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How to ping Apple Watch from iPhone with iOS 17 and vice-versa

Ping is a really useful feature developed by Apple for both your Apple Watch and iPhone. When you ping a device, it either vibrates or makes a sound, making it easy for you to locate it.

So, if you misplace your Apple Watch often and get frustrated looking for it, you need not worry anymore. I will explain how to ping your Apple Watch from your iPhone and vice versa.

How to find Apple Watch by pinging it from iPhone

Earlier, you had to rely on the Find My app to locate your Apple Watch. But with iOS 17, things changed.

Among the many amazing features released with iOS 17, the ability to use Ping My Watch from the Control Center stands out. Below, I have illustrated both the new and old methods for pinging.

Method 1: Using Control Center for iPhone with iOS 17

First, you need to add the Ping shortcut to your Control Center. After that, all you need to do is invoke the Control Center and tap the Apple Watch icon to ping.

Here’s how the process goes:

  1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Head to Control Center → Tap the + icon next to Ping My Watch.

    Control Centre, Ping My Watch
  3. Swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to launch the Control Center.
    • If you have an iPhone with a Home button, you can swipe up from the bottom to access the Control Center.
  4. Press the new Ping My Watch icon.

    Launch the Control Center and press the new Ping My Watch icon

That’s it! Your Apple Watch should start ringing and vibrating now.

Method 2: Using Find My app

This is the traditional method to find Apple devices logged in with the same Apple ID.

  1. Launch the Find My app on your iPhone.
  2. Navigate to the Devices tab → Locate your Apple Watch from the list of devices and tap on it.
  3. Press the Play Sound option.
    Now, your Apple Watch will emit a sound to help you locate it if it’s nearby.

    Find your Apple Watch by pinging it from iPhone
  4. Once you’ve found your Apple Watch, tap Dismiss to stop the sound.
    Tap Dismiss to stop the pinging sound on your Apple Watch

How to ping iPhone from Apple Watch in the new update

  1. Access the Control Center.
    If you have watchOS 10, press the Side button to open the Control Center. If you have watchOS 9, you need to swipe up on the watch face.
  2. Locate and tap the iPhone icon.

    Ping iPhone from Apple Watch
    • If you don’t see the Phone icon, scroll down and tap Edit. Then, select the green + Phone icon to add it to your Control Center.
  3. As long as your iPhone is in the Bluetooth range of your Apple Watch, it will ring.
  4. Keep tapping the button to ensure your iPhone continues ringing until you locate it.

Note: If you’re in a dark environment, press and hold the phone icon on your Apple Watch, and the LED flash of your iPhone will blink in a rhythm.

Benefits of using ping from Apple Watch or iPhone

There can be numerous reasons why you can decide to ping your Apple Watch using an iPhone or vice versa. Some of these reasons are outlined below.

  1. Locating a device: This feature is especially helpful if you’ve lost your device nearby and need help locating it. It emits a sound that can be used to pinpoint its location within a certain range, similar to when you ping an Apple Watch or iPhone.
  2. Confirming connectivity: You can also check to see if your Apple Watch or iPhone is active and charged by sending a ping. If the device isn’t charged, it won’t respond.
  3. Troubleshooting network issues: It can also be used as a diagnostic tool when analyzing network-related issues. By doing so, you can check for connectivity problems or potential network issues, gauge the device’s response time, and see if it can communicate with other networked devices.

Final thoughts!

No matter where your Apple Watch happens to be, Ping My Watch is up for the task of finding it. It’s incredibly convenient to locate your devices using this feature.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this particular feature and your overall opinion on the Apple ecosystem. Feel free to share your comments below!

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Author

  • Mehak

    Mehak has a master’s degree in communication and over ten years of writing experience. Her passion for technology and Apple products led her to iGeeksBlog, where she specializes in writing product roundups and app recommendations for fellow Apple users. When not typing away on her MacBook Pro, she loves being lost in a book or out exploring the world.

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