If you’re new to the Apple Watch or have been using it for some time, sending messages or writing on it can be a daunting task. It doesn’t work like a regular iPhone where you can type on a keyboard. If you’re not familiar with the methods of input on the Apple Watch, whether by voice or touch, it can be confusing.
Fortunately, there are a couple of different ways to type an iMessage or send text on an Apple Watch. The most direct way is to use your voice. Tap the little microphone icon in Mail or Messages, or any other app that supports writing text. Speak into your watch, and it will transcribe your dictation into text, allowing you to send it as an email or text message.
Another way to write messages on your Apple Watch is with the Scribble feature, which is indicated by the little finger touching a screen icon. From there, it will bring up a grid that you can physically write on with your finger. You can draw letters on the screen, and it will transpose them into actual text. You can write out your message and add punctuation just by scribbling on the screen. For question marks or periods, simply add spaces as needed or backspace if you need to remove something with those little on-screen keys.
One thing worth keeping in mind when using Scribble is that you don’t have to wait for each letter to disappear before you write the next one. You can continue to write each letter right on top of the letter that was there previously. The Apple Watch is smart enough to almost always get it right and understand that a new letter has started or that it is different from the previous one.
You can also save time by involving the digital crown when scribbling messages. As you write a word, a list of autocomplete words will show up at the top of the screen. By turning the digital crown, you can scroll through the list of words based on what you’ve written, making it quick to write out a long word with just a few characters.
By learning how to use the Scribble feature, you can save time and awkwardness by sending messages quickly from your wrist instead of pulling out your phone. It’s a fun and useful feature that can make sending messages on your Apple Watch more enjoyable.
Give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below. If you’ve never tried Scribble or enjoy using it, be sure to give this article a thumbs up. Stay tuned for more Apple Watch tips and tricks from Cult of Mac.