launching on your Apple Watch
  1. Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch.
  2. Tap Settings on the list of apps or in the grid view.
  3. Tap General.
  4. Tap Wake Screen.
  5. Tap the switch next to Auto-Launch Audio Apps so it's in the gray "off" position.

What is the side button on an Apple watch?

The Side button is the Apple Watch's one-step access to contacts on your favorites list who you can then call, write a text, or even send your heartbeat. The Digital Crown and Side buttons have a few additional uses that you may not already know about.

What is digital crown eject water?

When you start a swimming workout, your Apple Watch automatically locks the screen with Water Lock to avoid accidental taps. When you're done, turn the Digital Crown to unlock the screen and clear any water from your Apple Watch. You hear sounds and may feel some water on your wrist.

What is Crown button on Apple Watch?

The Digital Crown is Apple's answer to the crown found on mechanical watches. Historically, the crown is used to set the date and time on a wristwatch, and to wind the mainspring to keep the watch running. Apple Watch users can press the Digital Crown to return to the Home screen, much like the home button on iPhone.

What are the two buttons on the side of my Apple Watch?

Apple Watch has another handy button that's located just below the Digital Crown button on the right side (if Apple Watch is worn on the left wrist). Depending on whom you ask, it's called the Side button, the Power button, or the Friends button — the latter of which refers to its primary feature.

What does side button do on Apple Watch 5?

The Side button is the Apple Watch's one-step access to contacts on your favorites list who you can then call, write a text, or even send your heartbeat. The Digital Crown and Side buttons have a few additional uses that you may not already know about.

How do I change the icons on my Apple Watch?

To change the app layout on your Apple Watch, start by pressing down on the Digital Crown to bring up the app layout, if you're not there already. From there, force touch the screen by pressing down hard enough until your watch vibrates. You'll get two options that appear on the screen: “Grid View” and “List View”.