Live Activities on Apple Watch: How to Use and Customize Them

First introduced with iOS 16, Live Activities lets you view real-time updates from apps right on your iPhone’s Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, and StandBy mode. This makes it easy to track things like rides, deliveries, timers, or sports scores at a glance.

Now, Apple has taken this convenience one step further by letting you mirror Live Activities from your iPhone to your Apple Watch. That means you no longer need to pull out your iPhone, just raise your wrist to stay updated.

Here’s everything you need to know about using Live Activities on Apple Watch and how to customize it.

How Live Activities Work on Apple Watch

The best part about Live Activities on Apple Watch is that you don’t need to do anything to enable it. Once a Live Activity appears on your paired iPhone, whether in the Dynamic Island, Lock Screen, or StandBy Mode, it will automatically show up in the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch (introduced with watchOS 10).

This seamless integration ensures you’re always in the loop without extra steps.

• Automatic updates: Any changes to a Live Activity on iPhone instantly sync to your Apple Watch.
• Notifications: On iPhone, updates expand the Dynamic Island. On Apple Watch, they trigger the Smart Stack or appear as a compact alert if you’re already using an app.
• Full view: Tapping a Live Activity alert on your Apple Watch shows a full-screen version, with the option to continue on your iPhone if needed.

Example: If you book an Uber, you’ll see its Live Activity on your iPhone. At the same time, your Apple Watch Smart Stack will also display the ride status in real time so you never miss an update.

How to Customize Live Activities on Apple Watch

By default, Live Activities are turned on when you update your Apple Watch to the latest watchOS. But you can tweak the settings to control how and when they appear.

Turn Live Activities On or Off

1. Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
2. Head to Smart Stack settings.
3. Here, locate and tap Live Activities.
4. Toggle Allow Live Activities on or off.
   
   

If disabled, your iPhone won’t mirror Live Activities to your watch.

Enable Auto-Launch

1. In the Live Activities settings, toggle on Auto-Launch Live Activities.
2. This ensures any Live Activity on your iPhone automatically shows up on your Apple Watch.

Show Live Activities with Wrist Down

1. Tap Show Live Activities on Wrist Down.
2. Toggle on Show Live Activities so updates appear even when your wrist isn’t raised.
   
   

Customize for Media Apps

1. Tap on Media Apps.
2. Here, toggle on or off Allow Live Activities.
3. Select one of the Auto-Launch options.
   
   

Besides this, you can also turn Live Activities on or off for certain native apps such as Alarms, Compass, Stopwatch, and more.

Final Thoughts

Bringing Live Activities to Apple Watch makes it easier than ever to stay connected without constantly checking your iPhone. Whether it’s a ride update, timer, or live sports score, the information is now right on your wrist.

Plus, the Smart Stack has become even smarter, suggesting widgets based on your routine, location, time, or activity.

This upgrade combines convenience, real-time updates, and personalization, making Apple Watch more useful in daily life.

Also Read:

• Best Apple Watch faces
• How to use Apple Watch Control Center
• How to change Apple Watch ringtone