First 10 things to do with a new Apple Watch

1 Learn how to control your Apple Watch

This will make using your smartwatch more intuitive

When you initially pair an Apple Watch with an iPhone, you should first learn how to navigate around watchOS 10. Just like on iOS, a swipe down from the top of the watch screen shows the notifications. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen will show the Widget Stack. There you will be able to add, remove, and reorder the widgets based on your preferences. A swipe to the right or left on the main screen will switch between the added watch faces, assuming you've enabled this option.

When it comes to hardware, the Apple Watch has a side button and a Digital Crown. A single click on the side button will open the Control Center. A double click will reveal the cards saved in Apple Wallet. Holding the Side button will bring up a menu that includes the power button, Medical ID, and Emergency SOS.

The Digital Crown is used to scroll through lists and zoom in & out on certain elements. If you click on the Digital Crown, it will show you the installed apps if you're on the main screen. Or if you're inside an app, it'll take you out to the main screen of the watch instead. Finally, double-clicking it will show your recently-opened apps. It might sound like a complicated mechanism, but your muscle memory will adapt faster than you'd expect.

2 Choose a watch face

There are dozens from which to choose!

Choosing a watch face that matches your taste and style is also one of the first things you should do after getting an Apple Watch. The company provides you with diverse options from which to choose. However, it still doesn't support custom watch faces, so you're limited to the ones available on watchOS by default. To change it, just go to the Watch app on your iPhone, click on the Face Gallery tab in the middle of the bottom navigation bar, and click on the face you like. Once you've opened up the selection, you can customize some aspects of it like the colors and complications. When you're done with that, tap on the Add button, which will instantly update it on your watch. You can have as many watch faces as you want, and you can quickly swipe between them (horizontally) on your watch's main screen if you've enabled this option. Furthermore, you can even share your watch faces with friends!

3 Select the complications that matter most to you

Complications provide you with timely information and handy shortcuts

Apple and third-party developers offer plenty of complications you can use. What are complications? Consider them watch face accessories that provide timely information or shortcuts to certain apps. Care about the weather? There's a complication for that. Interested in certain stocks? There's also one for that. Curious about the sunrise/sunset times? You've got it handy!

The number of complications you can add will depend on the watch face you're using. Some support up to nine simultaneously, while others are more restrictive. When you're adding a new watch face, you can select the complications you want there before clicking on the Add button to push your update to the watch.

4 Change the app layout

You don't have to settle for the default look

Just like on iOS, you can change the app layout on watchOS through Jiggle Mode. Just click and hold on the apps screen, and wait for the icons to jiggle. You will then be able to drag them around to reorder them and even delete some of them. Alternatively, you can use the Watch app on your iPhone to take advantage of the bigger screen. Apple Watches support both Grid and List Views — please note, the latter is strictly in alphabetical order.

5 Add your essential cards to Apple Wallet

Your watch can link bank cards, boarding passes, QR codes, and more

watchOS can do a lot on its own, including contactless payments. That's why you should set up Apple Pay specifically on your watch. However, if you're storing boarding passes or other digital tickets in the Wallet app on your iPhone, then they should automatically sync to your Apple Watch. This enables you to enter venues or cross airport gates using just your Apple Watch.

You can also set up Apple Cash on an Apple Watch (for users in the U.S.), which is useful for parents who want to be able to send money as needed to their older kids, for example, so they can hail a ride home, buy lunch, or for emergencies. It's a convenient way to send and receive money, and even more convenient to be able to do so directly from your wrist.

6 Silence its audible alerts

Haptic feedback may be sufficient

Apple Watches have speakers, but plenty of us prefer silent notifications. The watch includes a Taptic Engine that provides a good level of haptic feedback when you receive a notification. So, assuming you're wearing the watch, you will most likely feel that. If you're not wearing it, you can un-mute your iPhone to hear the notifications as they come in. The point is that the notification sounds on the Apple Watch are redundant to many of us. Therefore, to simply silence audible alerts, open the Control Center and hit on the bell icon. You can also set a silent but vibrating alarm on your Apple Watch to avoid waking up startled.

7 Set your activity goals

Your Apple Watch can help you lead a healthier life

Many of us buy this watch for its health and fitness tracking features. To set or change your activity goals, head to the Activity app on your iPhone, tap your profile photo, and click Change Goals. This will allow you to adjust how much it should take to close the Move, Exercise, and Stand rings for the day. Try to set realistic goals that are achievable but also slightly push you to do more; this way, you will likely remain motivated to close them. As a result, you will slowly advance as you set higher goals every few weeks or months. Don't worry, you can always change the goals at any time if you want to give yourself some grace, or conversely, if you're ready to amp things up to the next level.

8 Add your friends to the Fitness app to compete

This could motivate you to be even more active

Competing with or comparing our progress to others can be very motivational. Apple allows its users to share their activities with their friends and family members. To do this, launch the Fitness app on your iPhone and head to the Sharing tab in the bottom right corner. Click on the icon in the top right corner and search for the contact you want to add. Click their name and send them an invitation.

Once they accept it, you will be able to view their three activity rings and the workouts they've done for the day. You can also challenge a friend by hitting the Compete button inside their profile. Competitions last for a week and are based on a points system, but they can only be held one-to-one. The person who earns more points between the two of you will get an award at the end of the 7 days.

9 Learn how to shower or swim with it

You shouldn't directly submerge your Apple Watch in saltwater

The Apple Watch is water-resistant while its factory seal is preserved. This means you get to shower or even swim while safely wearing it. But keep in mind that this is for freshwater sources. If you're going to swim in the ocean at the beach where there's saltwater, or in heavily chlorinated pool water, you might want to take the watch off first as a safety precaution. If you're worried about submersion, even though the standard Apple Watch boasts a rating that allows for swimming at depths down to 50 meters (or double that for the Ultra versions), you can always use the Water Lock feature. Open the Control Center and click on the Water Lock button. This kills the touch display so that the watch doesn't register the water drops as random clicks. It will also eject water from the speaker.

Once you're done with a swim, rinse the watch with clean, non-salty water. Make sure the water enters its microphone and speaker grills. This will clear out any soap or salt stuck inside. Click and hold on the Digital Crown until it starts beeping and ejecting the water through the speaker. This will unlock touch controls again, and you can use your watch normally afterward.

When it comes to showering, swimming, and even washing dishes with the Watch on, the Watch is designed to withstand that. Just keep it away from powerful direct sprays of water, and don't go scuba diving unless you have the Ultra or Ultra 2. It's also worth noting that not every band is ideal for swimming, so also make sure you have a water-resistant band before going for a dip.

10 Change the default band and protect it with a case

You can freshen up your Apple Watch's appearance and protect its exterior

Sometimes default watch bands can get boring. Fortunately, Apple and third parties sell plenty of alternatives. You can change the bands by taking the watch off and sliding the bands out as you click and hold the tiny eject buttons on the back that secure them in. Then, just slide the new bands in and you're good to go!

A case can make an Apple Watch look hefty, but it's worth it if you tend to bump your wrist into hard objects. Cracking the screen will take away its premium look, and you wouldn't want to do that to your brand-new watch. To spare you the endless dilemma of choosing the color, style, and material, we have compiled a list that narrows you down to the best watch bands and cases available out there. A slicker option could be a tiny screen protector designed for the watch face.

The Apple Watch is packed with features!

The Apple Watch is a feature-rich device that will slowly turn into a companion you won't want to leave behind. It provides accurate health and fitness-related measurements and pushes you to do more. Not only that, but it also tightly integrates into Apple's ecosystem, even allowing you to do things like bypass your Mac's password. It truly is a small but handy bundle of magic. And with watchOS 11, it could get even cooler.