Although it has always been possible to use your Apple Watch to locate your lost iPhone, Apple has improved upon this feature with the release of the iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch 9 & Ultra 2. Not only can you now hear your iPhone when you ping it with your Apple Watch, but you can also use the new "Precision Finding" function on your Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 to determine the precise distance your iPhone 15 is from you. Here's how to use Apple Watch Precision Finding to find your iPhone 15 or 15 Pro.
How the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2 Use Precision Finding
Apple revealed during the Wonderlust launch event that the improved Ultra Wideband processor seen in the most recent iPhone 15 and 15 Pro series is also included in the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra. "U2 Ultra Wideband chip" is the newest model. is the sole reason you can use your Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 to locate your iPhone 15 using precision locating and get precise instructions.
Similar to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, ultra-wideband (UWB) is a radio-wave based, short-range wireless communication system. However, it functions at very high frequencies, spanning a wide range of GHz frequencies, in contrast to its contemporaries. and it has the ability to record very precise directional and geographical data.
How to Use Apple Watch Precision Finding to Find Your iPhone
For the Precision Finding functionality to function, you must have either an Apple Watch Series 9 or an Apple Watch Ultra 2, in addition to any model from the iPhone 15 family. This is how it functions:
- Unlock your Apple Watch and press the Side Button to bring up the Control Center. Apple changed the way you open the Control Center on Apple Watch in watchOS 10.
- Here, locate and tap the Ping iPhone tile, and your iPhone 15 will play a sound if it is within the range of the Apple Watch.
- Once you start moving toward your iPhone, the starry circle will disappear, and a black circle will appear, showing the distance and the direction you need to move toward.
- As you move closer to your iPhone, the black circle screen will change to a green screen with a white circle that shows the exact distance between your Apple Watch and your iPhone in the center.
- While finding your iPhone 15 or 15 Pro series models, your Apple Watch will give you continuous haptic feedback, indicating that precision finding is in progress.
- The distance in the middle will change to “✅” once your iPhone is located, and the haptic feedback will also stop.
That's right, you won't have to search every nook and cranny of your sofa or sprint around the house in search of your lost iPhone. For more information on the new features of Apple's newest flagship, see my iPhone 15 Pro Max review and feel free to leave a comment below.