Any iDevice is private, storing sensitive personal data that should never fall into the wrong hands. If you have lost your Apple Watch or left it at home with other people around, it is essential to know how to tell when someone last accessed it.
So, can you see if your Apple Watch is being used? You cannot directly monitor the real-time usage of your Apple Watch, but you can check if it is connected to your iPhone and review some usage information. To see if your Apple Watch is connected, swipe up from the bottom of the watch face and look for the green iPhone icon. If it is green, your watch is connected to your iPhone.
To review usage information, you can check the battery usage on your iPhone, which provides data on your Apple Watch’s activity. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Battery, and scroll down to the Battery Usage by App section. Here, you can see the battery usage percentage for your Apple Watch and the associated apps. This information can give you a rough idea of how actively the watch has been used.
Only when an iPhone and Apple Watch are near each other, will any alerts like notifications showing the watch being unlocked appear on the iPhone, indicating the watch is being used. It’s important to make sure an Apple Watch has a strong passcode as it can be unlocked without requiring the iPhone.
When the Apple Watch and iPhone are not near each other, it is impossible to know whether someone is using your iWatch. As long as they have unlocked the system using your passcode, the device will assume that you are the signee and willingly allow access.
No application or technology helps send notifications to the iPhone when someone has unlocked or used the watch when the these devices are far apart. Therefore, using a solid passcode to bar unauthorized access and possibly set Wrist Detection is vital to ensure it stays locked.
It is common to forget your Apple Watch when you leave the house and worry that somebody else will use it. The wearable is one of the most advanced tiny technologies, and it would go a long way if there were a feature to notify you through your iPhone when someone has unlocked it.
Unfortunately, Apple has not yet developed a system that notifies the user when someone else is using the iWatch. You will not get an alert when another person unlocks, accesses your data, or uses the gadget without your knowledge.
The surest way to keep it safe is by setting up a strong password that no one else can guess and unlock your device without your consent. Otherwise, if you don’t restrict access, the chances of snooping are high, and it is worse since you cannot confirm that it is happening.
Apple is always concerned about user privacy and invests heavily in enhancing its products’ security. It explains the need for a passcode and the Wrist Detection feature that automatically locks your iWatch whenever you take it off.
If you remove it from your wrist and are not using it, the system ensures that no one else can pick it up and use it besides you. They will have to enter the passcode before gaining access.
Locking the watch is the best way to keep it safe, but if you disclose the credentials to someone else, they can effortlessly use the watch and snoop around if they have malicious intentions. Luckily, if you are the only one with the code, the smartwatch will lock after several unsuccessful attempts, requiring Apple support to restore access. It can prove that someone was trying to use your watch but failed.
There are logical reasons why Apple cannot notify you whenever someone uses your watch. For one, there is no clear way to tell whether the user is not you as long as the access is through your passcode.
The code should be private, and the system will always assume that you are the signee and offer access every time. Secondly, if the watch had to send a notification to your phone every time you use your iWatch, it may inconvenience and bother you.
It will be pointless to receive several messages throughout the day telling you that you are using your watch. Until the system finds a way to verify the actual users besides using the passcode, there is no other way to notify you about illegal access.
As long as any other person has your passcode, they can enter the system. Luckily, if your phone is not around, some features will be unavailable, but the person will obtain any other information you have stored in the iWatch.
Track Apple Watch usage
Your iWatch may be one of the essential gadgets if you use it for most daily tasks and cannot go a day without it. It means that most of your data is inside, and you wouldn’t want any other party to use it besides you and maybe your close friends and family.
Another person can use your Apple Watch, but they will have limited functionality if it remains paired to your iPhone. To give them full access, you should unpair the watch from your iPhone and reset it. Afterward, the new user can link it to their own iPhone and configure it as a new device.
To unpair and reset your watch:
- Keep your Apple Watch and iPhone in close proximity.
- Launch the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap “My Watch” and choose your watch at the screen’s top.
- Press the “i” icon beside the watch you’d like to unpair.
- Select “Unpair Apple Watch” and confirm.
This procedure erases your data from the Apple Watch and restores factory settings. The new user can then pair it with their iPhone to take advantage of all its features.
Someone else can use your Apple Watch if you have not set a passcode or they have the credentials. Luckily, it will be impossible if you have a strong password. Secondly, it is tasking to share the Apple Watch since Apple designed it to link with one iPhone at a time, meaning you will have to connect and unpair it to different handsets.
On the contrary, if someone has stolen the iWatch, they can access it if it doesn’t have a code or reset and erase it to use it as a personal watch.
The smartwatch holds sensitive information, primarily if you use it as a cellular device. It contains details of texts and calls you make to colleagues, family, and friends; therefore, treating the iWatch as you would your iPhone is vital.
You will need a strong passcode that bars unauthorized users from infiltrating the system and misusing the information inside. Unless they have the credentials, there is no way to access a locked Apple Watch.
However, anyone can unlock and use the watch if you have given out the code, impersonate you and do anything with it. The only difference is that some functions will not work without your paired iPhone.
If linked with your handset and it is in range, they can explore all the features you usually access when connected to your phone. Otherwise, they can unpair and pair it with their phones and use it as a personal wearable.
Since the chances are high that whoever is using your iWatch doesn’t have your phone nearby, they will only access a few features without being paired with Wi-Fi or cellular capabilities. They can listen to your music or podcasts, view photos synced with your iPhone, use the clock for alarms, or use Activity and Workout apps.
The scariest aspect of someone else using your iWatch is that they can make Apple Pay purchases.
Only a strong passcode will help you avoid such instances. Another section of new users often asks whether it is possible to share the Apple Watch by connecting different iPhones. Apple has designed the iWatch to be a personal device that only works with one user simultaneously while connected to a single iPhone.
It makes it challenging to share the wearable unless you keep pairing and unpairing it while it changes hands, which can be hectic and confusing.
Check Apple Watch usage
Apple has excellent security features on all its devices, including the tiny smartwatch, to curb attackers from misusing private information. It ensures that your synced iPhone and watch are safe from attackers. Therefore, you would want to know whether Apple has a unique feature to tell you when someone last used your watch.
Although there isn’t a direct way to determine the exact time your Apple Watch was last used, you can infer recent usage by checking some activity and health data. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Fitness app (previously known as Activity app) on your paired iPhone.
- You will see the daily activity rings (Move, Exercise, and Stand) for the current day.
- Swipe right or tap “History” at the bottom to view past activity data.
If you see activity data for the current day or the previous day, it’s likely that the Apple Watch was used recently. You can also check specific workout data by tapping the “Workouts” tab in the Fitness app.
Keep in mind that these methods only provide an approximation of when the watch was last used based on activity and health data. They don’t offer an exact timestamp for the last usage.
You can tell when another person last used your Apple watch if you turn on the location tracking. Thanks to the Find My app on your iPhone, you can know the device’s current location if you misplaced it or someone stole it, which discloses where the iWatch is if you already activated it in the settings before misplacing it.
However, if you want to know if someone used your Apple Watch when you left it at home, turning on the last app used to show on the wake screen may assist, though it isn’t full proof.
Find My app is efficient in helping you know where you used your iWatch last and notifying you of the location. To use it, open the Find My program from your iPhone and go to the Devices tab, choosing the Apple Watch from the connected iDevices.
Alternatively, you can use iCloud.com by signing in using your Apple ID and passcode. Next, click Find My iPhone, tap all devices to choose the lost Apple Watch; this way, you can tell when you last used the iWatch.
Knowing the last time someone activated your Apple Watch may be challenging if you left it home. If a friend or family member knows the code, they can open it, go through it, and you won’t know anything. However, if you allow the smartwatch to show the last used app on the wake screen, there is a slight chance. Unfortunately, it won’t show you the date when the user last gained access.
To use it, turn on the feature, go to Apple Watch on your iPhone, swipe downwards, and click General. Scroll down again, tap on Wake Screen, and click “Always” below “ON SCREEN WAKE SHOW LAST APP”.
Now you can find the used app on the wake display each time which helps you know if someone touched the smartwatch without your knowledge. Besides Find My, iCloud, and wake screen apps, checking the charge capacity may help.
You can compare it with the last level to know whether it was active. You can also know if you lose your Apple smartwatch when the battery is fully discharged, and someone finds and charges it.
Using the Apple Watch app on the paired iPhone, click on the My Watch key, followed by the General tab, and tap usage. Navigate downwards to see the Time Since Last Full Charge button. You can check the icon to read the usage statistics, which can be hours ago.
Spy using Apple Watch
Privacy is a top priority for any tech company, and Apple is working tirelessly to ensure you enjoy using your iDevice without fear of snoopers. Spying on someone is illegal and may put the infiltrator behind bars if found by the authorities. If you are worried that someone will spy on you through your Apple Watch or using theirs, here is what to know.
Using an Apple Watch for spying is not recommended, as it violates privacy laws and ethical guidelines. Apple devices, including the Apple Watch, have built-in security features to protect user privacy and data. Any attempt to use the Apple Watch or any device for spying purposes can lead to legal consequences and potential damage to the device’s functionality.
It is essential to respect other people’s privacy and use technology responsibly. If you have concerns about someone’s wellbeing or safety, it is better to communicate with them directly or involve appropriate authorities rather than attempting to spy on them.
You cannot spy on someone with their Apple Watch because Apple frequently upgrades its security features. This way, there are very slim chances for hackers accessing your iWatch remotely and misusing the stored data.
However, in the past, the manufacturer dealt with a vulnerability in the Apple Watch’s Walkie-Talkie app that allowed senders and recipients to share audios. The breach allowed users to listen to friends’ conversations without their consent.
It is impossible to snoop on another user’s iPhone through your Apple Watch because Apple has already addressed any system vulnerabilities like what happened with the Walkie-Talkie app.
You could install the program on the Apple Watch and invite other users into an audio messaging group. Once they accepted the invitation, you could all communicate, and the link would remain to allow either of you to listen to each other’s iPhone calls.
Thankfully, Apple discovered and eliminated the vulnerability before it could spread further. On the other hand, someone with an iWatch and iPhone can spy on another user through videos by leaving the handset within Bluetooth range. They first confirm that the watch and iPhone successfully pair and leave the phone where they want to snoop with the camera operating.
However, the link must be strong, or the setup will fail. The next step is to start the remote camera on the Apple smartwatch, which will help view whatever the iPhone camera captures. They can also record videos, but it is tasking since they should access both places and conduct tests. They can also add audio features like AirPods to capture audio and videos.
Luckily, the iPhone is huge and easily detectable if someone is using it to spy on you. Generally, the procedure has little chance of success since it is hectic and easy to detect. Besides, the snooper must be within range, which is pretty complex unless they are in your house. Still, the efficacy is below standards since you cannot capture every angle using a stationary iPhone.
Apple Watch also has the Find People program that lets you track your family members and know wherever they are. You can use it with or without their knowledge, provided you have their details.
Once you share your location on both watches, you can use the Find My app on your iPhone to find a user’s location or deploy Apple Watch’s Find People to know where your friends or family are.
Wrap Up
You can rest easy knowing that your privacy and security are Apple’s top priorities. If you fear that someone else may unlock and access the data in your iWatch, you will be glad to know that you can set a passcode and bar malicious users. Apple also uses the Wrist Detection feature to ensure the device locks whenever you take it off.
Unfortunately, no system notifies you when someone has unlocked your watch. If they use the passcode, the device will know it is you and allow access. It explains the need for solid credentials, never disclosing it to people you can’t trust, and being very careful where you leave your watch.
