3 Important Apple Watch Tips During The Stay-at-Home Orders


As Apple Watch wearers going through this unprecedented period, we are now sitting around the house looking on our iPhones, working remotely on our iPads and Macs and sleeping in more than usual. The coronavirus outbreak has changed everything from closing our Activity rings regularly, our lifestyles as iPhone users alike and taking precautions seriously. It has also shuttered all of the Apple Stores excluding locations in China, which narrowed down the choices of getting support and help for issues pertaining to the Apple Watch. This redirected us to browse through the Apple Support website, contact Apple Support via the app and wait minutes on the phone to talk to an Apple representative. In the worst case, we can fall into a hardware issue that may need repairs, such as charging issues, screen cracks and many more common issues. Apple Watch wearers can follow our support articles for how-tos and easy solutions for Apple Watch and iPhone issues, which all can be done at home.

Now there are no worries about these issues. This article has the tips that every Apple Watch wearer needs, without distressing the watch. These consist of three important tips to help curb through the lengthy shutdowns happening with the nation and the globe. All of these solutions can be done at the comfort and safety in the home, with the essentials at home.

Disinfecting and Sanitising Apple Watch


Every day, the Apple Watch stays on the wearer’s wrist and oftentimes, the rear optical heart rate sensor and band collect sweat exerted from the skin. Even the screen can also get filthy and allotted with germs from fingerprints, fluids, water and dirt. Wiping it down with a dry, lint-free cloth or with only cold, freshwater will not eliminate the germs and bacteria colonising in the Retina display on the front of the Apple Watch and the sticky residue collecting on the back.

The best way to clean off the gunk and disinfect an Apple Watch is by using screen cleaning wipes or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, as long the wipes have at least 70% isopropyl alcohol content and no bleach, abrasives or detrimental chemicals that will ruin the stainless steel, aluminium, ceramic or glass of the Apple Watch. Purell hand sanitising wipes and screen cleaning wipes from electronic stores are a few examples of wipes that fall under the recommended requirements from Apple. The Cupertino firm changed its rules to include certain types of cleaning products to clean Apple products as the coronavirus feared many users about their Apple Watches and iPhones accumulating germs, including all types of coronaviruses. If cleaning wipes are not available, then a screen cleaning bottle without any harmful chemicals such as ammonia, solvents, bleach or abrasives plus a lint-free cleaning cloth is a great alternative assortment for wet screen cleaning wipes.

To clean the Apple Watch aluminium, titanium, stainless steel or ceramic models with wipes, power the watch off and take off the watch band, then perform hand hygiene by washing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water or hand sanitiser. Dry off hands with a towel then get a cleaning wipe out of the canister or the pack. Gently cleanse the Apple Watch by going around the screen, edges and the buttons, on the back where most of the sticky gunk are inhabiting on the heart rate sensors, and avoid getting the solution in the microphones, speakers, the port in the bottom band channel and in between the Digital Crown. Do not touch any electrical outlets or ports with wet hands. Throw the used wipe in the bin and then wash hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser again. Leave the Apple Watch on a large, dry cleaning cloth and let the disinfectant dry. Reattach the band after at least 15 minutes.

To clean the Apple Watch with a microfibre screen cleaning cloth and a bottle of screen cleaning solution, power off the watch and remove the band. Next, wash hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser and dry off with a paper towel. Place the Apple Watch on a spare, dry, soft and lint-free microfibre cloth and remove the band. Spray the cleaning cloth with the screen cleaner for 1-2 times and wipe the edges, rear heart rate sensor, band channels, buttons and the screen. Apply slightly more pressure to the areas where most of the germ-ridden stuff inhabit the crevices between buttons, the screen and the round indentation of the optical heart rate sensor. After cleaning the watch, let the microfibre cloth air out by hanging it in a well-ventilated room, being careful to not touch the Apple Watch or power outlets. Leave the Apple Watch on the microfibre cloth to dry for a minute then put back the band on the Apple Watch. Perform hand hygiene again before putting the sparkling, spotless Apple Watch back on your wrist!

Clean the watch band (any material other than leather) by using a microfibre cloth and with a screen cleaning spray. Spray the screen cleaning solution to the cloth once, then use the cloth to rub off any dirt, sweat, liquid spots and aerosols on the band. Make sure to always sanitise the lug areas of the bands and the undersides as these areas are where most the germs are. They come from the sweat from the skin of the wrist in normal use of the Apple Watch. Wipe those buckles and snaps as well. Dry off the band with a lint-free cloth and reattach it to the Apple Watch.

To sanitise leather bands, this method is distinct as it requires specialised care to prevent the leather from cracking and staining. Per Apple’s recommended method, screen cleaning products and wipes should not be used as it can cause these contraindications to the watch band. Use a soft, lint-free cloth that is lightly dampened with clean water to wipe down the leather band. Next, do not submerge the band in the water or any other liquid as intense susceptibility to liquids on the watch band can ruin the leather. Dry off the watch band by using a dry microfibre cloth, then put the band back on the Apple Watch.

Close Activity Rings During The Lockdown By Working Out At Home or Neighbourhood Park


All of the gyms and community centres are closed until further notice per state and public health orders. These closures are put in place as not as much people sanitise the equipment after every use and they work out in dangerously close distances, which caused the viruses to spread easily amongst peers. While many Apple Watch wearers are dissatisfied with the gyms and public community centres closed in their area, working out and closing those activity rings does not mean that they should stop working out and sit around all day.

Many local gyms have offered free at-home workout videos that only require an ample amount of space in the house, weights, an iOS device, AirPods and of course, an Apple Watch. Some workouts require a chair, pole or table as a substitution of a bench or bar. These videos can be available as live-streams from the gym’s social media, website or app, and in pre-taped videos in DVDs, YouTube videos or iOS apps. The App Store on iOS has curated lists on the home screen where they handpicked home audio and video workout apps from gym and fitness companies. Please note that not all of these companies will offer the videos free, so check the company’s website or app details before playing the videos. Examples of at-home workout apps on Apple Watch and iPhone include Nike Run Club (for Nike model Apple Watches), Yoga Studio, Jillian Michaels and CARROT Fit. These apps are available on the App Store for download. Some apps utilising the subscription feature also have free, multi-device access to unlimited fitness videos for those who have DVDs or digital downloads of paid workout videos by using the code on the DVD case or documentation.

Another way to close the Move, Exercise and Stand goals is to enjoy the fresh air and natural environment by walking at a local, neighbourhood park. Make sure to keep a physical distance of 6 feet and take a walk, cycle, jog or run at the trail. Be sure that most neighbourhood and city parks do not allow people to use exercise equipment, as it is a frequently used and touched area alongside playground equipment in public parks. If going to a state or national park for a hike or a trek on the wilderness, check the website of the park before visiting. Most national and state parks may be closed completely or in most areas due to the coronavirus outbreak. Make sure to log the workout on the Workout or fitness app on your Apple Watch when you start your walk, run or cycle, as failure to do it will not add in the Exercise and Move credits to your Activity Rings. Disinfect the Apple Watch and take a shower after working out.

Overcome Stress, Anxiety and Strengthen Lung Muscles with Mindfulness Apps


The COVID-19 outbreak has forced many people including iPhone users, to shelter in place by staying at home a lot. Many people get homesick and they get more anxious as the new normal emerges upon their lives. Anxiety can weaken one’s immune system and make them more susceptible to catching infectious diseases, including the coronavirus. For the Apple Watch wearers, we all have an app that is introduced in watchOS 3, for the sake of recuperating our emotional pains throughout this unanticipated challenge.

The app is called the Breathe app and it encourages users to take deep breaths by following the animations and haptic feedback, which directs them to inhale and exhale. These deep breaths can also strengthen the muscles in the lungs to improve respiration if working out and breathing hard is not possible. The app is available on all Apple Watch models running watchOS 3 or later.

To use the app, open the Breathe app on Apple Watch. Use the Digital Crown to adjust the number of minutes from a minute to five minutes per mindfulness session. By default, the app is set to 7 breaths per minute as the respiratory rate, which can be modified on the Apple Watch app on iPhone. Next, tap on Start and follow the teal-coloured animations and haptic feedback. When the animation contracts to a circle, inhale. Then exhale when the animation expands out again. Continue these steps repeatedly until the session is over, which is when the Apple Watch chimes and shows the total time and overall heart rate of the session of the day. The data is viewable in the Health app on the paired iPhone, which can be found in the Mindfulness section.

These are the three compulsory principles of the things that Apple Watch wearers and iPhone users alike should be doing during the lengthy period of staying at home. It is still important to stand up for at least a minute every hour for 12 hours a day, get at least half an hour of exercise and close the targeted move goal. The Apple Watch is designed to encourage iPhone users to be active, see everything in a small package and stay in touch with their family, colleagues and friends.

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