Apple Watch has access to a web browser, but the company doesn’t tell you how to find it or the three ways to start surfing from your wrist.
A lesser-known Apple Watch feature allows surfing the web and even using search engines. Despite being so small, Apple’s wearable is powerful enough to include a web browser, even though it isn’t directly accessible as a separate app. While reading on such a tiny screen isn’t really ideal, it can be quite handy when wearing an Apple Watch with cellular capability and the iPhone isn’t as easily accessible.
The Apple Watch is a very capable smartwatch and while an iPhone is required to set it up the first time, many features of the watch can be used separately. If using a cellular model, it’s possible to make calls, send texts, and receive notifications, even if the paired iPhone is left behind. That makes running, bicycling, and swimming more enjoyable and frees the wearer from keeping track of their iPhone.
Apple made a tiny web browser for the Apple Watch, however, it can’t be found in the app list. Instead, it appears when needed if a link is tapped. There are at least three easy ways to open the hidden Apple Watch browser, using Siri, from Messages, and from Mail. The trick is to get a link to appear on the screen. After a Siri search, a list of web results will be shown, and tapping any of the links from the list will open the browser. In some cases, the browser defaults to Reader mode. If this happens, touching the website address at the top and then ‘Web View’ will show the page more like it appears on the iPhone. Back, Forward, and Reload buttons are also revealed by tapping the address bar.
More Ways To Open Apple Watch’s Browser
There are a few third-party browser apps, but the selection is limited and some are not that well rated. While the built-in browser is a step away, it will likely be the most reliable solution and can take advantage of features that third-party developers might not have access to. Tapping a link from an email or from a message also opens the page in the Apple Watch browser. A batch of links can be sent to serve as starting pages, such as Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other search engines. Google’s search engine doesn’t work as the button that launches the search is replaced with an ‘X’ to clear the text if desired and there is no way to proceed after entering keywords. It’s also possible to directly type a link on the watch using Messages and, after sending, it can be opened.
Apple might have kept the browser as an indirect app due to the Apple Watch lacking an on-screen keyboard in the first seven models. The Apple Watch Series 7 is the first to include a keyboard and also has a significantly larger screen. Whether this will inspire Apple to make its browser more easily accessible as a separate app in the future is unknown. For now, the Apple Watch’s hidden web browser can be opened through Siri, Messages, and Mail.
Source: Apple
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