If you own an Apple Watch Ultra, you can use the Depth app. This application is installed by default and can help you with underwater activities, such as diving, by measuring the water temperature, duration and depth up to 40 meters.
You can start the Depth application automatically when it is underwater. In addition, we explain how the application works exactly and why it is not a dive computer and is only intended to gain insight into how deep you are underwater.
Depth app for Apple Watch
During recreational underwater activities such as snorkeling, underwater swimming in the pool, and shallow water freediving, the Depth app can display the time, depth, water temperature, and the maximum depth of the activity while you were and are underwater.
No dive computer
The Depth app is not a dive computer and does not provide decompression stop data, gas analysis, or other recreational diving features. Apple recommends using a second depth gauge and timer/watch in addition to your Apple Watch in case one of them breaks. The Depth app is only for recreational underwater activities to provide insight into time, depth, and water temperature.
Depth auto start
It is possible to automatically launch the Depth app when the Apple Watch Ultra is underwater.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra
- Go to ‘General’
- Then tap ‘Start automatically’
- Look under ‘When submerged’ and enable the ‘Automatically start app’ option
Now when the Apple Watch is submerged the apps will automatically start. By default this is the Depth app, but this can also be other apps such as Oceanic+
You can also customize the units of measurement used by the Depth app. To do so, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch Ultra. Tap Depth, then set the depth to Feet or Meters and the temperature to Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Using depth
The Depth app will automatically open and start a session if your Apple Watch Ultra is underwater at a depth of 1 meter or greater. If you haven’t set the app to open automatically, tap the Depth app to manually start a session.
When the Depth app is opened, Water Lock is enabled to prevent accidental input on the screen or with the Digital Crown. Information about elapsed time, depth, water temperature, and maximum depth appears on the screen.
The depth sensor is accurate to +/- 1 meter and works to a depth of 40 meters. If you go deeper, the Apple Watch will indicate that you are deeper than 40 meters, the app will turn yellow and some functions may no longer work properly.
When you’re done, press and hold the Digital Crown to turn off Water Lock and end your session and view results.