How to browse the web on your Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a solid all-around smartwatch, but what if you need to browse the web? Maybe you got a link in a message or need to look something up without reaching for your iPhone.

Even though the Apple Watch has no built-in Safari browser, it can open and display web pages in certain situations, and with a few extra steps, you can even do quick searches or visit basic websites. Here’s how you can browse the web on your Apple Watch.

Here's how to browse the web on your Apple Watch

Even though Apple Watch doesn’t have a Safari app, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck when it comes to web browsing. There’s sort of a hidden browser built into watchOS that lets you open web pages, check links, and even do quick Google searches, all without pulling out your iPhone.

While it’s not as full-blown as what you get on your iPhone, it works for quick searches and checking links.

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However, web browsing on the Apple Watch is pretty basic. Some pages might not load properly, certain scripts won’t run, and filling out forms is more trouble than it’s worth. But it’s a surprisingly helpful feature for quick searches and checking links. With that said, here’s how you can easily browse the web on your Apple Watch:

Send yourself a Web Link

Since Apple Watch doesn’t have a built-in address bar, you’ll need to send yourself the website link first. Open the Messages app on your iPhone and start a new message. Paste the link you want to visit and send it to yourself, so it appears on your Apple Watch. You can also send links through the Mail app, and they’ll open the same way.

Open the link on your Apple Watch

Once the message is delivered, open the Messages app on your Apple Watch and find the conversation with the link. Tap the link, and the web page will open in a browser overlay. Some sites may load in Reader View for a simplified reading experience, but if you prefer the full webpage, tap the URL bar at the top and switch to Web View.

Scrolling through a page is also pretty simple. You can swipe up or down with your finger or use the Digital Crown for smoother scrolling. If a page has small text, some websites allow you to double-tap to zoom in, while others automatically resize text to fit the screen. In order to navigate, you can tap the URL bar that lets you switch between Reader View and Web View, reload a page, or go back to the previous one. 

If you need to exit the browser, pressing the Digital Crown will take you back to the watch face, but the browser will stay open in the background. To return to it quickly, just double-press the Digital Crown.

How to use Google Search on Apple Watch

If you need to look something up, you can access Google Search on your Apple Watch with a simple workaround. First, send yourself a message with a link to Google.com. Once the message appears on your Apple Watch, open it and tap the link. When Google loads, you can type your search query using the on-screen keyboard or use Siri dictation to speak your search. After that, tap a search result to open the webpage.

On your Apple Watch, web browsing experience can be fun. So, go ahead and get the most out of your Apple Watch.