The Apple Watch is known for its innovative technology and features, including the ability to send messages, make calls, and even use a Walkie-Talkie. This increasingly popular feature provides a fun and quick way to communicate with friends and family who also have an Apple Watch. Here’s how you can use Walkie-Talkie on your device.

Getting Started with Walkie-Talkie

1. First, ensure that both you and your contact have Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.3 or higher. Both of you should also have set up FaceTime on your iPhones and be able to make and receive FaceTime audio calls.
2. Open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.
3. You will see a list of friends with whom you can potentially communicate via Walkie-Talkie. You can also add new contacts by tapping the plus icon.

Inviting Contacts

1. Scroll through your contacts list or use the Digital Crown to find the person you want to invite.
2. Tap on the contact’s name to send them an invitation.
3. Once they accept your invitation, they will be added to your list of contacts whom you can instantly reach via Walkie-Talkie.

Starting a Walkie-Talkie Conversation

1. Tap on the contact with whom you wish to speak.
2. Wait for them to become available as indicated by their status.
3. Once their status is ‘Available’, press and hold the ‘Talk’ button, then speak clearly into your watch.
4. Release the ‘Talk’ button when you’re finished talking and wait for their response.

Receiving a Walkie-Talkie Call

1. When someone wants to talk to you using Walkie-Talkie, you’ll feel a haptic notification (if enabled) and then hear them speak.
2. To respond, press and hold the ‘Talk’ button while you are speaking.
3. Let go of the ‘Talk’ button when you’re done speaking so that they can respond.

Managing Availability

To ensure you’re not interrupted during meetings or at inappropriate times:

1. You can turn Walkie-Talkie off from the app itself or from the Control Center by tapping the Walkie-Talkie icon so it grays out.
2. Turn it back on when you’re available again.

Maintaining Privacy

For privacy reasons, if someone tries to talk to you while your status is unavailable, they’ll get a message saying that you haven’t been notified about their attempt to start a conversation.

Conclusion

Walkie-Talkies have been around for decades but integrating this technology into a smartwatch makes quick voice communication modern, accessible, and fun. Using Walkie-Talkie on your Apple Watch provides an easy-to-use feature that brings back a bit of nostalgia while utilizing today’s cutting-edge technology—it’s like having an old-school communicator right on your wrist!