How to Use Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch in 4 Steps (With Photos)

The Walkie-Talkie feature is a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family who wear Apple Watches. If you’ve ever used a real walkie-talkie, Apple has brought that same experience to Apple Watch. With the Walkie-Talkie app, you press a button to talk, then release the button to wait for a reply. All it takes is four easy steps, and you and a friend can start chatting. As long as you and your friend have a connection, you’re ready to learn how to use Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch.

Basic Requirements

For you and a friend to use Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch, your watches should run on WatchOS 5.3 or later. Your iPhones require iOS 12.4 or above. You and your friend must also have FaceTime for audio calls. Now you’re ready to begin.

Step 1: Open the Walkie-Talkie App

Start by locating the Walkie-Talkie app on your watch’s Home Screen. The app icon is yellow, with a figure of a walkie-talkie in the center. Double-check that FaceTime is enabled on your iPhone if you don’t see the app. When you turn on FaceTime, the app will appear on your watch face and in your list of apps.

The first time you open the app, you will see the walkie-talkie icon at the top of the screen with some information about the app below it. Continue scrolling down until you see your contacts list.

Step 2: Invite A Friend

You will need to tap on a name from your contacts list to send an invitation the first time you use the Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie app. Your friend’s name is listed under “Friends You Invited.” Your friend’s contact card will remain grey while you wait for them to accept your invitation.

The next time you open the app, you will need to tap Add Friends to send invitations to people on your contacts list. Scroll through the list and tap on a friend’s name to send an invitation.

Step 3: Check to See if Your Friend is Available

As soon as your friend accepts the invitation, their contact card will change to yellow, and they will move to your Friends list. Now you’ll be able to connect when you tap your friend’s name. If your pal is wearing their watch and they have Walkie-Talkie turned on, they will get a notification when you try to reach them.

Step 4: Touch and Hold the Button to Talk

After tapping on a friend’s name, touch and hold the button in the center of your screen to talk. Turn the Digital Crown to raise or lower the volume while speaking. When you are finished talking, release the button.

After speaking, you may see a screen that says “Checking availability” while Walkie-Talkie tries to connect. Once connected, your friend may hear a short tone, then they will be able to hear you. After you release the button, your friend will hear another short tone, indicating it is their turn to speak.

Tap to Talk

If you don’t want to hold the button the whole time you’re speaking, you can enable Tap to Talk. Go to your watch’s Settings, then scroll down and tap Accessibility. Under the Walkie-Talkie setting, toggle the switch to turn on Tap to Talk. Now you can tap the Touch and Hold to Talk button when you want to talk, then tap it again when you’re finished talking.

How Do I Accept An Invitation for Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch?

If a friend invites you to join them on Walkie-Talkie, you only need to tap “Always Allow” when you receive the notification. If you can’t find the invitation, check your Walkie-Talkie app or your Notification Center. To go to Notification Center on your watch, tap and hold the top of your watch face, then swipe down when the notifications appear.

In this video from MrNiceBriefs, you will see how to turn on the Walkie-Talkie app, invite contacts, accept invitations, and use the app.

How Do I Remove Contacts From the Walkie-Talkie App?

To remove someone from the Walkie-Talkie app, open it and find their name in your friends list. Then, swipe left on the contact’s name. Tap on the red X next to their name to delete them from the app. You will be unable to connect through the app unless you re-invite them and they accept your invitation again.

How Do I Turn Off Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch?

If you want to end a conversation but leave the app on for others to contact you, you can press the Digital Crown to exit and return to the Home Screen. To turn off Walkie-Talkie, you can open Control Center on your watch by swiping up from the bottom of the display. Scroll down to the Walkie-Talkie icon and tap it to turn it off. The icon will go from yellow to gray when it is turned off.

You can also open the Apple Watch Walkie-Talkie app, then toggle the switch to turn it off. The switch will go from green to grey when it is turned off. Turning on Theater Mode will make you unavailable if a friend tries to connect via Walkie-Talkie. To turn on Theater Mode, open Control Center and click on the masks icon.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you learn how to use Walkie-Talkie on Apple Watch. It is easy to set up and even easier to use, so you’ll be connecting with friends in no time. It’s also a great feature for families, allowing you to connect instantly with your loved ones.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©DenPhotos/Shutterstock.com.