All Apple Watch models, including the Watch Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE 3, have some level of water resistance to ensure you can go about your day without worrying about rain, sweat, or a quick handwash ruining your expensive smartwatch. While the more expensive Watch Ultra models have better water resistance and can handle up to a 100-meter depth, the rest of the recent Apple Watch models are resistant up to a 50-meter depth.
However, your Apple Watch isn’t just limited to hardware-level resistance when it comes to preparation related to potential water contact; it also comes with a handy feature called Water Lock.
Water Lock has been a part of the Apple Watch lineup since the introduction of Series 2 in 2016. It’s a software feature that’s baked right into watchOS, so whichever Apple Watch you own (except the original Apple Watch and Series 1), you get it out of the box.
What is Water Lock and why is it useful?
Water Lock is designed to prevent unintended inputs when you’re wearing your Apple Watch underwater. It essentially locks the display from receiving touch inputs, so when you are swimming or just having fun in the water, you won’t have to worry about accidentally triggering something on your watch. While the feature is automatically enabled when you start a water-based workout, you can switch it on manually if needed.
To turn on Water Lock, open Control Center on your Apple Watch, which can be accessed by pressing the side button (or by holding the bottom of the display and swiping up on watchOS 9 or previous versions). You will find a water drop-like icon in the Control Center; tap on it to enable Water Lock.
Another interesting aspect of the Water Lock feature is its ability to remove any water from your Apple Watch that may have gotten in through the speaker grills during your water adventures. When you get out of the water and turn the feature off, it triggers a hardware response to expel the water.
To turn Water Lock off and eject water, you’ll need to press and hold the Digital Crown on your smartwatch, as you can’t use touch inputs. Your Apple Watch will then make a series of sounds to remove the water. If your Apple Watch is running on watchOS 8 or an older version, you’ll have to rotate the Digital Crown to disable Water Lock.
