All Apple Watch Icons and Symbols Meaning – Guide
Apple Watch has a lot of icons and symbols throughout the UI, many of which are not marked. Why? Because the screen size is small. Here is the definitive guide to all Apple Watch icons and symbols and their meaning and purpose. Let’s begin.
Update:We last updated this article with new icons and symbols on March 29th, 2025.
Table of Contents
Control Center Icons Meaning
Pressing the side button will open the Control Center on your Apple Watch, where you can quickly enable and disable features and settings like network, sound, modes, etc.
13.aA:Increase or decrease the font size in supported apps.
14.Person raising hand:Activatesschooltime featurethat will enable DND and block all apps and notifications except emergency services.
15.Bed icon:Sleep mode is activated.
Status Icons Meaning
These icons and symbols appear at the top of your Apple Watch’s home screen. They are tiny in size but intimate about what app is running or which option/feature has been enabled.
Here’s an example. The airplane icon appears in the status bar of my Watch. It means airplane mode is enabled. Let’s take a look at all possible icons and symbols you may see on your Apple Watch and their meanings.
You may see some app-specific icons in the status bar. For example, music streaming apps like Spotify or Apple Music, calling app when you are on a call, navigation app icons when you are using Apple or Google Maps, and so on.
Home Screen Icons
The icons you see on the home screen of the Apple Watch will largely depend on thechosen watch facewith theset of complications. Let’s go through some common and basic ones that most people use to track their health metrics as an example.
Other Icons:
Some other icons that you may or may not encounter depending on your usage.
Found an icon on your Apple Watch that you don’t know the meaning of? Reach out to us onX (formerly Twitter), and we will update the list.
Two Watch Coming Together – Apple Watch NameDrop Icon
NameDrop is a feature that allows you to quickly share contact information between Apple devices. When you bring two Apple Watches or an iPhone and an Apple Watch close to each other, a specific icon appears to showcase this process.
Apple Watch Charging Symbols
When you connect your Apple Watch to its charging cable and a power source, it displays various symbols to indicate its charging status. Understanding these symbols can help you ensure your watch is charging correctly.
Charging Confirmation (Green Lightning Bolt) Icon:A green lightning bolt icon will appear on the Apple Watch screen. This indicates that the watch is receiving power and beginning to charge.
Low Power Mode Charging (Yellow Icons):Your Apple Watch is running watchOS 9 or later and is in Low Power Mode while charging. All displayed icons, time, and day will appear in yellow.
Low Battery Warning (Red Lightning Bolt) Icon:This icon appears when your Apple Watch has a critically low battery level. You may need to press the side button to wake the screen and view this icon.
Charging in Progress (Red Lightning Bolt in Ring):When the watch is charging from a low battery state, the red lightning bolt will appear inside a ring. This means that the watch is currently charging.
Battery Discharged/Initial Charging(Charging Cable) Icon:If your Apple Watch screen is blank due to:
A charging cable icon will appear. In this case, it is recommended to charge your watch for at least 30 minutes to ensure it receives sufficient power. You might see one of these three icons below:
Hand Gesture Icon on Apple Watch
Hand Gesture (Pinching Finger) Icon:This icon depicts a pinching finger, which is a visual indicator related to the Apple Watch’s double-tap gesture functionality. It appears in specific scenarios to provide feedback to the user.
This icon appears when a user attempts to perform the double-tap gesture on an Apple Watch screen where the gesture is not supported.
Apple Watch Face Icons (Complications Menu)
Apple Watch faces are highly customizable, allowing you to display various icons and information directly on the watch face. These elements, known as “complications,” provide quick access to data and apps. Here’s how to understand the icons you see on your watch face:
Variety of Icons:Apple Watch faces can display a wide range of icons, depending on the chosen watch face and the complications you’ve added. These icons can represent:
Finding Icon Meanings in the Apple Watch App:
To understand the meaning of specific icons on your watch face, you can use the Apple Watch app on your paired iPhone:
Focus Mode Icons
You might have noticed a blue smiley face or any different color icon on the status bar of your Apple Watch. Lets explore what this icon and other similar icons mean:
Blue Smiley Face Icon:It indicates that Focus Mode is active on your Apple Watch. Focus Modes help minimize distractions by filtering notifications and calls.
Similarly, you may see other focus mode icons that you may have running like gaming (blue rocket) or driving mode (car). Take a look at different focus modes on your iPhone’sSettings > Focusand then tap on thePlus +icon.
And that’s it, folks.
Gaurav Bidasaria
Gaurav is an editor here at TechWiser but also contributes as a writer. He has more than 10 years of experience as a writer and has written how-to guides, comparisons, listicles, and in-depth explainers on Windows, Android, web, and cloud apps, and the Apple ecosystem.
He loves tinkering with new gadgets and learning about new happenings in the tech world.
He has previously worked on Guiding Tech, Make Tech Easier, and other prominent tech blogs and has over 1000+ articles that have been read over 50 million times.
