watchOS 11 Makes Your Apple Watch a More Powerful TV Remote
The Apple Watch has long been an alternative to the dedicated remote or iPhone when controlling Apple TV set-top boxes, offering basic navigation and actions. In watchOS 11, Apple is giving its smartwatches new control capabilities via the Remote app including taking advantage of the digital crown.
Apart from the new wellness features and changes in the latest Apple Watch software, those Apple Watch users who have an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD at home can now better rely on their smartwatch as a remote control.
Quick shortcut to volume adjustment and Siri
In the updated support page, Apple has expanded the control functions of its smartwatches in the Remote app with watchOS 11. Mainly, this has added the ability to use the digital crown to adjust the volume by turning it down or up. Users can also launch Siri by pressing and holding the digital crown until the assistant animation appears. You can then ask Siri your requests such as searching for content or opening apps.
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A new menu is also introduced, which offers shortcuts to mute and unmute and turn on/off captions or subtitles in videos and movies. In the same menu, you can also power off or on the Apple TV by accessing the Power shortcut.
Combined with the existing functions like pause/play video and swipe gestures, these additional actions and gestures make it easier to navigate and control the Apple TV.
Below are some of the controls in the Remote app for Apple Watch:
Navigate on the Apple TV menu
Digital crown
Adjust the volume level by turning
Summon Siri by press and hold
More option
Power button
Mute/unmute
Enable captions on/off
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Before you use an Apple Watch or Watch Ultra as a remote, you’ll need to pair the Apple TV to your watch from the Remote app. The connection between the two devices uses Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi, so it’s important to have Bluetooth on your watch switched on before setup.
Meanwhile, watchOS 11 has been shipped this week. It’s compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and Watch SE 2 all the way to the Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 (review).
Have you tried using your Apple Watch to control your TV before? What are your thoughts about these remote control upgrades? We’re eager to hear your answers.
