Burst Timers on Apple Watch lets you set up and run intervals right from your wrist, with no iPhone needed. Each change is announced with a haptic, so you don't have to look.
Requirements
- Apple Watch running watchOS 10.0 or later
- Double tap requires watchOS 11.0 or later and a supported Apple Watch model
Setting Up a Run
The main screen shows Start, the total length of the run, and your Segments, Work, and Rest values. To change a value, tap it, then turn the Digital Crown or use the + and − buttons. Work and Rest are set in seconds, from 1 to 600 (10 minutes). Segments go from 1 to 100.
Running
Tap Start. The running screen shows the segment at the top, the label of the current period, and a large countdown.
- Pause and resume: tap the button in the bottom corner, or double tap with your thumb and index finger on supported models.
- Haptics: you feel one pattern when work starts, another when rest starts, and a notification when the run is complete.
- Wrist down: the run keeps going in the background, and haptics still play on time.
- Colored backgrounds: turn on Use Colored Backgrounds in Settings to tint the screen with the current period's color.
When every period is done, the watch shows All timers complete.
Ending a Run
Tap the back button at the top left of the running screen. The run ends and you return to the main screen. If the screen is dimmed, raise your wrist or tap the screen first.
Settings on Apple Watch
Scroll down on the main screen and tap Settings:
- Rest After Last Segment
- Use Colored Backgrounds
- Work and Rest labels, icons, and colors
- Save Workouts to Health and Workout Type
Apple Watch settings are separate from your iPhone settings. To use your iPhone's labels, icons, and colors on the watch, use Copy to Apple Watch in the iPhone app's Settings. See Customizing Work and Rest.
Complications
Add Burst Timers to your watch face to open the app with one tap. The complication is available in circular, corner, rectangular, and inline styles. Complications from earlier versions of Burst Timers are carried over automatically.
Health
The Watch app runs a workout session during each run, which is what keeps it going with your wrist down. The first time you start a run, it asks for access to Health. Workouts are only saved if you turn on Save Workouts to Health. See Saving Workouts to Health.
Limitations
- The watch alerts you with haptics only, not sounds.
- watchOS allows one workout at a time. If another app's workout is in progress, end it before starting a run.
- A run on Apple Watch and a run on iPhone are independent of each other.