The Contacts app is a handy way to keep track of all the people in your life, and with the update to watchOS 8, it’s now accessible from your Apple Watch. Here’s how to manage your contacts from your wrist.
Update watchOS
In order to use the app, you must be running watchOS 8 or higher on your watch and iOS 15 or higher on your iPhone. Open the Watch app on your phone or the Settings app on your watch. Go to General > Software Update. You’ll be told that your Apple Watch is up to date or be asked to download the latest update.
Set Display Names
Open the Watch app on your phone and select Contacts to control how your contacts are sorted and displayed. Set the app to Mirror my iPhone if you want the sorting to match what is on your iPhone. You can also select Custom to use a different order on your watch.
Select Sort Order to sort the names by first name then last name or last name then first name. Select Display Order to choose how the contacts will be displayed on your watch. If you want to create nicknames for your contacts, choose Short Name.
Now, if a name is too long to appear in full on the screen, you can opt to display it as first name and last initial, first initial and last name, just the first name, or just the last name. Enable Prefer Nicknames to see any custom nicknames you have given to your contacts.
View and Remove Contacts
To open the contacts app on your Apple Watch, go to your home screen and tap the person icon. You will find that the contacts from your iPhone also appear on your watch. Swipe down the list and tap a contact to view that person’s info card.
If you wish to remove a contact, open to their card and tap Delete Contact. Tap Delete Contact again to confirm the deletion.
Edit a Contact
If you simply wish to edit a contact, open to that person’s card and select the Edit option. Tap in any field that contains existing information to change it. For example, select the field for first name, last name, or company name. At the screen to edit the existing text, press the backspace button to delete any characters.
You have a few options for adding new information. If you own an Apple Watch Series 7, tap or slide across the characters on the built-in QuickPath keyboard. All watch models support voice dictation and Scribble mode to draw characters. You can also type directly from your iPhone. A notification will pop up on your phone prompting you to enter the text using the iOS keyboard.
To delete an existing field and piece of information, tap Remove. Additional pieces of information can be added by selecting the Add button for that field, if you wish to enter a phone number, email, or physical address. You can also choose to categorize the contact information by home, work, school, or mobile.
You can also work with your own contact card. Tap your card at the top of the Contacts app to view it. Swipe down to the bottom of the card and tap Edit to change your name, phone number, email address, or other contact details.
Share Contacts
If you need to share a contact with someone else, tap Share Contact at the bottom of the contact card. The person to whom you want to send the contact’s information may appear at the top of the screen. Otherwise, tap the Messages icon to send a text or tap Mail to write an email.
Add New Contact
You can also add new contacts directly from the Apple Watch if you select New Contact from the top of the Contacts app. Tap each field and enter the required information. When finished, tap Done at the bottom.
Connect With Contacts
The Contacts app does more than simply hold information; you can also use it to connect with people directly. The fields you filled out in a contact’s info card are links, so you can tap them to communicate with another person. Select a phone number to place a call to that person, an email address to write an email, or an address to find their home or work address on a map.
You can also communicate with a contact via the icons at the top of that person’s card. Tap the Phone icon to place a phone call to the contact through a cellular signal or via FaceTime Audio. Tap the Messages icon to send a text message. Tap the Mail icon to send them an email.
If Walkie-Talkie mode has been set up, tap the Walkie-Talkie icon to communicate with the person directly through your watch.
Access Contacts From Your Apps
Finally, you can access your contacts directly from different apps on your Apple Watch.
- To call someone in your contacts list, open the Phone app and tap the entry for Contacts.
- To email someone, open the Mail app and tap the button for New Message. Then tap the Add Contact button to access your contacts.
- To text someone, open the Message app, tap the button for new Message, and then select the option for Add Contact.
- To share your location with a contact, open the Find People app, swipe down to the bottom, and then select the entry for Share My Location. Tap the People icon to see your contacts.
