How to Control Your iPhone With Your Apple Watch
Apple added new accessibility features with iOS 16 and watchOS 9, such as the ability to control your Apple Watch with your iPhone and vice versa.
Both features are meant to make it easier for people with physical and motor disabilities to use the Apple Watch and iPhone. However, they can also be helpful if, for example, your iPhone's screen is broken or won't respond, or if the device is just out of reach.
The steps below show you how to use your Apple Watch to control your iPhone. Keep in mind that the watch needs to be paired with the iPhone you want to control, and that both the watch and the iPhone need to be running watchOS 9 and iOS 16, respectively.
- On your Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Accessibility.
- Select Control Nearby Devices.
- Select your iPhone (or iPad) from the list.
Once you're connected, you'll see a set of buttons that let you do different things on your iPhone, like "Go to Home Screen," "Open App Switcher," "Open Notification Center," "Open Control Center," and "Activate Siri." If you click "More," you can also control how your media plays.
Note that if VoiceOver is on your Apple Watch and you use it to control a nearby device, VoiceOver will also be on that device, and the VoiceOver gestures you use on your Apple Watch will be done on the device.
