A red icon or symbol can often be a warning sign that something is wrong, but that’s not the case with a red dot on an Apple Watch display.
An Apple Watch wearer might occasionally encounter a red dot on the display. While a red icon like this could be interpreted as a warning that something is wrong, that’s not the case on this occasion. In fact, the meaning behind the red dot is far more mundane, but something that does let the user know there’s been some new activity they might want to check out.
Apple’s smartwatch provides users with access to a variety of features and acts as a highly useful extension of an iPhone. In addition, some Apple Watch models do also come with their own cellular connection to allow continued usage when not connected to a smartphone. With so many different features and use cases available, there are also more than a few icons that new Apple Watch owners will need to familiarize themselves with.
A red dot on an Apple Watch simply means there’s a new notification. That’s it. The color choice here is slightly unfortunate considering Apple also tends to use a red-colored icon, and in the same place, for more concerning events, such as when an Apple Watch has become disconnected from an iPhone or when it has no cellular connection. However, dealing with the red dot notification icon is as simple as swiping down on the watch face. This action will then open the notification so it can be read, and once read, the red dot will disappear again.
Other Common Apple Watch Icons
As mentioned, red is often an indication of an issue in general and that applies to the Apple Watch as well. When the iPhone and Watch have been disconnected from each other, a smartphone with a diagonal line through it will be visible, while a more typical red “X” signifies the lack of a cellular connection. When connections are all working as they should, users will see a row of green dots in the upper-left corner, with the number of dots defining the quality of the signal. Some of the other icons include a crescent moon signaling Do Not Disturb mode is enabled while a water drop at the top indicates Water Lock is on. There is also a bed icon to highlight when the Watch is in Sleep mode and a padlock icon is typical of the padlock on most devices, indicating the Apple Watch is currently locked.
These are not all of the icons that a user might see on an Apple Watch display, although they are likely to be some of the more common ones. Getting used to the icons is an important part of any new device and while it may take some time to adjust to all of the different meanings, the only ones to really worry about are those in red. That is, with the exception of the red notification dot icon on the Apple Watch display.
Source: Apple
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