The Apple Watch packs a lot of functionality into a small screen. To maximize space, watchOS uses a variety of icons and symbols to convey important information at a glance. However, these tiny icons can sometimes be cryptic if you don’t know what they mean.
Let’s decode the most common Apple Watch icons and symbols so you can better understand what your watch is trying to tell you.
Status Bar Icons
The status bar at the top of your Apple Watch screen displays icons that provide quick information about your watch’s current state:
Red Dot: You have unread notifications. Swipe down from the top of the screen to view them.
Green Lightning Bolt: Your Apple Watch is currently charging.
Red Lightning Bolt: Your battery is critically low and needs charging soon.
Yellow Circle: Low Power Mode is enabled, conserving battery life by limiting some features.
Padlock: Your watch is locked. Enter your passcode to unlock it.
Water Droplet: Water Lock is enabled to prevent accidental input while swimming or in wet conditions. Press and hold the Digital Crown to disable.
Crescent Moon: Do Not Disturb mode is active. Calls and alerts will be silenced.
Airplane: Airplane Mode is on, disabling wireless communications.
Wi-Fi Symbol: Your watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Green Phone: Your watch is connected to your paired iPhone.
Red Phone with Slash: Your watch has lost connection to your paired iPhone.
Cellular Bars (Cellular models only): Indicates cellular signal strength when connected to a cellular network.
Control Center Icons
Swipe up from the bottom of your watch face to access Control Center, which contains quick toggles for various functions:
Bell Icon: Tap to enable or disable Silent Mode.
Two Theater Masks: Enables Theater Mode, which keeps your screen dark and silences notifications.
Walkie-Talkie Icon: Activates the Walkie-Talkie app for quick voice communication with contacts.
Flashlight: Turns your watch face into a bright white light.
Location Arrow: An app is currently using location services.
Microphone: Your watch’s microphone is actively listening (e.g., for Siri or voice memos).
App-Specific Icons
Some icons appear when certain apps or features are active:
Running Person: A workout is in progress.
Musical Note: Audio is currently playing.
Navigation Arrow: Turn-by-turn directions are active in a maps app.
Focus Mode Icons
watchOS integrates with iOS Focus modes to help you minimize distractions. You may see these icons in your status bar:
Purple Smiley Face: Personal Focus mode is active.
Briefcase: Work Focus mode is active.
Bed: Sleep Focus mode is active.
Decoding Charging Icons
When you place your Apple Watch on its charger, you’ll see different icons depending on the charging state:
Green Lightning Bolt: Your watch is charging normally.
Red Lightning Bolt in a Circle: Your watch is charging from a critically low battery state.
Charging Cable Icon: Appears if your watch was completely discharged. Keep charging for at least 30 minutes.
Customizing Your Watch Face
Apple Watch faces can display a variety of icons and information through “complications.” To understand what specific icons mean on your chosen watch face:
- Open the Apple Watch app on your paired iPhone.
- Tap the “Face Gallery” tab.
- Select your current watch face.
- Scroll down to the “Complications” section to see available options and their meanings.
Understanding these icons helps you get the most out of your Apple Watch, allowing you to quickly grasp important information and control your device more efficiently. As watchOS evolves, new icons may be introduced, so it’s a good idea to stay updated with each major software release.