Useful Apple Watch complications put the information or shortcuts you reach for most on your watch face. The referenced Stuff article is titled as a 13-pick list, but its accessible body names only 11 options; this guide covers those 11 without guessing at the missing entries.
What an Apple Watch complication does
A complication is a small item on a watch face that shows information or opens an app. What you can place—and where—depends on the face you choose, so start with the positions that suit the information you want to see. Stuff reported on 20 September 2026 that Infographic can show up to eight complications, while other faces may offer six, four or two. Those figures describe the faces discussed in that article, not a universal limit for every watchOS version. Read Stuff’s complications guide.
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Eleven complications, matched to what you need
The options below span built-in Apple features and third-party apps. Some display a metric or schedule directly; others are most useful as a quick way into an app. Slot size and placement affect what is practical: choose a data-rich option only if the selected face gives it room to be useful.
| Complication | Best for | What it shows or opens | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera Remote | Quick utility | Opens a live view from the paired iPhone camera and lets you trigger its shutter | Apple feature; remote camera control |
| Workout | Activity | Opens Apple’s Workout app to choose a workout, such as Pilates or outdoor running | Apple feature; app shortcut |
| Oura | Health and activity | Can show Readiness, Sleep or Activity Score, steps, active calorie burn, battery level, or an app shortcut | Third-party app; selectable metrics or shortcut |
| Structured | Planning | Shows upcoming tasks or opens the task inbox or timeline | Third-party app; task information or shortcut |
| Calculator | Quick utility | Opens Calculator, handy for a quick calculation such as splitting a bill | Apple feature; app shortcut |
| Calendar | Planning | Apple Calendar can show a schedule, lunar date or today’s date; Google Calendar can show the next agenda item and current date | Apple or third-party app; date or agenda information |
| Flighty | Travel | Shows flight countdowns and alerts for delays or gate changes | Third-party app; flight information |
| WaterMinder | Health and activity | Shows progress toward a hydration target as a ring or percentage, depending on complication size | Third-party app; progress information |
| Sleep | Health and activity | Offers access to sleep score, stages, time asleep, schedule, alarm controls and a 14-day consistency view | Apple feature; sleep information and controls |
| CARROT Weather | Glanceable status | Can display temperature, UV index, rain chances and other weather details | Third-party app; weather information |
| Google Maps | Navigation | Opens the Apple Watch app or navigation home; Apple Maps is another option, including public transport and directions | Third-party or Apple app; app shortcut or navigation |
| Pedometer++ | Health and activity | Counts steps and displays the count on the watch face | Third-party app; step count |
Glanceable status and activity
Oura, WaterMinder, Sleep, CARROT Weather and Pedometer++ are the most data-oriented choices in this group. Their usefulness depends on whether you want a number or status visible without opening an app. Stuff’s 20 September 2026 article says CARROT Weather offers 25 complications, but that count and the listed display options should be checked against the current app before relying on a specific choice.
#1 Best Overall
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416RQ0rtsUL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Step counting warrants special care. Stuff’s 20 September article says Apple’s native Activity complication shows ring progress rather than steps. A separate Stuff comparison dated 30 September 2026 reports a step complication on Apple Watch Series 12 and Watch Ultra 4. Because that report does not establish the watchOS rollout or whether the feature extends to other models, neither account should be treated as universal. Pedometer++ is the named third-party step-count option in the earlier article. See Stuff’s Series 12 versus Watch Ultra 4 comparison.
Planning and quick actions
Calendar and Structured suit people who want the next appointment or task close at hand. Calculator, Camera Remote and Workout are more about reducing taps: they launch a useful tool or action rather than serving as a persistent dashboard. Apple Watch Ultra owners may also use the Action Button to start a workout, as Stuff notes, but that is a separate hardware control rather than a complication.
Rank #2
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31caPPnRysL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Travel and navigation
Flighty focuses on flight timing and operational changes, while Google Maps and Apple Maps are for reaching a destination. A small complication may provide an entry point rather than enough room to display a full itinerary or route, so consider whether quick access or at-a-glance status is your priority.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How to choose and set up your face
- Choose the job first. Pick one recurring need—checking a meeting, seeing hydration progress, starting a workout, or tracking a flight—rather than filling every available position.
- Choose a face with suitable slots. Compare the positions and sizes offered by the faces available on your watch. A compact slot may suit a shortcut or a simple value; a larger one is more appropriate when you want richer information.
- Check app and device compatibility. The two cited articles do not provide a full compatibility matrix for models, watchOS versions or app releases. Confirm the current App Store listing and Apple documentation for your watch before depending on a particular complication.
- Add the complication through the face controls. Select and customize a face using the controls available on your Apple Watch, then assign the chosen complication to a position that supports it. Labels and available positions can vary by face and software version.
- Check what appears in everyday use. If the slot shows only a launch icon or an unhelpful fragment, try a different complication or a face with a more suitable position.
What the “13” title does—and does not—establish
The Stuff article’s headline promises 13 picks, but its accessible body lists only Camera Remote, Workout, Oura, Structured, Calculator, Calendar, Flighty, WaterMinder, Sleep, CARROT Weather, Google Maps and Pedometer++: 11 named recommendations. A follow-up search found no additional entries in that article. The two unlisted choices cannot be identified from the available reporting, so this guide does not invent them.
Rank #3
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31YiTby0pOL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Likewise, the cited coverage does not establish current model-by-model compatibility for all 11 options. App availability and complication behavior can change; check the current listing and Apple guidance before choosing a face around a feature you rely on.
Quick Recap
Best Value
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41s72HIk5TL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Rank #4
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31Gq8SToFJL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
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