What is the red '!' on my Apple Watch?

Submitted by Fred Straker on
Apple Watch owners having firmware problems can now try recovering their wearable device directly from an iPhone. This wireless method, while not foolproof, can avoid a trip to Apple for service. If your Apple Watch freezes up, crashes during the update process, or stops working, it may prompt you to initiate a restore. To use this feature, the iPhone requires iOS 15.4 or later and the Apple Watch must be running watchOS 8.5 or later.
According to Apple Support:
The Apple Watch Series 3 and later offer a model with cellular data connectivity. This reduces the need for Apple Watch to rely on a nearby paired iPhone or Wi-Fi network to make calls and send messages. GPS + Cellular models feature a red ring on the Digital Crown to indicate cellular capabilities.
The Apple Watch Series 2 and later is water resistant and offers swimming workouts. Once a swimming workout begins, the Apple Watch automatically locks the screen. Apple calls this Water Lock, which prevents accidental taps on the screen.
Apple Watch owners may have noticed a red dot at the top of the watch face. The dot appears to let you know there are unread notifications waiting.
The red dot can be hidden temporarily or switched off completely. To clear unread notifications, swipe down on the red dot and tap Clear All.