The Apple Watch is a convenient way to see notifications from your smartphone on your wrist, at least until you’re trying to watch a movie or performance and the small display lights up with a series of text messages or alerts. But there’s a way to keep your watch from annoying everyone around you.
The Apple Watch offers a Theater Mode feature that makes it easy to keep its screen dark while you’re in a, well, theater; it’s also an effective way to keep your watch from flashing if you wear it to bed. Activating Theater Mode will keep your watch from lighting up until you tap its display to wake it or press the Digital Crown.
1. Swipe up from your watch’s home screen to view the Control Center.
2. Swipe to the bottom of the Control Center options until you see an icon with two theater masks.
3. Tap on the Theater Mode icon and confirm you want to activate it by tapping the orange Theater Mode button.
If you forget that Theater Mode is enabled, the theater mask icon will appear at the top of your watch home screen to remind you.
MORE: For additional tips, tricks, and how-tos, be sure to check out our complete Apple Watch Guide.
