A lesser-known Apple Watch with cellular capability and if your iPhone isn't as easily accessible.
There are at least three easy ways to open the hidden Apple Watch browser: using Siri, from Messages, and from Mail. The trick is to get a link to appear on the screen. After a Siri search, a list of web results will be shown, and tapping any of the links from the list will open the browser. In some cases, the browser defaults to Reader mode. If this happens, touching the website address at the top and then 'Web View' will show the page more like it appears on the iPhone. Back, Forward, and Reload buttons are also revealed by tapping the address bar.
More Ways To Open Apple Watch's Browser
In addition to using Siri, Apple Watch's hidden web browser can also be opened through Messages and Mail. Tapping a link from an email or from a message opens the page in the Apple Watch browser. From there, s can read the contents of the link as they would normally (albeit on a very small screen).
As a workaround for deeper searches, a batch of links can also be sent to serve as starting pages, such as Bing, DuckDuckGo, or other search engines. Google's search engine doesn't work, though, as the button that launches the search is replaced with an 'X' to clear the text if desired. And, unfortunately, there is no way to proceed after entering keywords. It's also possible to directly type a link on the watch using Messages and, after sending, s can tap on that link to open it on the Apple Watch.
Is There A Safari-Like App For Apple Watch?
To date, Apple has not released an official Safari app for the Apple Watch, nor are there dedicated apps for other major browsers such as Chrome. It’s easy to understand why — browsing on the tiny device, while it might be convenient in a pinch, would come with serious limitations to the experience. It's also worth noting the Apple Watch did not have a built-in full QWERTY keyboard until the Series 7 release, which would make typing a search query difficult. A Safari app would likely fall far short of Apple’s high standards, and the company isn’t one for releasing half-baked products.
There are a few third-party browser apps, but the selection is limited and some are not that well rated. Parrity appears to be the most popular third-party browser for the Apple Watch, but even it has a fair share of issues. At the time of publication, Parrity has a 3.8-star rating and hasn't been updated in a long time. While the built-in browser can be tricky to access, it will likely be the most reliable solution and can take advantage of features that third-party developers might not be able to.
You Can Also Watch YouTube On An Apple Watch
While the web browser on the Apple Watch is limited in its functionality, the good news is that Apple Watch s can now watch YouTube right on their wrist. There's still no official YouTube app available, but a third-party app called WatchTube enables s to watch YouTube videos. The handy little app is actually quite feature-packed. It not only lets s search for YouTube videos, but also enables liking and subscribing. In addition, it displays recommendations and includes a library, complete with watch history, likes, and channel subscriptions.
The app even s closed captions, although they're likely to be too small to be readable on the Apple Watch's tiny display. On the App Store YouTube link in an app like Messages, the video might open and play in the WatchTube app.
Source: Apple, Parrity/App Store, WatchTube/App Store