Red Dot On Apple Watch | Update

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You might have observed the little red dot on your Apple Watch and wondered what exactly it meant. Many people have assumed that because of its color, it is some form of warning.

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Red Dot on Apple Watch | Update

If you do see this dot appear, you do not need to be concerned. Fortunately, there is a simple explanation behind this.

What Does It Mean?

For those who do not know, this red dot signifies that you have an unread notification or multiple notifications that you have yet to read.

This could simply be an email that has arrived in your inbox or a text in your messages that you have not yet opened. It could also indicate that you have not listened to a voice call or message.

Apple has given this feature the title “Notification Indicator”, which aptly sums up what this feature does. It simply indicates that you have notifications that you have not opened. This can be a handy feature. It is especially useful if you are waiting for a specific notification, such as an important email

How Do You Read Your Notifications On Your Apple Watch?

If you notice this red dot, you will likely want to check which notifications you have received. Fortunately, it is quite uncomplicated to do this. Simply:

  1. Tap on the top of the watch face to open up your Notification Center.
  2. Begin swiping through these Notifications. In terms of swiping, you have two options. You can either turn the button on the side of the watch or you can swipe down using the watch face.
  3. If you see a notification that you want to look at, simply tap it. You can then either respond to these notifications or delete them.

How Do You Remove This Feature From Your Apple Watch?

Some people might find this red dot unnecessary, distracting, or irritating. After all, the bright red dot can be quite large and may constantly attract your attention. If this is the case, you may want to get rid of it from your Apple Watch. Thankfully, there is a straightforward method of doing this.

In fact, there are two techniques for doing these. Both are simple to do and do not take very long. The first solution involves simply using the app on your phone.

Apple Watch (see also ‘Are Apple Watches Waterproof?‘) users will have this installed on their mobile devices to manage their watches. The second technique requires you to do it from your watch. Please follow these instructions:

Method 1: Using The Apple Watch App

  1. Using your phone, open the Apple Watch App.
  2. On the app, find the Notification tab and click on it.
  3. You will see the “Notification Indicator” subheading. This should be one of the first things that you see on the Notification tab. Tap on the switch next to this title to turn these notification warnings off. If it is green in color, these notifications will still be active. If it goes white or gray, then you have successfully turned off the Notification Indicator.
  4. Check that this method has been successful by seeing whether the red dot is still present. If it has gone, your plan has worked. If it remains, you may need to try it again or check out the method below.
  5. Enjoy your Apple Watch without the Notification Indicator!

Method 2: Directly From Your Apple Watch

  1. Touch the display on your Apple Watch one time.
  2. Press the circular button located on the side of the Apple Watch (see also ‘How To Locate Apple Watch‘). This button, known as the Digital Crown, will cause an inventory of all the apps featured on your watch to appear on the screen.
  3. Press the Settings, which will be signified by an image of a gear.
  4. Scroll through the settings until you find Notifications. Tap this button.
  5. Tap on the switch to turn the Notification Indicator off. As with the app, it will turn white or gray when it has effectively been turned off. The switch will be green when the Notification Indicator is still active.
  6. Check that it has worked properly. If it has, the red dot will no longer appear on your Apple Watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Find Unread Notifications On Your Apple Watch?

As previously explained, your unread notifications are symbolized by a little red dot that you can see on your Apple Watch. You can see these notifications by clicking on the dot or by opening the Notification Center.

How Do You Clear The Notifications On Your Apple Watch?

If you have received a bunch of notifications that are irrelevant to you or you simply do not want them on your Apple Watch, you can remove them. However, doing this one by one can be strenuous.

You may also want to still have the notifications present. If this is the case, you can clear your notifications.

To do this, open up the Notification Center on your Apple Watch. At the top of the watch face, you should see a button that says “Clear All.” Pressing this button will completely and automatically clear all of the notifications on your watch.

Why Will The Red Dot On My Apple Watch Not Go Away?

This means that you still have notifications that you have not read. The red dot will not disappear unless you remove it via the settings or you have read through all the notifications that you have received. To remove the red dot completely, check out the two methods feature in this article.

Closing Remarks

Apple obviously had good intentions for including this red dot feature. As the Notification Indicator, it is helpful for informing you about any notifications you may have missed.

A lot of people will find this feature very helpful, particularly if they lead busy lifestyles. This is because it allows you to better manage your notifications.

On the other hand, people who do not know about the purpose of the feature may be worried or concerned when they notice this red dot. Additionally, other people may simply find it quite distracting to have this on their Apple Watch.

If you are one of these people, there are two super simple methods for removing this unread notification reminder.

Garrett Jones
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