With watchOS 3.2 Apple introduced Theater Mode that will let users quickly mute the sound on their Apple Watch and avoid waking the screen on wrist raise. It is useful in situations where the bright screen can be a distraction, such as a movie or a play, and it is also useful for those who like to sleep with their Apple Watches.
With Theater Mode, users can mute the sound on their watch and disable waking the screen when they raise their wrist. Haptic feedback will still work, and you will receive notification, but the sound is muted. If needed, the wearer can tap on the display or press the Digital Crown to get the screen to turn on to view any notifications.
This is a great feature for when you are watching a movie, in a dark environment. You can enable this feature by swiping up from the watch face to open Control Center.
Theater Mode is available as an option in the Apple Watch Control Center, so toggling it on and off is simple.
Once it is active, the icon will get an orange colored tint. You will also see a small mask icon at the top of the Watch display.
To disable Theater Mode, do the following:
Now, the icon will turn gray indicating that theater mode is disabled. In addition, the small mask icon at the top of the Watch display will also disappear.
When in Theater Mode, your Apple Watch screen will remain dark instead of turning on when you raise your wrist. Your watch will still receive notification. However, when you receive a new message or alert, you will still know as the haptic feedback will remain on.
When in Theater Mode, your Apple Watch screen will remain dark when you raise your wrist. To view any notifications, you have to tap the screen or press the Digital Crown to activate the screen of your Apple Watch. Tapping, or pressing the Digital Crown, or pressing the side button is also how you check the time in Theater Mode.
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