The Action Button is only one extra control on the Apple Watch Ultra, but there are great benefits that can be had with it, if you know how to set it up and use it.
After seven years of the Apple Watch with its Digital Crown and its side button, Apple has introduced a model with a third control. The new Action button is big, orange, and powerful.
In theory, the new button gives divers, extreme sports people, and athletes a way to specifically launch one of half a dozen Watch features like starting a workout. In practice, though, one option is to use it to launch a Shortcut — which means a single press can start all of the new functions, and just about anything else the Watch can do.
There are three ways to set up this button for the first time.
How to start setting up the Action button
- Follow the prompts during initial setup of the Watch
- Later on, go to Settings on the Apple Watch and tap Action Button
- Use the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and do the same thing
In each case, you get a list of possible actions, and can tap to select one. Other than Shortcuts, the actions available are:
