One of the cool features of the Apple Watch that I never ever use is the Remote app, which you can use to control your Apple TV 4K. And the reason I never ever use it is because it lacks key features, so for example you'd expect to be able to adjust the volume with a swipe or with the Digital Crown. Nope: you need the remote tool on your iPhone to do that (or the actual remote). But with watchOS 11, Apple has given the humble app an upgrade that'll make you actually want to use it with your Apple TV.
The changes mean that at last, Remote really is a remote rather than just a couple of shortcuts. And given the Apple TV remote's tendency to disappear just when you want to use it, it's likely to make homes like mine a little more harmonious.
What's new in the watchOS 11 Remote app
Apple has provided a guide to the revised Remote app on its website, which explains how to pair your Apple Watch with your Apple TV and then use it to control what's going on. The key features are:
- Adjust the volume with the Digital Crown
- Invoke Siri by pressing and holding the Digital Crown
- Mute or unmute the audio with the More Options button
- Turn captions on or off with the More Options button
- Turn the Apple TV on or off with the More Options button
I've been using the developer betas of watchOS 11 for a while now and although it's not a headline-grabbing, life-changing update there are lots of improvements like this throughout the new OS, and I keep encountering little improvements that I really like – so for example listening to podcasts in the car yesterday, the updated Smart Stack feature didn't just give me a bland screen of basic controls but something much more visually attractive. There are some important new health and fitness upgrades too.
watchOS 11 is available now for the Apple Watch Series 6 onwards and all Apple Watch Ultra models. You can read our review of the new Apple Watch Series 10 if you're in the market for an upgrade.
