The Apple Watch can be worn on either wrist, with the Digital Crown up or down, but you’ll need to change the screen orientation in Settings.
The Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches in the world and is a perfect companion to the iPhone, but users might want to change the device’s screen orientation to fit their needs. There are a ton of things that can be customized on the Apple Watch to a user’s preferences, from the home screen to the always-on display. This is the ideal software implementation for a wearable device that many people use because just about everyone will find a unique way to use their watch. For example, some might solely use their watch for the time, while others might use it primarily for fitness tracking. Most importantly, some users might wear the Apple Watch on their left or right wrist and may need to change the screen orientation to match their usage.
The Apple Watch was first unveiled in 2015 and quickly became one of the top-selling smartwatches in the world, with millions sold in the first year. A lot has changed about the Apple Watch in the seven-plus years since it was initially released, and Apple has added many features. These include water resistance, new health sensors, and software improvements. But from day one, it was possible to change the screen orientation on the Apple Watch to fit a user’s preferences. The ways that users can adjust the screen orientation have changed over the years, and there are a few different methods, both on iPhone and Apple Watch.
In some versions of WatchOS and iOS, there will be an option to change the Apple Watch’s screen orientation directly in the setup process. Once the pairing process has started, users will be presented with a few different options to get started with a new Apple Watch. Before starting the watch, they can select what notifications are shared, which apps download to the Apple Watch, and whether to add Apple Pay cards to the device. In one of these menus, users can change the screen orientation of their watch. To do this, the Apple Watch asks whether the device is worn on the left or right wrist and whether the Digital Crown is on the left or right side of the device. Based on these selections, the Apple Watch can automatically adjust the screen orientation and ensure the Digital Crown is moving in the correct direction.
Change Orientation Right On The Apple Watch
After the setup process has been completed, it is still possible to change the screen orientation both on the Apple Watch and the iPhone. On the Apple Watch, navigate to the Settings app — which has a gear icon — and tap ‘General.’ Then, scroll down to ‘Orientation’ using the Digital Crown. Here, the Apple Watch will show the current configuration with a green check mark beside the option. To change the layout, tap the ‘Left’ or ‘Right’ wrist options and the ‘Left’ or ‘Right’ Digital Crown options. The screen orientation will change instantly based on the selections so that users can test the best orientation for their uses. The process is nearly identical on the iPhone but begins in the Apple Watch app. After it is open, follow the above instructions to navigate the Settings menu and change the screen orientation.
The best Apple Watch orientation depends on the wearer’s use case and, in most cases, their handedness. Traditionally, watches are worn on the opposite wrist as the wearer’s dominant hand, so the wearer can quickly glance at the time while performing other tasks. The Apple Watch is shipped with an orientation that fits righties who wear their watch on the left wrist by default but can be changed to user preference. Regarding screen orientation on the Apple Watch, the most important selection is the Digital Crown orientation. Regardless of what wrist the Apple Watch is worn on, the Digital Crown should be configured to be closest to the hand. This way, it is easy to touch the crown without obstructing the screen. The Apple Watch’s screen orientation can be configured to the wearer’s liking with just a few taps in the Settings menu.
