11 apps every Apple Watch owner needs

While the Apple Watch puts some of the functionality of an iPhone on your wrist, its smaller screen size means that many tasks are better handled on your phone. And vice versa: With a smaller, more accessible screen, an Apple Watch app can be more convenient than taking out your phone. After all, why take out your iPhone if you just want to set a simple timer, log your water intake, or pay for a quick grocery purchase?

The native apps that come pre-installed on the Apple Watch give the wearable a wide range of functionality without even having to open the App Store. Apple’s own software allows you to use the Watch as a remote camera trigger, check out with Apple Pay, get turn-by-turn directions, set timers, track workouts, make calls, and check the weather. These are some of my favorite features that I use the most. Apple has also finally decided to add a calculator app to the Apple Watch.

That said, third-party apps bring new possibilities to your wrist. Because the Apple Watch has limited SSD space and some apps cost money, you might want to avoid just downloading random apps. Here are some great apps to try:

Related

6 things you probably didn’t know your Apple Watch can do

There are so many things your Apple Watch can do, things you do every day, things you know it can do but can’t, and things you never knew you could do.

1 Striped pattern

Try a streak and build healthy habits

Striped pattern

Your Apple Watch can already track your workout streaks, but what if you wanted to track a streak that helps you remember to make your bed, for example? That’s where Streaks comes in. The app gives you an extra boost of motivation by letting you create a streak of successfully completing a task. Once you’ve created a streak, you’ll never want to break it. You can add daily, weekly and time-based tasks. You can check your streaks to see which streaks you have yet to complete, right from your Apple Watch.

2 Elk

This currency converter will tell you the actual price abroad

Elk

When you’re abroad, you want to know how much things cost. Elk gives you instant currency conversion right on your wrist. It uses your location data to automatically select the right currency and starting value. Then you can swipe left to increase the value, swipe right to decrease the value, or tap the value for better precision. There’s a free version and a paid version that gives you access to all currencies.

3

Four Just press the record button

Quickly access the record button to save your ideas and reminisce about your meetings

Just press the record button

Have you ever had a great idea, only to forget it five minutes later? Or when your spouse finally agrees that you were right, and you truly wish you had a recorder at hand? Just Press Record can help in these situations and more. Tap the button on your Apple Watch to start recording audio. Say whatever you want to note, and your audio will be transcribed and magically appear on your iPhone. It’s pure magic, and it will save you a lot of frustration.

Five night sky

Get a compass that will tell you where to find planets and constellations

App Store

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what those tiny dots of light are? Are they stars? Or planets? No need to wonder anymore. With Night Sky, you can point your Apple Watch at a star and find out which constellation it belongs to, or if it’s a planet. You can also install special Apple Watch faces to add even more information to your stargazing.

night sky

Subscription fee

$5.99/month

6 FitBod

Apple’s native app doesn’t count repetitions, but this app does.

FitBod

If your goal isn’t just to stay fit, but to sculpt the perfect body, Fitbod can help. The app offers personalized training plans based on your current abilities and adjusts to your progress while tracking which muscles you’ve worked and your recovery time. But the best reason to use this Apple Watch app instead of the native fitness tools is that it actually tracks your repetitions and weight right on your wrist, so you don’t have to fiddle with your phone while you work out.

FitBod

Subscription fee

$12.99/month

7 iTranslate Converse

Translate as you speak, all on your Apple Watch

The original iTranslate app is great when you want to know how to say a certain phrase in a foreign language, but it’s not so useful when you want to have a conversation. iTranslate Converse solves this problem by listening to two different languages ​​and translating them, allowing two people who don’t speak the same language to have a conversation. Not only will your spoken phrase be translated into the target language and displayed on your Apple Watch, it will also read the phrase out loud in that language. The app can also turn text upside down, so you can show your conversation partner the translation without twisting their arm.

8 My Fitness Pal

Track your calories, water intake, and more with Apple Watch

The My Fitness Pal app for iPhone not only tracks your calorie burn, but also lets you earn more calories by tracking your workouts on your Apple Watch. The Apple Watch version of MyFitness Pal doesn’t have as many tools as the iPhone version, but the free app also lets you quickly add calories right on your wrist and track your water intake.

MyFitnessPal: Calorie Counter

9 Time timer

A visual timer to help you stay focused

App Store

Yes, the Apple Watch has a built-in timer tool. But Time Timer is different. This app is a visual timer designed to help you stay focused for a preset period of time. I initially downloaded this app to help my kids stay focused on their schoolwork, but it’s also a great tool for adults to stay motivated and on task. Aside from the visual circle timer, the app also has other features like an interval timer.

Ten Carrot Weather

A more sarcastic, less boring weather app

If you find talking about the weather boring, Carrot Weather might be just the breath of fresh air you need, as you can change the app’s personality to get a slightly different forecast. The professional forecast looks just like any other weather app, while settings like Snarky, Homicidal, and Overkill will give you an increasingly aggressive summary. It’s great that they’ve made the weather fun.

11 ArcEmu

Enjoy classic Game Boy hits on your wrist

Admittedly, the Apple Watch isn’t great for gaming. I’d love to play ArcEmu on my iPhone, but if you leave your iPhone at home and wear it on your wrist, or if you have an Apple Watch Ultra with a larger screen, ArcEmu is a great way to kill boredom. It can play games like Pokémon Yellow, and you can play using the on-screen controls and the Digital Crown.