Send messages from Apple Watch

In the Messages app on your Apple Watch, you can compose and send messages that contain not only text, but also images, emoji, Memoji stickers, and audio clips. You can also send money through Apple Pay and let people know where you are by including your location in a message.

Create a message on Apple Watch

Open the Messages app on your Apple Watch.
Scroll to the top of the screen, then tap New Message.
Tap Add Contact, tap a contact in the list of recent conversations that appears, or choose an option:
- Tap to search for someone in your contacts or to dictate a phone number.
- Tap to choose from your full list of contacts.
- Tap to enter a phone number.
Tap Create Message.
If you’ve set up your Apple Watch to use more than one language, tap Language, then choose a language.

Compose a text message

You can compose a message in a variety of ways—most of them on a single screen. After creating a message, tap the Create Message field, then do one or a combination of the following:

Use the QWERTY and QuickPath keyboard: (U.S. English and Simplified Chinese only, Apple Watch Series 7 only) Tap characters to enter them or use the QuickPath keyboard to slide from one letter to the next without lifting your finger. To end a word, lift your finger.
If you don’t see the keyboard, swipe up from the bottom, then tap the Keyboard button.
Use Scribble: Use your finger to write your message. To edit your message, turn the Digital Crown to move the cursor into position, then make your edit.
To use predictive text, tap a finished or unfinished word to highlight it, then turn the Digital Crown to see suggested words. Stop turning the Digital Crown to enter the highlighted suggestion.
Tip: If you’ve set up your Apple Watch to use more than one language, you can choose a different language when using Scribble. Just swipe up from the bottom of the screen, then choose a language.
Scribble is not available in all languages.
Dictate text: Tap , say what you want to say, then tap Done. You can speak punctuation, too—for example, “did it arrive question mark.”
To return to using Scribble, turn the Digital Crown or tap .
Include emoji: Tap , tap a frequently used emoji or tap a category, then scroll to browse available images. When you find the right symbol, tap it to add it to your message.
Enter text with your iPhone: When you start composing a message and your paired iPhone is nearby, a notification appears on the iPhone, offering to let you enter text using the iOS keyboard. Tap the notification, then type the text using the iPhone keyboard.

Send a smart reply, Memoji sticker, sticker, GIF, or audio clip

You can also compose messages without entering a single character. Try one of these options after creating a message:

Send a smart reply: Scroll to see a list of handy phrases that you can use—tap one, then tap Send.
To add your own phrase, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, go to Messages > Default Replies, then tap Add Reply. To customize the default replies, tap Edit, then drag to reorder them or tap to delete one.
If the smart replies aren’t in the language you want to use, scroll down, tap Languages, then tap a language. The available languages are those you enabled on your iPhone in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
Send a Memoji sticker: Tap , tap , tap an image in the Memoji Stickers collection, tap a variation, then tap Send.
Send a sticker: Tap , tap , scroll to the bottom, then tap More Stickers. Tap one, then tap Send. To create new stickers or see all your stickers, use Messages on your iPhone.
Send a GIF: Tap , tap , tap a GIF, then tap Send. To search for an appropriate GIF, tap the Search field, enter a search term, tap a resulting GIF, then tap Send.
Send an audio clip: Tap , tap , record what you want to say, tap Done, then tap Send.

Use Apple Cash to send and receive money

In a conversation, tap next to the iMessage field.
Tap .
Select an amount to send using the Digital Crown, then tap Pay.
Double-click the side button to send.

See Send, receive, and request money with Apple Watch.

Note: Apple Cash is not available in all regions.

Send a sketch from Apple Watch

You can use Digital Touch to send sketches to friends who have an Apple Watch or iPhone with iOS 10 or later.

To see a sketch someone has sent you, tap the notification.

Create a message, then tap .
Tap to open the drawing canvas.
Use your finger to draw on the screen.
Tap the dot in the top-right corner to choose a different color.
Tap Done when you’re finished sketching, then tap Send.

The drawing canvas with a sketch in the center, and the color picker in the top-right corner.

Express your feelings with a Digital Touch

You can use Digital Touch to send taps, a kiss, or your heartbeat to friends who have an Apple Watch or iPhone with iOS 10 or later.

To see (or feel) a tap or heartbeat someone has sent you, tap the notification.

Create a message, then tap .
Tap to open the drawing canvas, then use gestures to send any of the following:
- Tap: Tap the screen to send a single tap or tap repeatedly to send a tap pattern.
- Kiss: Tap two fingers on the display one or more times. Stop tapping to send.
- Heartbeat: Place two fingers on the display until you feel your heartbeat and see it animated on the screen.
- Heartbreak: Place two fingers on the display until you feel your heartbeat, then drag them down to send.
- Fireball: Touch and hold one finger on the display until you see a flame. Lift to send.

Share your location

To send someone a map showing your current location, scroll down, then tap Send Location.

On your paired iPhone, make sure Share My Location is turned on in Settings > [your name] > Find My > Share My Location. Or, on your Apple Watch with cellular, open the Settings app , go to Privacy > Location Services, then turn on Share My Location.