How to use your Apple Watch’s built-in Walkie Talkie

In 2018, Apple added an incredibly handy new feature to the Apple Watch that didn't get the attention it deserved. This new communications tool, which was made available to all Apple Watches (even the Series 1), is an always-on Walkie Talkie app that let you immediately start up a voice conversation with any contact that also has an Apple Watch. 

Just like the walkie-talkie-equipped phones of the early 2000s, this app is a great way to chat across your home, or across the country, without ever having to worry about waiting for a call to be picked up. Of course, you don't always want your spouse, friend, or child piping up from your wrist. But, don't worry, Apple thought of that too. 

Let's take a look at how to set up and use the Apple Watch's built-in Walkie Talkie app to stay in touch with those your care about. 

How to use your Apple Watch's built-in Walkie Talkie 

• Materials needed: You and at least one contact with an iPhone running iOS 12.4 or later (with FaceTime enabled) and an Apple Watch running WatchOS 5.3 or later
• Estimated time: 1 minute for initial setup, basically instant for all subsequent connections
• Demo video:

Step 1: Open the app and invite your first contact

First, open your Apple Watch's App List by tapping the Digital Crown. Inside, find and tap the Walkie-Talkie app (in red on the left, above). If you've never used the app before, you'll need to add your first contact in order to connect with them. You can do this by tapping Add Friends (in red, on the right, above). When you do, you'll be presented with a list of your contacts. Tap one to send them an invite. Once they accept, you can proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Connect to your contact

Once your contact accepts your invitation, they'll show up on your friends list. From there, you just need to tap on them to begin a conversation. If you were previously connected with another contact, or it's been a while since the last time you chatted with this contact, chances are it will take a few seconds for the Walkie-Talkie app to check their availability. If they're available (more on how to make yourself unavailable in the FAQ section below) you'll connect and can proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Start talking

Once you're connected with your contact, all you need to do is press and hold the helpfully-named Touch & Hold to Talk button and start speaking. Your voice will be transmitted to their Apple Watch after a short chirp. Another tone will sound when you let go of the button, letting the other participant in the conversation know they can speak. 

If you have mobility issues, or you'd rather just toggle your connection on and off with a single tap, you can enable this mode by going into the Settings app on your Apple watch and turning on Tap to Talk under the Walkie-Talkie section. With this mode enabled, one tap will open the mic and a second will close it.

Final step: Exiting the Walkie-Talkie app

You can exit the app and return to your Apple Watch's watch face by pressing its Digital Crown. Doing so will leave your the app running in the background, allowing any Friends in the Walkie-Talkie app to communicate with you at any time. Check out the FAQ section below on how to turn the app off completely when you don't want any audio interruptions.

FAQs

There are two ways to do this: 

1. From your watch face, swipe up from the bottom of your display to open the Apple Watch's Control Center. In there, find the Walkie-Talkie icon. If it's yellow, that means the app is enabled and you are available. Tap it once to make yourself unavailable and disable the app. When you're ready to be available again, simply tap the grayed-out icon to re-enable it.
2. From within the app itself, tap the Walkie-Talkie toggle seen on the top left in the image within Step 2. The toggle being on the right with a green indicator means the app is enabled and you're available, while the toggle being on the left and gray means you're unavailable.