Thanksgiving is November 26 this year, and it's one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. The text everyone's family asks for is "let me know when you get there." On Apple Watch, Check In sends that message for you. It tells a friend when you arrive, when a workout ends, or when a timer runs out, and it alerts them if something doesn't go as planned. This guide follows Apple's Apple Watch User Guide.
What you need
Apple lists two requirements for Check In:
- Your Apple Watch must be near its paired iPhone, or connected to the internet over Wi-Fi or cellular.
- Both you and the person you're checking in with need an Apple Watch with watchOS 11 or later, or an iPhone with iOS 17 or later.
Start a Check In from Messages
This is the version for a drive, a train ride or a walk back from a friend's house.
- Go to the Messages app on your Apple Watch.
- Start a new message or select an existing conversation, tap the add button, then tap Check In.
- Tap Edit, tap Check In, then choose an option:
- When I arrive: specify your destination, how you're traveling (driving, transit or walking), and add extra time if needed.
- After a timer: specify a period of time.
- Tap Send.
With When I arrive, Apple says Check In monitors your journey and notifies your friend if your watch isn't progressing for an extended period, or if it doesn't reach your destination as expected. When you arrive, Check In completes on its own and lets your friend know.
With After a timer, Check In notifies your friend if you don't end the Check In before the time you set.
Start a Check In from Workout
Walking off the Thanksgiving meal, or getting a run in before everyone wakes up? You can attach a Check In to a workout:
- Go to the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
- Turn the Digital Crown to the workout you want to do.
- Tap the workout to begin.
- Swipe right, then tap Check In.
Check In notifies your friend when the workout completes.
Running late? Add time
To add time to an active Check In:
- Open the Smart Stack. From the watch face, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or turn the Digital Crown.
- Tap the Check In widget.
- Scroll down, then tap Add Time.
Cancel a Check In
If you've finished your trip, or want to end the session for any reason, cancel it so your friend knows:
- From the watch face, turn the Digital Crown to open the Smart Stack.
- Tap the Check In widget.
- Scroll down, then tap Cancel Check In.
A holiday travel checklist
- Before you leave: confirm the person you're checking in with has iOS 17 or later, or watchOS 11 or later.
- At the car: start a When I Arrive Check In with the right travel mode.
- Stuck in traffic: add time from the Smart Stack.
Troubleshooting
- No Check In option: check that both people meet the software requirements above.
- Check In isn't tracking: make sure the watch is near your iPhone, or on Wi-Fi or cellular.
- For emergencies: Apple's safety page notes you can press and hold the side button to call emergency services. Check In is for peace of mind, not a substitute for that.
Going further with WatchLux
WatchLux is the watch face app I built, and a face with a clear time and date helps when you're glancing at your wrist from the driver's seat at a stop. It has over 750 faces on both watchOS and Wear OS; on Apple Watch the live designs are videos, so they move. The holiday styles are at customwatchface.com. All artwork is created with generative AI tools.
WatchLux is free to download and preview; subscription unlocks the full catalog and removes ads.
My team specializes in advanced generative AI art and video, and WatchLux and ScreenLux are where we apply it to the watch and the phone.
- iPhone and Apple Watch: WatchLux on the App Store
Sources checked (official help pages, Oct 22, 2026): Apple Watch User Guide, "Use Check In on Apple Watch to let friends know you've arrived" (support.apple.com/guide/watch/use-check-in-apd7f329202c/watchos); Apple Watch User Guide, "Safety features on Apple Watch" (support.apple.com/guide/watch/safety-features-apd95ec0adc6/watchos)
Sean McCue, Founder, WatchLux and ScreenLux
