Anyone who owns an Apple Watch knows how it’s packed full of convenient and useful features, such as the Walkie-Talkie feature that allows you to communicate with your friends and family with just a tap, similar to using a two-way radio or traditional walkie-talkie. But it’s done entirely on your watch. Here’s everything you need to know about how Apple Watch’s Walkie-Talkie feature works, including what you need to use it and how to start a conversation.
Which Apple Watches have Walkie-Talkie?
Walkie-Talkie is available on Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.3 or later.
What’s required to use Walkie-Talkie?
To use the Walkie-Talkie feature on the Apple Watch, you need the following:
- Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.3 or later for both you and your friend.
- The FaceTime app on your iPhone with iOS 12.4 or later, and the ability to make and receive FaceTime audio calls for both you and your friend.
Apple
How Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch works
You can use the Walkie-Talkie feature on your Apple Watch to communicate with your friends instantly with just a tap. Just add your friends to your contacts, then manage when you want to talk, all without the need to take out your phone.
Turn Walkie-Talkie on or off
Open the Walkie-Talkie app and turn Walkie-Talkie off or on. If someone tries to reach you while you’re unavailable, a notification will appear asking if you’d like to talk. You can also turn Walkie-Talkie off or on by tapping the Walkie-Talkie button in Control Center.
Add friends to the Walkie-Talkie app
First, add friends to the Walkie-Talkie app.
- Open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap Add Friends.
- Choose a contact.
- Wait for your friend to accept the invitation.
- Their contact card stays gray and appears under Friends You Invited until your friend accepts.
- After they accept, their contact card turns yellow and you and your friend can talk.
If you ever need to remove a friend, just open the Walkie-Talkie app, swipe left on the friend, then tap the delete button. Or, you can open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap Walkie-Talkie> Edit, tap the minus button, then tap Remove to remove a friend.
Accept a Walkie-Talkie invitation
To accept a Walkie-Talkie invitation, just tap Always Allow in the notification that appears when someone invites you. Invitations also appear in the Walkie-Talkie app.
Start a Walkie-Talkie conversation
To start a Walkie-Talkie conversation, open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch and follow these steps:
- Tap a friend.
- Touch and hold the talk button, then say something.
- If you see “connecting” on the screen, wait for Walkie-Talkie to connect.
- After Walkie-Talkie connects, your friend can hear your voice and talk with you.
- If your friend is wearing their Apple Watch and has Walkie-Talkie turned on, they will receive alerts to talk.
Customise Walkie-Talkie app settings
If you want to change your Walkie-Talkie app settings, open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch, then swipe up to access the Walkie-Talkie settings. From there, you can adjust the availability status, change the notification tone, and select a different audio output. You can also turn off the “Transmitting” animation and disable the feature.
Can you use Walkie-Talkie without your iPhone nearby?
Yes, you can use Walkie-Talkie with a cellular or Wi-Fi connection if your iPhone is not nearby. However, if you want to invite someone to Walkie-Talkie, your iPhone must be connected to Wi-Fi or cellular and you must have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection on your Apple Watch.
Apple
No. You can’t use Walkie-Talkie with someone who is not in your contacts. You need to add the person you want to communicate with to your contacts first.
Can you use Walkie-Talkie with multiple people at once?
No. Walkie-Talkie is a one-on-one communication feature. You can talk to one person at a time.
Can you use Walkie-Talkie while on a phone call?
No. You can’t use Walkie-Talkie while on a phone call. You also can’t use it while using another audio app. However, you will receive Walkie-Talkie notifications while on a phone call or when using another audio app, and you can respond to the notification when you’re ready.