Use Walkie-Talkie on your Apple Watch

Whether you’re out shopping or trying to find someone in a crowd, use the Walkie-Talkie app to get in touch with just a tap. Add friends, then manage when you want to talk.

Use Walkie-Talkie on your Apple Watch

To use Walkie-Talkie, you and your friend both need Apple Watch Series 1 or later with watchOS 5.3 or later. You also both need to set up the FaceTime app on your iPhone with iOS 12.4 and be able to make and receive FaceTime audio calls. The Walkie-Talkie app isn't available in all countries or regions.

How to add friends to the Walkie-Talkie app

  1. Open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.

  2. Scroll through the list of contacts, then tap a name to send an invitation.

  3. Wait for your friend to accept the invitation. Their contact card stays gray and appears under Friends You Invited until your friend accepts. After they accept, their contact card turns yellow and you and your friend can talk instantly.

Apple Watch screen showing Walkie-Talkie settings

To remove a friend, open the Walkie-Talkie app, swipe left on the friend, then tap the delete button . Or open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap Walkie-Talkie > Edit, tap the minus button , then tap Remove.

Get help if you can't add a friend to Walkie-Talkie.

How to accept a Walkie-Talkie invitation

Tap Always Allow in the notification that appears when someone invites you. If you miss the notification the first time, look for it in Notification Center. Invitations also appear in the Walkie-Talkie app.

Walkie talkie friend wants to talk notification

How to start a Walkie-Talkie conversation

  1. Open the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch.

  2. Tap a friend.

  3. Touch and hold the talk button, then say something. If you see "connecting" on the screen, wait for Walkie-Talkie to connect. After Walkie-Talkie connects, your friend can hear your voice and talk with you instantly.

As long as your friend is wearing their Apple Watch and has Walkie-Talkie turned on, they receive alerts when you want to talk.

How to talk over Walkie-Talkie

  1. Touch and hold the talk button, then say something.

  2. When you're done, let go. Your friend instantly hears what you said.

To change the volume, turn the Digital Crown.

Turn Walkie-Talkie off or on

  1. Open the Walkie-Talkie app.

  2. Turn Walkie-Talkie off or on. If someone tries to reach you while you're unavailable, a notification appears asking if you'd like to talk.

Apple Watch screen showing Walkie-Talkie settings

You can also turn Walkie-Talkie off or on by tapping the Walkie-Talkie button in Control Center.

If you turn on Silent Mode in Control Center, you can still hear chimes and your friend's voice. If you turn on Theater Mode, it automatically makes you unavailable to talk with Walkie-Talkie. Do Not Disturb mirrors your iPhone settings, so you can manage which Walkie-Talkie alerts appear, and when.

Get help

If your iPhone isn't nearby, you can use Walkie-Talkie with a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Learn how to use your Apple Watch when your iPhone isn't nearby.

For more help, find your issue below.

If you don't see the Walkie-Talkie app

  1. FaceTime is required for Walkie-Talkie to work, so if you've deleted it, re-download FaceTime on your iPhone. Open the App Store on your iPhone, search for FaceTime, then tap the download button .

  2. Make sure that FaceTime is turned on. Open the Settings app, tap FaceTime, then turn on FaceTime.

  3. Open the FaceTime app. To make sure FaceTime is set up correctly, try making a call.

  4. Restart your Apple Watch.

  5. Restart your iPhone.

If you have FaceTime on your iPhone and don't see the Walkie-Talkie app on your watch, you might have deleted it. Open the App Store on your Apple Watch and re-download it.

FaceTime is not available in all countries or regions.

If you're having issues sending and receiving invitations

  1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app, then tap FaceTime. Make sure that you're signed in to your Apple Account. Under You Can Be Reached By FaceTime At, make sure that your email address is selected.

  2. Restart your Apple Watch.

  3. Restart your iPhone.

  4. Try to send the invitation again. On your Apple Watch, open the Walkie-Talkie app, swipe left on the contact, then tap the delete button . Tap the plus button , then choose the same contact.

If you still need help

If you updated to watchOS 5.3 or later and tried the steps above, but still need help, contact Apple Support.

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