.From receiving calls and texts to keeping yourself updated with notifications from your favourite apps, Apple Watch is one of the most convenient ways to keep yourself updated, even without your iPhone around.
However, it takes time to get completely familiar with the features of the Apple Watch. Whenever you look at your Apple Watch face, chances are there will be at least one icon on the dial that you don’t understand, and in some cases, it is a red dot.
While many icons appear on the watch dial, there are many others located in the control centre. If you’re confused and do not know what each of them means, then we have got you covered.
This article will guide you on what the red dot and the other Apple Watch icons mean.
Also read: How to unpair Apple Watch?
What is the Red dot on Apple Watch?
If you see a red dot at the top-centre of the watch display, it simply means you have an unread notification. You can check and dismiss the notification by following the steps given below.
How to check notifications on Apple Watch?
When your watch face is active, swipe down from the top of the display to see all notifications you’ve received in the notification centre.
- To read and reply to a notification, tap on it individually.
- To delete an unopened notification, swipe left and tap on the X icon.
- To remove an open notification, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, then tap on Dismiss.
- To remove all the notification at once, tap on Clear at the top of the screen.
How to disable the red dot on Apple Watch?
If you no longer wish to see the red dot whenever you receive a notification, you can disable the notification feature from the Watch app on the paired iPhone. Follow the steps given below.
- Open the Watch app, then tap on Notifications.
- Slide the Notifications Indicator towards the left to disable the red dot.
Also read: How to eject water from Apple Watch?
Apple Watch icons explained
Here are all the Apple Watch icons, including green, red, DND, Airplane, Water Lock, and others, with screenshots and corresponding explanation tables.
| Green Flash | Red Flash | Airplane Mode |
|---|---|---|
| The green flash icon on the top-centre of the display indicates that the Apple Watch is charging. | The red flash icon indicates that the Apple Watch battery is low. | Appears when the Airplane Mode is turned on. During this period, you will not have access to wireless features of the watch, but non-wireless features remain accessible. |
| Do Not Disturb | Theatre Mode | WiFi Network |
|---|---|---|
| The moon icon indicates Do Not Disturb feature. which disables call and message notification. The alarm remains active. | When enabled, the silent mode automatically gets turned on and the display stays dark until you tap, turn the digital crown or press the side button. It keeps the display dark even when Always On feature is enabled. | When your Apple Watch is connected to the WiFi network instead of the mobile data, the WiFi icon appears blue in the control centre. |
| Cellular Network | iPhone Disconnected | No Cellular Network |
|---|---|---|
| If your Apple Watch is GPS+Cellular version, the green dots in the control centre indicate that the watch is connected to a cellular network. The filled green dots indicate the strength of the signal. | Red phone icon indicates the Apple Watch is disconnected from its paired iPhone. Try moving the watch closer to the device or turn off the Airplane Mode. if it’s enabled. | Red cross on top of the watch display means your Apple Watch (GPS+Cellular) has lost cellular network connection. |
| Water Lock | AirPlay | Location Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| When the Water Lock is turned on, a small droplet icon appears on the screen and the display becomes unresponsive. Rotate the digital crown to unlock the water lock and eject water that may have entered the speaker holes. | AirPlay icon lets you choose the audio output that you want to use. You can choose between paired headsets, speakers or any other connected accessories. | This icon indicates that an app on your Apple Watch is using your location services. |
| Lock | Sleep Mode | Workout |
|---|---|---|
| Your Apple Watch is locked and you have to enter the passcode to access it. | When the Sleep Mode is turned on, you will see a bed icon appear on the screen. The watch will turn off Always On display and will go into Do Not Disturb mode. You can set up sleep detection on the Health app to track your sleep cycle every night and be woken up by an alarm and Good Morning message on your iPhone screen. | A workout icon appears on the watch face when you have a workout in progress. You can tap on the icon to open the app directly and perform actions like pause and end workout. |
| Walkie-Talkie | Now Playing | Navigation |
|---|---|---|
| The yellow icon indicates that the Walkie-Talkie mode is enabled on your watch, which allows you to connect with your friends instantly over Apple Watch. | If there is an audio playing on your Apple Watch or iPhone, a Now Playing icon will appear on the watch face. You can tap on the icon to control media. | An arrow icon appears when a maps app is running and providing directions on the watch. |
| Microphone | iPhone Connected | Ping iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| WatchOS 7 brings a new microphone icon that indicates that your Apple Watch is listening. It appears when you’re interacting with Siri, recording a voice memo, or when an app uses the microphone — Handwashing detection and Walkie-Talkie. | The green phone icon appears in the control centre when your Apple Watch is connected to your iPhone. | Ping iPhone icon located in the control centre helps in finding your paired iPhone. Tap on the icon to make your iPhone beep loudly. Tap and hold the icon to make your iPhone flash its LED light alongwith beep sound. |
| Silent Mode | Battery Percentage | Flashlight |
|---|---|---|
| When you don’t want to be disturbed by any alerts or calls, turn on the Silent Mode located in the control centre. The icon will turn from a regular bell icon to a crossed out bell icon. | Shows the current battery level. Tap on the icon to open the window to put your watch on Power Reserve mode, if the battery is low. | Activates light display on your Apple Watch. You can choose from three options- static white light, blinking white light and static red light. |
| School Time |
|---|
| Tap on the SchoolTime icon to enable the feature. When enabled, the icon turns yellow, and limits Watch features, which means fewer distractions for kids. The parents can control it via the Family Setup feature on the iPhone. |
