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The Verge Guide to the Apple Watch

Track your fitness, your music, and the time

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The Apple Watch has become the standard by which all other smartwatches are measured. It provides you with information about your fitness, heart rate, and general health; lets you listen to your favorite music and other audio streams; notifies your friends or family in case of emergency; lets you access texts and email; and even (if you have an LTE-equipped version) allows you to make and take phone calls.

It’s got style, as well. You can take your pick of a wide variety of watch cases, bands, and faces. Some of those faces give you immediate feedback on your steps, the weather, or the position of the Moon. Others simply tell you what time it is — but with flair and imaginative designs. You can even have your watch show off your favorite GIFs.

In The Verge Guide to the Apple Watch, we help you get the most out of your watch. We give you step-by-step instructions on how to use its many features, offer reviews of the latest models, and take a look at how to operate some handy apps.

So strap on your watch, select your favorite face, and get ready to make the most of this exciting and useful wearable tech.

Apple Watch Series 5 review: the best smartwatch
Play

There’s basically no competition

Dieter Bohn
Apple Watch Studio lets you make the Apple Watch of your dreams

Mix and match cases and straps for that perfect look

Jay Peters
Medicare insurers are starting to offer big Apple Watch discounts

The Watch can call for help if you fall

Jay Peters
How to enable LTE cellular service on your Apple Watch

You’ll need a Series 3 or later Watch with LTE support

Cameron Faulkner
How to take and view screenshots on an Apple Watch

Want to boast about how much you walked today?

Barbara Krasnoff
How to track your menstrual cycles on a smartwatch

And what to consider before you do

Victoria Song
How to set up Emergency SOS and fall detection on your Apple Watch

Get help in an emergency

Dan Rosenbaum
How to add and change watchfaces on your Apple Watch

A new face for a new day

Dan Rosenbaum
How to keep your Apple Watch quiet

For those times when you don’t want to be disturbed

Dan Rosenbaum
How to change the Apple Watch’s honeycomb app display to a list

See your apps in alphabetical order

Dan Rosenbaum
How to swim with (and dry out) your Apple Watch

A little water won’t hurt

Dan Rosenbaum
Apple Watch Series 5 review: the best smartwatch
Play

There’s basically no competition

Dieter Bohn
Apple Watch Studio lets you make the Apple Watch of your dreams

Mix and match cases and straps for that perfect look

Jay Peters
Medicare insurers are starting to offer big Apple Watch discounts

The Watch can call for help if you fall

Jay Peters
How to enable LTE cellular service on your Apple Watch

You’ll need a Series 3 or later Watch with LTE support

Cameron Faulkner
How to take and view screenshots on an Apple Watch

Want to boast about how much you walked today?

Barbara Krasnoff
How to track your menstrual cycles on a smartwatch

And what to consider before you do

Victoria Song
How to set up Emergency SOS and fall detection on your Apple Watch

Get help in an emergency

Dan Rosenbaum
How to add and change watchfaces on your Apple Watch

A new face for a new day

Dan Rosenbaum
How to keep your Apple Watch quiet

For those times when you don’t want to be disturbed

Dan Rosenbaum
How to change the Apple Watch’s honeycomb app display to a list

See your apps in alphabetical order

Dan Rosenbaum
How to swim with (and dry out) your Apple Watch

A little water won’t hurt

Dan Rosenbaum