How to set up your new smartwatch

Get started with smartwatch setup

Charge your device: The moment you take your smartwatch out of the box, plug it in for charging. While your watch charges, take a look at the accessories in the package, which likely includes other strap options.

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Install the companion app: While your watch charges, you should also download the companion app. This app will be different based on what smartwatch you have. Once downloaded, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your smartwatch. You will need to connect your smartwatch to your phone via Bluetooth, and once the setup process is done, you should be able to use the watch.

Customisations: Most smartwatches let you customise the watchface and the UI (user interface) to an extent. Navigate through your watch’s settings till you find the options to tweak these elements and you should be able to make your new smartwatch look just how you want it to. For budget smartwatches, don’t be alarmed if you see only a handful of watchfaces to choose from.

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Enabling features: Next step involves enabling features like notifications, calling support, and more. Navigate through settings till you find the notifications section. Most apps will show you a list of all the installed apps on your phone and allow you to choose which apps’ notifications you’d like to see mirrored on your watch as well.

Health tracking: Most smartwatches also come with a number of fitness and health-oriented features like the ability to track your heart rate, steps, and other such data. To use these, most watches will first instruct you to head to the companion app and enter some basic data like your gender, height and weight. This is done to allow the watch’s algorithms to more accurately track your movements and data. Following this, you will find app icons or widgets for all health-related features straight from the watch itself, enabling you to track and monitor data on the go without the app.